This is the definition of OWNING a song. She was the original person in the show who got to sing it - hundreds of others have performed this song since and some have done it very well. But no one.. NO ONE can ever come close to Jennifer Holiday. No one can touch her. This was 40 years ago and to this day, she still gets asked to perform it on a regular basis. You can catch her often at pride festivals, fairs and concert events. And the kicker - she still sounds every bit as amazing today, as she did back then.
nobody else could sing it. jennifer hudson would have been good if you hadnt heard jennifer holliday. even whitney couldn't compete with this sheer mastery. she owns this song for life
One of the greatest live performances ever. She did this 8 times a week for years. I was fortunate enough to have seen her in New York. Theatre had never had seen anything like this. They moved this song to the end of the first act because people were screaming and cheering throughout the song. Amazing voice. She had a decent career after the show ended and she signed with Geffen Records. No one knew what to do with her. There are some gems here and there, but producers just could never get the voice and the songs perfectly lined up. Met her in the mid 90s at one of her shows. Still a huge fan. This Is SOUL.
Holy s**t that was incredible!!! Genuinely the first time I've ever heard her original version. I've never seen anybody perform or sing like that in my life!!! ❤️❤️❤️
I always make sure to point that out, cuz it's incredible! Excuse me for being a nerd - Tony awards were held in June that year, and she is born in October. So actually she was 21. Truly unbelievable!
@@johnlewis195 she was 18 with her first show, 19 when she started Dreamgirls, 20 by the time Dreamgirls opened on Broadway and 21 during the Tony awards performance.
this is why no matter who else covers or sings this song, and there are some great singers who have done it, ever other artists version is just karaoke to me.
How often does a song begin with "And..."? This is a great example of what musical theatre can do best... having a scene melt into music right at the point where mere dialogue can no longer express what only music can. Unconventional as hell for a pop song, or even R&B - but totally perfect for musical theatre that's telling a story. I mean, this is opera with soul.
The audience is cheering her on and those are her contemporaries in the theater. Other theater people rarely get that excited about another actor/singer's performance that's how special Jennifer's singing is. I recommend the 1998 52nd annual tony awards opening act 3 divas perform and Jennifer is the one that steals the spotlight once more with the most cheers.
Yes, Yes and YES!!!! I had the honor of seeing Jennifer Holliday perform this in the early 80’s on Broadway when she was in the original cast; my uncle took me to see the matinee; we had no money so we were in the standing section; I will have that memory forever ❤❤. Afterward, I would belt this out in my room, now, I belt it out in the car 😂. So fortunate to grow up in NYC.
This performance needs to be in every musical museum in the world, as a masterpiece of an otherworldly performance. There's no one to this day who come close to this level of live performance be it mainstream or Broadway!
Jesus Christ! I’m crying from my soul! I first her sing this in the early 80s, I got chills then and I get chills every time I hear her sing it. A God given talent!
The character she's playing in this show is literally having a breakdown at this moment, trying desperately to hold on to a love that has clearly left. To think that she did this eight times a week is incredible. She put EVERYTHING on that stage, vocally, physically, and emotionally. Just freakin' brilliant.
Absolutely and unequivocally the most powerfully sang solo EVER. There's not another song that can even come close to it. She didn't song that song; she SANG that!!!
There's a multi-character song that comes right before this song, and helps lead right into Jennifer's solo, which makes it make even more sense and why she's so distraught (they're all basically piling on her before this). But even starting right there with "And I'm Telling You," it's still so powerful. Jennifer Holliday is incredible.
I heard this song on the radio before I saw it on Broadway. When her voice 😍 came through the radio speakers I said who the hell is this sangin' like that...it was the most amazing feeling I have experienced listening to a singer for the first time. 🖤💯💯❤💥💪🏽🙏🏽🎼🎵🎶
BTW, this show was revived on the West End in London and Amber Riley played this role. I mean, no one is going to ever be able to replicate Jennifer Holliday - nor should they even try - but Amber Riley's live version for the Olivier Awards (basically British Tony's) is also incredible. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-nrsSf1RpHOc.html
Dude. It is from a Broadway play. That’s what the Tony awards do. they celebrate the best of all the new plays on Broadway that season Yes it was a crazy and visceral performance and she originated it. Now go Watch the film Dream Girls So you can really get the whole context of that song
In the original book for the play, Jennifer's character was too die after this scene hence the reason that she conveys so much pain. However, as the reaction of her peers at the Tony Awards testified to the power of her performance by going nuts, so did the audience. She is 61 now and can still bring the house down because she always sings this as Effie and not as Jennifer. Hope you are doing well!
This just came up in my feed. It was an incredible performance. The song was released as s single in 1982 when I was a senior in high school and charted on the US pop (22), US R&B (1), and UK (32). It was on the radio with pop/new wave/rock hits. Diana Ross, who was "an possible inspiration" for a character in the play was still on that top 40 as well.
Yes, she sings with her entire physicality. You did mention the word "theatrical," and that is exactly what you are getting. This is the Tony Awards (musical theatre's version of the Oscars basically). This is the only musical theatre piece I have ever encountered on your channel. These singers are trained actors. We are not speaking of film actors here. These artists perform live onstage night after night for at least six to eight shows a week. If you want to see more like this, go to the stage, my friend. Some top female suggestions: Bernadette Peters, Patty Lapone, Lea Salonga, Idina Menzel, and probably the biggest rising musical theatre star to come on the scene recently, Lea Michelle. Watch their performances instead of listening to their recordings.
Don’t forget Jennifer’s character has just been fired from the now very successful singing group she and her friends created and she is pregnant by her first and only love and he, the gentleman that left her on stage, is leaving her and she hasn’t yet told him that she is expecting their baby.
When you were talking about her presentation of the song, it used to be called Selling the Song. That is what Jennifer did with this song, and that is what early Tanya Tucker does with her songs.
you really should study Billie Holiday. Shes often credited with being the first performer to put emotions in every performance and changed the way performers performed. She sang songs differently based on how she was feeling that moment. She stated she did that purposely because the other way felt like "marching in time".
Great observations bro! Ironically, when Jennifer Hudson was on American Idol, that was like a criticism that she was over emotive, & she ended up winning an academy award for playing this role in the movie. But Ms. Holiday is the original & in my opinion unmatched in this role & song. She brought it into existence. Amazing that today she’s like half that size that. Saw her in role of Shug Avery in Broadway musical version of Color Purple about 6 years ago. The ‘hook’ to this song is in opening verse, And I Am Telling You. It would be what’s called a show stopper so it was put at the end of the 1st act before intermission, otherwise applause would go on forever & might even demand encore. 👍
Oh wow oh wow now this is what im talking about lets get it...lol. There is a recorded version which would sound better because of the background but this is good but this is you see her perform live from the actual broadway theater play Dream Girls. Jennifer background comes from the theater.This is the original version this song has been imitated but never duplicated. The actress jennifer hudson had perform & sung this song also was in the movie version with fellow actors Jamie foxx eddie Murphy beyonce. Jennifer hudson in my opinion is right up there with jennifer holiday. This is what you power voices the belters they sing with all their might the passion. No gimmicks No special effects just pure talent. Jennifer holiday had other songs but this was her popular hit. I've been listening since i was teenager telling on my age.....LOL.
she brought down the house at every performance. this was the closing number for act 1. so thus is what was on your mind during intermission. the character had been betrayed both personally & professionally. that same character knew how to stir the pot too. it should be pointed out that she did this performance cold. meaning this number was done on its own with a limited lead in. usually she would have had the whole of act 1 to get her to this point in the characters mindset, but she had to do it without all that. many people brush off musicals. all they think of are the movie or high school versions of the shows from the '40's & '50's. they think they are corny, out of touch, & old fashioned. which, they're not always wrong about. they also don't understand why people are singing, when it's just dialog performed to music. i always try to get people to give musicals a chance. go see a few professional shows of different styles. go to new york or london if you can. if not, see touring companies. but try it. experience it for yourself.
There’s a clip that’s on here. That’s the full presentation from the Tony award. This comes in halfway through that clip sadly. because the beginning of this video set up what’s happening and contextualizes the song but it’s still brilliant but if you get a chance watch the entire clip that here on RU-vid you’ll have a better understanding It’s a show tune very different construct and you hit it on the mark it’s theater she’s acting.
Unfrigginbelievable…..just amazing. I am a huge theatre fan and there is two performances on Broadway that I wished I could have seen. One is Barbara Streisand in Funny Girl and then there is this performance by Jennifer Holiday. Just mind blowing. The ONLY performance on Broadway that I did see that would match this or even come close, would be Cynthia Erivo in The Color Purple.
No offense, but you keep saying how much of this is theatrical and it's like a play. It's her performance at the tony awards where she won best actress in a musical for this show. It is acting. Lol this show was on broadway.
There are power voices of singers such as patti labelle chaka khahn and so many others like jennifer holiday that would blow you away. I've think you react to Celine Dion Whitney Houston female singers such as these sing with pure soul
To the maker of this video: could you please do a comparison video of who sang it best between Amber Riley ( Mercedes) singing "And I am telling you live at the Olivier Awards in 2017 vs Morrissette Amon also singing her version of " And I am telling you live during the finals of the Cebu singing competition? However could you please combine the two performances together in one video and then after listening to both performances give your opinion as to which of these two singers sang this song the best and why( Morrissette Amon or Amber Riley).This should be a showstopper.
To the maker of this video: could you please do a comparison video of who sang it best between Amber Riley ( Mercedes) singing "And I am telling you live at the Olivier Awards in 2017 vs Morrissette Amon also singing her version of " And I am telling you live during the finals of the Cebu singing competition? However could you please combine the two performances together in one video and then after listening to both performances give your opinion as to which of these two singers sang this song the best and why( Morrissette Amon or Amber Riley).This should be a showstopper.
