Is Celine losing her sound?

[smw]

I am always amazed at how well Celine can morph into a song. Like with "Taking Chances" and "Surprise, Surprise, she listened to how Kara sang those songs - and then she could immitate that sound.

 

Also back in the day - when she sang "Papa Don't Preach" like Madonna - and a couple Whitney Houston songs.

 

But I've read in reviews on Amazon and such how Celine has lost her sound since the 90s. And while I agree that she has taken on different sounds, I don't feel as though she has abandoned her signature singing style. Granted, what made her voice so unique in the late 80s and throughout the 90s - was that she could sing like no one else...and she has a more difficult time doing that now. So the part in TPOL when she sings "Cause I'm your ladyyyyyyyy" has to be lipped because it would be hard for her to sing like that today.

 

I honestly feel like the most 90s-sounding Celine song that she's recorded in the past few years is "I Knew I Loved You". While I don't feel like it's vocally perfect, there are those moments when she says "and all my nighhhhts" when it is distinctively Celine.

 

And that's why I feel like "My Love" will do better on the radio than "Taking Chances" - because it sounds more like her. And people want to hear her....not a different her.

 

Anyway - I've been thinking about this for a while.

[celinerific]

You've made some good points there.

Ballads are a very much a 90s style - Celine's just trying to go with the flow and I'm not complaining. Her voice is still inhumanly incredible intonation and range-wise. But her style of music has certainly changed.

[Nmj]

New Celine , Old Celine ....I Dont Care as long as she is always CELINE.

-Nmj

[Lou555]

I couldn't say for the general public, I haven't given any thought about that yet. I'll just talk for myself and try to tell what Céline, her music and sound means and does for me.

 

To me and for many people around me who love Céline's singing and songs since so many years now, it's not about a Céline singing style really. You know I've love Céline at first in French and she doesn't have the same singing style in French and in English so....(love hearing her in both or any languages anyway). To me it's not even about singing style(or language) it's about her voice and her personnality and what this combination brings to her singing. It's difficult to explain exactly but her voice has such a human quality in it. When I hear her sing it's like I can hear her soul, the depth of her personnality, the softness, the strengh, the sensitivity, the power, the love, the sadness, the joy, the fun, the vulnerability, the sensuality, hopes and dreams....all that I am and feel as a woman also. To me she's every woman in a way. This voice and personnality touches my soul and heart deep inside like NO others can and has ever been able to.

 

Many producers who have work with Céline over the years say that she always brings a song they wrote to another level. I think it's what she is deep inside(that comes out in her voice). So to me it's the voice in all its many rythms, tones, moods and colors that moves me. So I love the high notes like many but I adore just as much when she sings in a softer tone or manner. I find that as she gets older the more she's good to interpret songs in a deeper way and I wish her to be able now to find songs that fits what she's become these days. The needs of marketing, Sony and even critics(even if they don't like it) maintained her in a particular singing style for years(more so in english I find). That style she liked of course and she was genuine singing it. But I suspect that now with the success, the passing of time and the maturity she would want to try and do many other stuff she loves and couldn't do in the past that easily. It's performing and singing she likes, not a particular style of music these days I think. Any style she'll sing or any projects she'll wants to accomplish(movies or..), I'll be with her because I love the voice ....and love the woman just as much.

 

As you can read and see Céline and her music is not something that I intellectualize, it gets right into my heart, touches my soul and those kind of feelings I never fight or try to analyze, it's too rare and precious. So I enjoy it and wish for others they can find a singer that does that to and for them : bring happiness and more beauty in their life. May her carreer and life go on and on....!!!

[Lou555]

I am always very impressed with Celine's ability to morph into the songs she sings. Such as with "Taking Chances" and "Surprise, Surprise" she was able to listen how Kara sang those songs - then immitate her style.

 

Also - back in the day - she would immitate Madonna with "Papa Don't Preach", Michael Jackson, and Whitney Houston.

 

However - by the 1990s she found her own sound. And it became her signature style. But since 2002, I have read a lot of reviews on Amazon and such - about how Celine has lost her sound. I think it really stems from the fact that she is trying new styles - and she has not-as-fluid vocal chords these days. That's why she lips in TPOL "Cause I'm you ladyyyyy" - she would have a lot more difficulty sounding like that "classic Celine" today.

 

I think the most Celine-sounding song that she's recorded in the past few years is "I Knew I Loved You". I'm not saying it's vocally perfect - but when she sings "and all my nighhhhhts" - it sounds like her signature singing style.

That's why I think "My Love" will be more successful than "Taking Chances" was - because it sounds more like Celine. And it's more of type of song people expect from her. The general public wants to hear the familiar Celine...not a new one.

 

This is just something I've been thinking a lot about.

 

Just a note - In Québec I have to say that people seem to like her new stuff just as much as the old one(taking into account the fact that cds don't sell as much these days).

Céline has the second and third best selling cds of the year in Québec with respectively "D'Elles" and "Taking Chances" - I would also say that changes in her sound would even get her more fans here in the future.

 

I also think her fan base from all over the world would be open to "anything" Céline I think (old or/and new)!!

[Alex_Incognito]

I think her english career has always been about imitating---at least a little.

 

But, to me, her french career is unmatched by anyone else.

 

They still have a lot of work to do on her english career. The only albums I can listen to all the way through without getting a little bored are the first two, UNSION and CELINE DION. Then it was about getting 10 or 13 great songs----now it's about getting 16 that sound the same.

[stevo]

I think she can sing the 'cause I'm your lady...' parts in TPOL no problem- she just chooses not to- that's a whole other topic- but I don't think she has lost her sound. Her voice has changed- how could it not have? but I think there is definately a more mature, slightly rougher (her voice couldn't be described as being harsh) texture. I'd love to hear her singing WDMHBN with her 2008 voice- she's still the power house she always was- she's proved that with this tour and with events like Quebec 400 (amazing) maybe some of the stamina is gone but hey- preserve the precious, that's what I say.

[CelineRules!]

New Céline - Old Céline, I really absolutely don't care...

 

I like the evolution over the years and I must say I like the sound of her voice now. It sounds deeper, warmer, fuller than ever. In some of her older songs she sounds a lot sharper to me..

 

But the most important thing to me is that I want to hear in the songs that she likes singing them. So if she wants to try different styles: fine by me. Taking Chances sounds a bit different but in the end it's still Céline.

 

To say that she 'lost her sound' seems a bit far fetched to me...

[Snowhite]

Yes she does loose her sound ,but for me it's for better ...i like her general ''style'' more

[Nando Férri]

Things changes. Today is NOT 90's. (In enligsh) She had always sung the styles that was compatible with the time. Beginin of 90's: Unison - Michael Jackson's style. Then the balladas came very strong and she did a lot. 2000's was the beginin of pop's era, and she did it with TTWII. And now she's trying to go on with that... And for me, she could do it even deeper.

 

Now she doesn't have single hits, but if she didn't changed her style though the years, people would think that Celine Dion was a singer that died after the Titanic song.

Edited October 1, 2008 at 12:16 PM by Nando Férri

[karatedude317]

To say that she lost her sound is quite an overstatement. If you saw her live, or at least youtubed her concerts, you can see that she hasn't. IT isn't that she can't sing the higher notes like in TPOL, because she hits amazing notes in other songs during the concert, as well as various television performances of songs (i.e. Oprah, Today Show, Dancing With The Stars etc). Her voice sounds different than the early 90's, but it is each person's opinion as to whether she sounds "better" now or not. Truthfully I prefer her sound now to the late 80's early 90's, but again, everyone has a different opinion.

 

To answer your question, Celine is NOT losing her sound!

[JP]

And that's why I feel like "My Love" will do better on the radio than "Taking Chances" - because it sounds more like her. And people want to hear her....not a different her.

 

Anyway - I've been thinking about this for a while.

Well, not sure about that.. TC have been a huuuuuge hit here, where people knows her better than anywhere else in the world.. It's been her biggest hit since I'm Alive..

I do understand what you mean a little bit but on every album, she have different sounds and she still have signature songs like My Love and A World To Believe In or Skies of LA..

[takeachance]

I also love her voice so much when she sings "cause im your ladyyyyyyyy" . Its amazing.

[smw]

I don't think Celine has lost her ability to belt - and hit impressive notes. I'm just saying that she sounds different now....and she can do "different" types of belting - than in the day of her vocal peak.

[Attendais]

Céline's voice has dramatically changed, what it plainly disturbing... She doesn't sound like she did in the 90's... doesn't she. ;(

She sounds old and tired. Maybe taking a break would be a proper idea?

[Timster]

I agree that her voice has changed - in a good way and a bad way.

 

Good:

- She can still belt out the notes

- She can hit the high note in RDMH better than she copuld in the 90's (when it sounded like "ohooobooboobobowa!!" )

- She still has an amazing range, I think she can go lower than she used to these days...

- Her style has changed, so she's not 'the same old Celine'

 

Bad

- Lipsynching: I don't mind TPOL as it's too hard and it's been lipped since 1995 but really she needs to record another playback or sing live in a lower key when she comes back affter her break)

- Voice sounds very nasally (in Vegas at least. Have you listened to the start of BYLM on the AND cd? It sounds terrible "furhall thos tames you shdould bimme"

- Her voice sounds a bit strained sometimes.

- That weird sound she makes with her voice in the last line of My Love (live). It's like her chest is vibrating...

Edited October 2, 2008 at 03:36 PM by ShuttleDiscovery

[smw]

I completely agree that there are pros and cons. There are things she does now that she didn't do years ago - and there are things she used to do, that she would have a much harder time accomplishing today.

 

Yeah - BYLM on the Vegas CD was ridiculous. It's so weird. Because she sounds great singing it these days! There are few instances where that's the case. I understand that in Vegas bootlegs, she may not sound in top shape - because she sang SO often. But on the CD, I would have expected her to sound leagues better than she did.

 

And it's totally apparent that when she lets her vocals rest - then she can still sound prestine. Like before recroding Taking Chances - she let her chords rest and she sang the hell out of those songs.

 

But I actually really like the way she sings the last line of My Love. I think she could sing it more "properly" but I think she is more concerned with getting the emotion through...

[tearsinheaven87]

I wouldn't say that Celine has "lost" her sound, but I do agree that her voice has changed over the years.

If your compare her voice now to how she sounded in the 90's, there is a difference. To me her voice doesnt sound as clear cut and well trained as it did in the 90's. However I find that to be a positive thing, her voice sounds more real, for lack of a better word. It's more raw. And I think that makes her sound all the better. She can still belt out the high notes, but now there is a "realness" to her voice that wasn't there in the 90's.

[Javito]

I don't think she has lost her sound at all. Does she sing different today? Definetly yes. She only would have to warm up and train more often her vocal chords, but I don't think that happen anymore in the near future

 

I miss a lot the nuances that she sang in the past, which aren't there today.I would say she sings very mechanically, concequence of singing a lot the same songs and of course, because she sings a lot today. The girl should have taken a rest after Vegas and do the half of concerts of the current tour At least 50% of the time for promotion, and the other 50% for concerts if she wants. But not 80% concerts and 20% for promo (or even less).

[smw]

While I agree that she needed some good rest after Vegas, she said herself that it was a daily job to her....and while it was hard, she got used to it and it offered her "stability".

 

Also, I think she wanted to come roaring out of Vegas and prove to everyone that she is still here and she is still capable. So I think in that regard, she will be able to take a better rest....and have the peace of mind knowing that she proved to herself and everyone else that she is just as capable as always.

[rta]

I'm worried about the poor girl. I think she has taken way to much on in the last several years. I agree her voice has changed, I'm just not sure it's for the better. Mind, she doesn't have to belt out high notes all the time. In fact there are plenty of songs I'd wish she would sing, but she just doesn't

[Javito]

I'm worried about the poor girl. I think she has taken way to much on in the last several years. I agree her voice has changed, I'm just not sure it's for the better. Mind, she doesn't have to belt out high notes all the time. In fact there are plenty of songs I'd wish she would sing, but she just doesn't

 

That's exactly what I think. She's forcing so much her voice singing a lot of high key songs. Why? She doesn't need to! She has reached a point in her albums and above all, in her concerts, that when a low-key song comes, I thank God that she included it because its the one that I enjoy the most after repeated and crazy shouts during her songs. I HATE the way she's singing LCMM or I'm Alive since 2004. LCMM during the TC tour has become an insane circus of people shouting, Céline being the first unfortunately. I can't enjoy a song that way

Again, I'm sure this has a lot to see with singing the same repertoire over and over again during ten years. Even a saint gets tired of that!

 

I just wonder WHY she has to sing this way today. Why??!! As if she had to prove that she can hit high notes still!

[kathy4]

New Celine , Old Celine ....I Dont Care as long as she is always CELINE.

-Nmj

i agree with you about celine.

[Céline's Blues]

The point to begin with is that she has never ever at any point of her career knew what her sound was to begin with! And that is a well documented fact based on what she said about Taking Chances being her liberation record where she at last could sing what she wanted to - not only ballads or slow syrupy songs she used to do always.

 

Throughout the 90's there was a major theme in the music industry after which Céline was modelled. She had a big voice so she had to sing ballads. She just simply had to cuzz not only did she fasten her position as one of the major balladeers of the 90's with the success of the Titanic song but also she had this little thing for singers and songs she enjoyed as child - especially the names of Barbra Streisand and Anne Murray bare to be mentioned here.

 

Yet we all know that things can get a little extreme when there's money, big gambler (Reney) and a big record company involved in all this grand circus. They had to make profit and Céline simply loved what she did as long as she did it and so the thing went on - without taking into consideration the bigger perspective what kind of music she wanted to record. After all it was her battling with Sony for certain songs to be included on Let's Talk About Love.

 

Now in the 00's came a time where she just simply does not care for the music she is supposed to record at all. The approach she has taken is already very evident with the last minute inclusion of "Ten Days", the recording of "Naked", "I Drove All Night" that then resulted in a natural little evolution called "Taking Chances". It's no wonder why she has been oh so keen on recording certain songs found on the CD - it would seem as if it were for the first time that she has been let record something that she genuinely enjoyed and wanted.

 

"Taking Chances" naturally blends in with her musical roots of pop-rockish euro sound incorporated so well into her French albums from the 80's (Incognito) and the 90's (Dion Chante Plamondon being the prime example of this). I would not necessarily call it a "natural transition" as it did not happen on Céline's behalf per se... ironically it happened cuzz Sony and co didn't have the slightest idea ho to make money out of the 00's Céline anymore. They let her be. "Miracle", "Taking Chances" and her husband's greedy plan releasing "You And I" all over the world just to cash in some additional green money with absolute carelessness as the live recording of the show was by far the most ear-hurting experience she has ever put out to date.

 

It seems she's allowing everything to happen around her as long as she does what she enjoys doing. It has been the case in the 90's and it is also now but with a rather different context: This time Sony doesn't care, Reney doesn't care as long as the money is flowing and she is free to try out things none of these two parties in the 90's (neither Reney nor Sony for that matter) would have allowed her to do. Now it's the period that I would call "rejuvenation of Céline LIGHT": there will be a new child (or at least effort to have one), there will be a new Callas movie, there will be new old Vegas show, there will be new music and there will be new perfumes.

 

What this all shows us is the simple fact that now she reached a level of personal satisfaction and a position of comfort from which she can easily navigate with her musical career/wishes WITHOUT having to compromise her husband's love for money or the high commercial expectations the Sony executives always had towards her. It's the same Céline that may still be a little confused where to go, where to find that sweet spot in this but she is more than ready to unfold where no Céline has ever been before. And without pardon this time. Rene will have it his way, surprisingly Céline and to some extent also the music oriented fans (with foreseeable new musical direction she's clearly taking).

 

So has she lost her sound? Not that she had any specific sound that was wholly and truthfully HERS anyway other than those perfectionist David Foster like ballads her Amazon.com-fans have come to love so much. They don't know her essence to understand that all the way through it wasn't the 100% real her anyway. Is she 100% herself now musically? I have no idea. But it does sure seem to me this way now.

[Andrei Dion]

Ah cmon...she can still sing. Even herself said that her techinique is much better right now.

 

And as we see in videos from the Tour, she still sings that much.

[unicorn]

I think that Celine does not lost her sound.

Just listen to AWTBI, or ASFY. She is changing, she became mother,with days she has some changes.

Her music is changing to. The musical current is changing, Celine has to change with this, to.

If she doesnt change, the world will forget her because her 90`s signature melodies does not make part in todays music.

And I think that she is boring to make that ballads like in 90`s, she want new, fresh music.

And she does this fresh music(You & I, Eyes on me, TTWII, I`m alive), but she STILL can hold her earlyer music( AWTBI, ML, ASFY, I knew I loved you).

And if u look at her frenchmusic, it`s not changing at all!

 

And her voice! Is stunning like it was always, but she is a mature, older women, and her voice is changing, but not going worse then yesterday, or 10 years ago.

When she was in LV, she had to learn an another singing style, because she had to sing 5 days a week, her voice was sterssed, and I think that is the reason that her voice became more nasal like in the past.

Her voice was under pressure, she had to sing with a little technique, called "nasal", to be the hero of every night.

[Timster]

I HATE the way she's singing LCMM or I'm Alive since 2004[/b]. LCMM during the TC tour has become an insane circus of people shouting, Céline being the first unfortunately. I can't enjoy a song that way

 

I also hate the way she sings LCMM in the tour (and Vegas)! She just does all these random screams and hardly ever sings the proper lyrics apart from the first and second verses...

 

And why won't she do the "eyeah-eyah-eyeah-eyah-yeah-yeah yeah" bits when she perfroms it? Nowadays she just leaves a pause or does some weird scream. She can't say it's too hard to sing as she's going far higher in her screams! It's just weird.

 

Also I'm not a fan of the way she sang I'm Alive in Vegas. It makes me cringe everytime I see her on the DVD stop singing to say "excuse me sir, this way" or "oh you gotta call me after the show"

[Bellamy]

I HATE the way she's singing LCMM or I'm Alive since 2004[/b]. LCMM during the TC tour has become an insane circus of people shouting, Céline being the first unfortunately. I can't enjoy a song that way

 

I also hate the way she sings LCMM in the tour (and Vegas)! She just does all these random screams and hardly ever sings the proper lyrics apart from the first and second verses...

 

And why won't she do the "eyeah-eyah-eyeah-eyah-yeah-yeah yeah" bits when she perfroms it? Nowadays she just leaves a pause or does some weird scream. She can't say it's too hard to sing as she's going far higher in her screams! It's just weird.

 

Also I'm not a fan of the way she sang I'm Alive in Vegas. It makes me cringe everytime I see her on the DVD stop singing to say "excuse me sir, this way" or "oh you gotta call me after the show"

Cause she's nuts.

[Linn92]

Well.. Taking Chances would do it better on the radio... Its cuz Taking Chances is more funky, more edgy.. Like My Love is.. What can I say.. BORING for the peopel who don't like Celine Dion... Like all my friends started to listen to her music because of TC. But its just matter of opinions

 

I LOOOVE My Love, don't take me wrong, but its like Nighty Night song... Its a song u can listen to when ur down, or just want to have a break...

 

Take Care

Lynn:.

Edited October 3, 2008 at 04:48 PM by LoveCelineDionLove

[smw]

I HATE the way she's singing LCMM or I'm Alive since 2004[/b]. LCMM during the TC tour has become an insane circus of people shouting, Céline being the first unfortunately. I can't enjoy a song that way

 

I also hate the way she sings LCMM in the tour (and Vegas)! She just does all these random screams and hardly ever sings the proper lyrics apart from the first and second verses...

 

And why won't she do the "eyeah-eyah-eyeah-eyah-yeah-yeah yeah" bits when she perfroms it? Nowadays she just leaves a pause or does some weird scream. She can't say it's too hard to sing as she's going far higher in her screams! It's just weird.

 

Also I'm not a fan of the way she sang I'm Alive in Vegas. It makes me cringe everytime I see her on the DVD stop singing to say "excuse me sir, this way" or "oh you gotta call me after the show"

 

I think the LCMM and I'm Alive Celine-isms are just part of her becoming very comfortable onstage and being silly. It's not my favorite either - but I like how goofy she can be. Like with that recent Rachael Ray interview......that's just a whole side to Celine that comes out.

 

As far as not doing the "eyeah-eyah-eyah" - I think it's probably much more difficult to do than you think.....and since it's an upbeat song, she probably doesn't feel the need to put that extra strain on her chords - so she just does the high pitch screams instead.