Scratchy voiced female singers

Ever since Amy Winehouse and Adele came out, the music industry has been looking for the next big follower. I’m not saying that they aren’t the real deal, but it’s caused a trend that all new female singers need to sing in that affected old soul, jazzy, mumbly, scratchy, Billie Holiday voice. Everytime I turn on one of those reality talent shows, there’s another copycat. I’m getting tired of it and my wife can’t stand the women who sing like that. I’d like to hear new talent who find their own voice instead of copying others. Who else is done with this trend?

 

Can't say I noticed it. When I think of scratchy voices I'm back in the 70s with Bonnie Tyler and Kim Carnes, or Joe Cocker and Rod Stewart for that matter. It's trendy to be slick now I think.

 

Macy Gray always had a 'sound' that came across as a caricature of not only Billie Holiday, but also Esther Phillips.

 

or stevie nicks.

later
-1

 

Bobbie Gentry used her 'scratchy' voice back in the late-60's and had a couple of big hits and a movie made about one of her hit songs in 1976.

 

Nina Hagen

 

Or Carol Channing

 

I'd take scratchy voiced singers over that miasma crap Houston / Pariah Scary et al perpetuated.

 

I don't follow trends. ...but it is a good rule to find original talent, rather than the copycats.

 

Marianne Faithfull maybe?

 

Isn't that also shaky-voiced a la Buffy Sainte-Marie? (Although on this very forum, in another thread about [IIRC] records so bad they're good, there was some old country track by a woman who sounded like she was trying to imitate severe flutter in a tape machine!)

 

I thought this thread was about that awful "vocal fry" many American women (and now European too) seem to think is sexy...

 

I was writing a post about this very thing last night while The Voice was on. As I was writing, a girl came on who sang in just that tone with a little Florence (of the Machine) throw in for good measure. I don't equate it with either Adele or Amy. I trace it back to Regina Spektor. This came out 10 years ago.

 

mi·as·ma
mīˈazmə,mēˈazmə/
noun
literary

1. a highly unpleasant or unhealthy smell or vapor.
   "a miasma of stale alcohol hung around him like marsh gas"
   synonyms: stink, reek, stench, fetor, smell, fume, odor, whiff;

Melisma ? Or maybe miasma....

D.D.

 

I don't like the vocal fry affectation, either, in speech or in singing. @rocknsoul74, you might like Bat For Lashes -- nothing scratchy about Ms. Khan's voice, which is soft and pure. Personally, I'm a big fan of ladies who can roar with power and passion. Ex. A: early Pat Benatar. Ex. B: Mlny Parsonz of Royal Thunder:

 

Too funny!

Sam Cooke was all melisma. And that melisma was pure, sweet honey.

 

YES!!!! This is an example of what i am talking about. Its a little girlly faux jazzy warbily rasp, though Regina Spector i dont mind. Yes i just saw someone on the voice with that voice affect. I think The Voice. The recent winner of Americas Got Talent use the same affect.

I love the older singers mentioned above with raw raspy voices. Just not too keen on this style where they almost sound like a warbly yodel with a side of laryngitis. As Randy Jackson would say too pitchy.

 

We had Janis Joplin and her abysmal wailing trying to channel Bessie Smith a couple of generations ago, then there's Madeleine Peyroux with her 'ghost of Billie Holiday' routine. It's nothing new.

 

The difference is that not every female singer in 1969 was trying to copy Janis Joplin. That's more the point we're making about this current female singer style. They all sound like each other.

 

For which I'm eternally grateful.

Joplin was borrowing from blues singers who had gone before her. If you got to the end of my post you'd realise that was the point I was making. This trend is nothing new, just more in evidence currently..and yes, irritating.

 

2. an oppressive or unpleasant atmosphere which surrounds or emanates from something.

Pretty sure I spelt that right !

 

I'm not sure if you really meant "melisma" or if "miasma" is correct, but either way, it's killing me.

Whoops! I should have read the whole thread before responding.

 

Male or female it's the moribund maudlin naval gazing songs that get so tiresome, I'm not saying you have to be painfully happy the whole time but just occasionally lighten up a bit.

 

For me it a lack of energy and dynamics. Even a ballad can have those things in spades, but it's so often missing now. On a similar note, I'm also really tired of this trend of doing a cover of a song by slowing it down to a crawl and singing it like you're half asleep.