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Ace Young "Drops Of Jupiter" originally performed by Train

Strengths: Ace -oh how I love this great modern rock song. Classical rock, actually! You internalized the emotion of this song very well and your stage technique was quite relaxed and communicative. As I have said in previous weeks, you are a vulnerable and charismatic presence on that stage and this is a natural performing gift, so be thankful for this.

Vocally, the key of the song was very good for your voice and generally speaking, the natural beauty of your voice was a viable presence during the performance of this song. Good work, Ace!


Critique: Ace - like a broken record, I continue to caution you about the technical problems when you sing in your natural vocal register. How I wish you would incorporate that open, ringing head tone quality that we hear with pitch perfect clarity when you sing in your falsetto register. I find it almost unbelievable that you can navigate your falsetto register with such technical ease and security and then, when it comes to vocalizing in your natural voice, you abandon this very important element.


This was so evident this week, Ace, for the melodic line of this song totally rested within your natural voice. Unfortunately, your throat was extremely tense and your mouth formation abandoned that ever- important circular position that is so conducive to resonant vocalization on the pure vowel.


Additionally, your vocal timbre adopted a nasal timbre during the performance of this song, indicating that you had considerable tension in your nasal muscles. It also emphasized the fact that your diaphragmatic muscles were not fully supporting your vocal sound and, subsequently, the voice was unable to resonate freely in your vocal masque.


This song has a mixture of classical and rock elements and you needed to incorporate a classical vocal sound into the melodic delivery of this song. I am so accustomed to hearing the lead singer of Train perform this song with such vocal perfection, blending the classical sound with the rock, that the absence of this musical characteristic was very conspicuous in this week's performance.


You have a really great voice Ace but we are presently not hearing the inherent beauty of your vocal sound due to your lack of technical expertise. I always tell my singers to pretend that they are British when they sing and that encourages them to sing with a circular mouth position while they fully sustain their pure vowels throughout the melodic line. It may feel and sound foreign to you at first, but, when you hear the result utilizing the bel - canto technique, you will never go back. You will have a richer vocal sound, with pitch perfect clarity and precision.


Finally, be very careful of your song selections as the weeks unfold. Drops Of Jupiter was not an ideal fit for your vocal timbre, at least not now. It demands a richer, more resonant voice. I can understand your desire to present us with a different genre approach to this week's performance; in fact I applaud you for the ability to take a risk and move outside your comfort zone. However, there are many other songs that perhaps would have highlighted your vocal strengths to greater effect. Don't rush the process Ace. Find a song that will balance the risk factors and the comfort level factors in equal measure.


Good luck Ace and never give up. You have a wonderful natural talent that will carry you far in the singing profession.