R123 Nah Whitney didn't invent melisma. Course she didn't. But she made it a fine art and it was certainly far more predominant and in style after her, as link below says:
[quote]"The vocal technique is called melisma, and it has inspired a host of imitators. Other artists may have used it before Houston, but it was her rendition of Dolly Parton's love song that pushed the technique into the mainstream in the 90s. It can be heard in the songs of Beyonce, Christina Aguilera, Jennifer Hudson and others."
Certainly without Whitney I don't think there would've been people like Mariah and a host of others.
I heard Kelly C sing a few years ago and was shocked by how bad she sounded. After that, she had some vocal rest which was wise thing to do.
I don't mean to put a distinction between the black and white performers, but even black listeners will tell you - they have their own culture and it is distinctive. When white people try it they usually mess it up. Whitney whether rightly or wrongly is the 'standard' which all the others who have tried since to copy her technique are measured by. Beyonce quote: "Whitney inspired me to get up there and do what she did."
I didn't say that Whitney's vocal damage was caused by melisma - it was clearly lifestyle choices. She didn't have to force her technique like many of the others.
In Beyonce there's some Whitney, some Michael Jackson, some Tina Turner. But Beyonce doesn't really measure up to any of them.
Even without that comparison, I find Beyonce an overhyped, overglorified industry creation because I can think of numerous others who would easily have outdone her back in the day. If she is the best there is today, then the standards have really dropped. Probably cause of state of industry today and what it's driven by.
I'm in same generational group as her btw, certainly I'm nowhere near old enough to be her parent. Do you want to be ageist and call her old granny too?
This is all probably starting to derail discussion though and annoy others - sorry guys, I won't respond again.
