Vocal Coach Reacts Defying Gravity - Idina Menzel | WOW! She was... 

They are both singing in a faster tempo because this is the TONY AWARDS performance, and they're trying to get in a LOT of songs withing the given 3 hr broadcast.

She really does though lol. Like her acting is amazing

Unpopular opinion but idina is a pretty subpar elphaba in terms of vocals. Her acting is solid but i could name 10 elphabas better off the top of my head without thinking

@@a7xguitar666 it's a pretty popular opinion. I only like her because of her "witchy face" and her chemistry with Chenoweth. People like Willemijn Verkaik are better singers, have the look and can have chemistry with almost anyone. And let's not forget SJB, the original Elphaba.

@@NairAthul omgggg Willemijn is sooooo amazing. Watch her last defying gravity in 2017 on West End. In my opinion the best DG ever.

@@NairAthul i just see a lot of people put idina up on this untouchable pedestal because she was the first elphaba and im thinking its because they havent heard any other elphabas so they wouldnt know better. Donna vivino to me is the absolute best elphaba vocally

As many have pointed out :) Thank you for that insight!

Idina has never publicly confirmed whether she has asthma or not. I have heard that rumour for the last 17 years but I don’t think it’s true. I think it is an acting choice for the character - she would gasp during her regular performances at The Gershwin theatre - she can’t have been having an asthma attack every night. I also don’t think The Tony’s speeding up the tempo because of their tight time restrictions helped.

Idina doesn't have asthma but when she does sing you can here her taking gasps for air in the middle of songs, but this does not mean she has Asthma.

I don’t think so. She always performs it like this. Every performance she’s done of the song has that sharp inhale between lines.

she’s not hanging on the ceiling but i totally agree lol

It’s the Tonys. They have to be shorter right?

Agree hard with Chenoweth using superior technique. Someone released a bootleg recording of different Galindas singing the "optional high note" at the end of No One Mourns the Wicked. Hers is by far the strongest, and she was the only singer that didn't slide into the note. It has that bell ringing effect that makes you go, "damn, now THAT'S a soprano!"

Also.. she is suspended in the air by a harness.. might make it hard to breath as well...

@@osnatashtaralevin8944 No, she is in a cherry picker -- basically standing on a ledge and locked in around the waist

Yeah but she only had to record those songs once, she had to perform Defying Gravity 8 times a week for the better part of 3 years!

She does that in every song but I think it adds to the character

Not an excuse. Here’s a quote from a vocal teacher, “She always gasps because she carries way too much tension. A breath should never be this audible, no matter how fast it is. Try it for yourself... breathe in slowly through your mouth with a relaxed throat. Do it quickly. Then try it quickly again but this time tighten your throat. It will only be an audible gasp like this when your throat is tight.”

That's actually not great form as an actor. First, it's bad for your health. But second, understudies want that opportunity. Ideally it's written into their contract that they get to perform a certain number of shows, because they have to learn the whole part, rehearse and constantly keep it fresh so they can go on without much notice. Having to do all that preparation, it's important to give the understudy the chance to show what they can do. If she's sick not only will she potentially be hurting herself unnecessarily or getting other actors sick, she also won't be at her best vocally while another actor might be prepared to do the role and in top form that night. I can see how "the show must go on" (and only I can do it) mentality has some very admirable qualities and can be a really great attitude in a lot of ways, and it's wonderful Idina cared about not disappointing anyone who wanted to see her specifically, in some types of productions, no one else can do your part. But I'd say a Broadway production isn't necessarily where the attitude of feeling like you *have* to be the one to perform is necessary or helpful.

I mean this was the Tony's and she was nominated, so there was no way she would want to miss it.

Yeah, she was sick. I presume she was congested. You can hear that deep breath she takes after singing a line.

Yes, it was too fast

also the orchestra was rushing so so much

@@gillianharris-swem8737 That Damn Orchestra.

Nope, India Menzel has Asthma and she was having an attack but still going on with the show!

I miss “the eden” so much :p

I have a different Elphaba next week that might change your opinion. You’ll have to wait and see...

I agree about the Elphabas. In my opinion, every single one who has been cast since Idina is better. I disagree that she has improved since Frozen. It's the exact opposite actually. Her voice has declined significantly due to years of bad technique. She sounds fine in the movies/albums because they edit the crap out of it, but any time she sings it live she butchers the end. I actually find her painful to listen to live these days because I'm a vocal teacher and can hear the damage being done. I know what it feels like to sing the way she does, and it hurts.

@@carr0760 I meant Frozen 2. I know that the end of Let it Go is always a struggle for her. Her most recent performance of Into the Unknown at the Oscars was pretty good aside from her timing mistake at the end.

@@allenn.3909 she’s amazing as well! I just forgot to put her on the list

The magic of ✨live theater✨

Why do you think that was?

​@@SongsFromASuitcase I'm just speculating, so all of this could be gibberish, but I'll explain. The Royal Variety performance was during her London run. Most people would agree that this run was vocally 'better' than the preceding Broadway run. At this point, she had had years to develop the character and improve on her vocal technique. Sure, some of her more prominent vocal tendencies still managed to show, but it sounded like she was able to curb most of them to an extent to where it just sounded better. She added lots of stylization during her London run too ("so if you care to find me" pattern, deserves riff, etc). I'm not a vocal expert like you, so I wouldn't be able to actually tell if anything was technically changed but there is a noticeable difference. Additionally, the London company typically puts on standbys when there's big press like this. I'm going to assume that Idina's standby went on for the matinee before the Royal Variety Performance, whereas this performance from the 2004 Tony Awards (Sunday, June 6, 2004) would have been following a matinee Idina would have done just hours prior. The additional rest may have been beneficial for Idina. Idina is by no means the BEST Elphaba in terms of vocal ability, but she makes up for it elsewhere. Personally, Elphaba's greatest vocal ability comes from these ladies: Willemijn Verkaik (Germany, The Netherlands, Broadway, London), Rachel Tucker (London, Broadway), Jackie Burns (Broadway, U.S. tour), Julia Murney (U.S. tour, Broadway), Stephanie J. Block (U.S. tour, Broadway), and Jessica Vosk (U.S. tour, Broadway).

I second this opinion. Alice Fearn would be up there as well honestly

She might sing it fine but she isn't acting while she's singing unfortunately, which is a must for Broadway. Again she is definitely amazing at singing the song but lacks the emotion that others have

I got to see her live a while ago and she was absolutely amazing!

I looooooove Jessica Vosk!!!! 🤩🤩🤩 I second this!!

Personally I like Shoshana Bean

She only reviewed her once. She reacted to her singing a song (not from Wicked).

No.. She always gasps because she carries way too much tension. A breath should never be this audible, no matter how fast it is. Try it for yourself... breathe in slowly through your mouth with a relaxed throat. Do it quickly. Then try it quickly again but this time tighten your throat. It will only be an audible gasp like this when your throat is tight.

@@carr0760 ahhh. thanks for the tip.

@@DAT415 No problem. That's actually how I teach my students to take a quick catch breath..."when you gasp quickly you take in lots of air, but it's loud because you're tense." So we go through those steps and voila...they can take a quick, quiet, catch breath.

Also add the asthma attack minutes before she performed.

@@HelloWorld-ev9sg She doesn't have asthma. That's a rumour started by her fans to excuse her bad performances. Kristen Chenoweth, however, does have asthma (which she has publicly spoken about) and you never hear her gasping for breath. Idina has bad technique; her breathing is audible due to tension. Period.

Broadway is performed in front of live audiences all the time.

Plus she was sick and almost couldn't make it. Idina is truly amazing!

Objectively she didn’t. Well, at least the final belts. Plenty of other performers can perform the final belts healthy. Of course the audience isn’t going think of her technique, but it’s important for Idina to take care of her vocals. Pointing out her flaws is not hate, but rather helpful to her health.

@@noelsmith3367If she was sick then I can understand.

Because of her ACTING. She is a vocal coach not an actor. That’s like telling a scientist how Bill Nye is more successful than they are. Terrible argument.

Rix. And yes, she is an AMAZING Elphaba. 👍

I might, somewhere down the line :) I've done it before with instagram videos for #MC30 with fans doing Mariah covers. Stay tuned!

Yayyyyyy! Which country do you inhabit?

@@louisjossa9143 England 💗

@@rubyrubes4121 same!!

@@louisjossa9143 ayyyy!! Are you tier 3 gang or tier 4 gang?

Thank you! I came here to say this exact thing! Happy Christmas Eve! 🎄🎄🎄

Yes! That's exactly how it should be sung. She makes Idina look like an amateur

@@josevich kerry ellis really defies gravity, vocally. Idina is sublar in general for live singing, woman really struggles, but her acting makes her a worthy elphaba. She's really the defiant wicked witch

Yes

Yes

There's an upcoming one for Wicked Wednesdays, but I won't say which one of those three you mentioned, I made a reaction video for ;)

@@SongsFromASuitcase ok! I’ll stay tuned!

Lucky! :)

ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-jH3fblXuW2U.html

+Aveino Layug Be sure to add that to my voting board on my community tab. That’s a great suggestion!