Tuesday, February 22, 2011

A Jewish Star Videos and more

Video: performers




Video:
Interviews with judges and contestants


So... A Jewish Star is over and a day later we know who won - Piamenta Jr - with a very energetic performance. Did he deserve it? Looking at all the performances, this was the only listenable piece. The rest was subpar, very very weak and mostly off tuned.

What is clear is that well produced auditions masked the real voices of the auditioners. They are all at best average voices, and that's already a compliment. Next time the auditions should be voice only. Let's be real.

In a more positive note, this edition showed that anyone, ANYONE, could have been standing there. Yes, you also. Maybe that will encourage more people to submit videos.

The lack of interactiveness hurt this a lot, since only the people who attended te show were actually part of it. The unfortunate souls who couldn't make it had no connection to it until today. Didn't anybody think of making a live feed over the web?

In any case, shkoiach to Piamenta Jr who did feel confortable in stage much like Binyamin Moshe last year. We already have a pattern of Israelis doing well in the contest and that's no surpirse - Israeli Jewish Music is far more interesting the mainstream today. Israeli seem to have more chutzpa to do their thing without being afraid of standing out. That's great for music.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh please stop with your nonsense comments. All finalists were amazing and not off tune as you falsly claim. I was there! Piamenta might have had the most energetic performance but absolutely not the best voice. But again this year the judges went with energy rather than the voice. The show lost credibility big time. Most people I spoke to at the show were shocked with teh results and thought that Mendy Piamenta should not have won.

Anonymous said...

I was also there. Almost everyone was off. Some guys kinda pulled it off without too many people noticing, but overall I would not pay money to see any of these people sing for two hours. This entire process is upside down. great idea but just a huge waste of time because its not pulled off right. sad.

Anonymous said...

Was there too. My take.
Attal has a great voice but was off at some points and was very visibly nervous and no stage presence. Holder was professional. Nice unique voice but the second song not for him. Piamenta. Tremendous energy but no voice really. Some mistakes in second song. Gershon Shapiro sounded very professional. Great sounding voice. Was on key, tempo etc. Stage presence, but lacked some energy. Zalman Levy nice song but nothing special as performer. Ezzy Duchman bad on low parts. Great on high parts. Emotion but no presence on stage. Motty Herskowitz, nice and emotional but trouble hitting high notes. Braun, nothing too special but nice. Menkes, well he can't really sing that well but very entertaining and touchy story. Did i miss someone? Maybe but who cares it's over. It was a fun entertaining show. I loved it.

YK said...

So many Anons..

Anon1,
If you think they were not off.. well, you can listen to anything then. They were very off, 90% of the time and that includes the winner.

Anon2,
The idea is good but they must come up with a better format. If they repeat this next year, the show will die.

Anon3,
"Gershon Shapiro sounded very professional". I would add that it was a disastrous song choice. Just One Shabbos will never win you a contest like this.
About Menkes, he is like Piamenta Jr. No voice, stage presence.

YK

anonymous said...

yes I don't think piamenta should of won but how can you say he is off tune it is his song he knows it better then you fine no one is forcing you to come next year I think it is a very good idea worked out well just that the judges should choose something different every voice stage presence...................

YK said...

Yisroel,

It is his song but that's no excuse to be off tune. One thing has nothing to do with the other - composing is one thing, and singing it is something completely different.
I personally find the song very weak, and if you add that to him being off tune, it's a surprise he managed to win.
Binyamin Moshe last year was way better. Buy his single, it's top class. And he is in tune.
YK

Benny said...

Wow! What a great post!

Very true.

Wasn't there. But I agree, I would never have paid a penny to see any of them perform. I would not buy any of their albums, even singles... I would only if it was supporting a good cause and if I knew that there was loads of work done on their voices in the studio, although that doesn't say much. With studio work, even my neighbor's cat can sound amazing.

The point is, that next year, some really in-tune guy has got to take over the contest design.

Like I've said other places, the two most important rules for such a contest to really produce results must be:

1 - Raw video's. No studio work on the voice. If someone is good, everyone will know it. If someone isn't, everyone will too.

2 - Audition video's should be no longer than one minute. I got sick and tired of watching over 100 6 minute videos...

That's my rant.

The anonymous commenter who thinks that these guys were on tune... It is people like you who probably voted in these guys in the first place. It shows what the Jewish music audience looks for in music. And for the most part, vocal ability (or heart for that matter) is not part of it.

YK said...

Benny,

Look at my previous posts, I basically said the same things.
I think it's pretty obvious at this point - I'm sure next year they will adjust the format.

YK

Anonymous said...

The format of the contest is ridiculous. You don't have to be good to be voted in because as long as you're a guy that is well connected, you will make it because hundreds of your "buddies" will vote for you, whether you're good or not. The judges should screen the auditions first and maybe the public should or shouldn't have a say, but if they do it should be after the screening process. I really hope that the rules change, because this contest is starting to become a joke.

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