AN ORACLE FOR 'IDOL' AS FOX'S SINGING COMPETITION HEATS UP, WE TURN TO A MAN WHO KNOWS THE SCORE.Byline: Fred Shuster Music Writer Vocal coach A vocal coach is a person, who works with singers on their singing technique, care and development of the voice, performance and preparation of a work. The coach may give instruction to the singer in private lessons, on stage, or during a recording session. Seth Riggs Seth Riggs is an American vocal coach and founder of an advanced vocal technique known as "Speech Level Singing". He is considered by many to be the best and most successful voice teacher in the world and the man to whom vocal teacher Brett Manning credits much of his success. has worked with more than a few American idols. As one of the world's top voice teachers, Riggs has a long resume that includes stints with Faith Hill, Josh Groban, Anita Baker, Natalie Cole, Jennifer Lopez, Prince and Barbra Streisand Noun 1. Barbra Streisand - United States singer and actress (born in 1942) Barbra Joan Streisand, Streisand . Once, in the middle of a concert, Stevie Wonder stopped the show to thank, in front of thousands, the vocal trainer who had much to do with the success and longevity of his career. Riggs has a sense of humor Noun 1. sense of humor - the trait of appreciating (and being able to express) the humorous; "she didn't appreciate my humor"; "you can't survive in the army without a sense of humor" sense of humour, humor, humour about the whole thing. Among his proudest accomplishments, he says, is being booted out of a national singing association and several college music faculties for arguing that pop and musical theater performance should be taught on equal footing with opera. Because of his experience and an acid wit that could give ``American Idol's'' beastly beast·ly adj. beast·li·er, beast·li·est 1. Of or resembling a beast; bestial. 2. Very disagreeable; unpleasant. adv. Chiefly British To an extreme degree; very. Brit Simon Cowell Simon Cowell (born 7 October, 1959) is a British artist and repertoire ("A&R") executive for Sony BMG in the United Kingdom and a television producer, more commonly known as a judge on television programmes such as Pop Idol, The X Factor, American Idol a run for his money, we figured Riggs would be the ideal show pro to handicap the remaining nine ``Idol'' contestants. So we asked him to evaluate the remaining nine, right after Jessica Sierra Jessica Ann Sierra (born November 11, 1985 in Tampa, Florida) is an American singer and was the tenth-place finalist on the fourth season of American Idol. She was the third finalist eliminated, on March 30 2005. got the heave-ho last week. ``I can't stand to watch it, to tell you the truth - it upsets me too much,'' Riggs said of Fox-TV's wildly popular amateur singing contest, now in its fourth year. ``But I've kept up with it this season. ... Overall, I'd say this is one of the better years.'' In his Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. studio, where his students range in age from 10 to 76, Riggs pulled no punches in his take on the ``Idol'' warblers. Looks, delivery and the right song, he insists, are as crucial as vocal ability. Also, on-camera hopefuls better keep those waist sizes down. As for the judging, Riggs has a bone to pick with Cowell's signature shtick shtick also schtick or shtik n. Slang 1. A characteristic attribute, talent, or trait that is helpful in securing recognition or attention: : ``He shouldn't compare one contestant with the other. There needs to be camaraderie in the ranks. These kids shouldn't be pitted against each other.'' Cowell's response last week when asked about that very thing: ``Rubbish!'' Here, then, is ``Idol'' chatter from Riggs on each of the final nine, with a few of Cowell's most memorable rejoinders. The season's two-hour crescendo, incidentally, is May 25. Anthony Fedorov Anthony Fedorov (born Anatoliy Vladimirovich Fedorov on May 4, 1985) is a Ukrainian-American singer who was the fourth place finalist on the fourth season of the American Idol reality show series. , 19, of Trevose, Pa. No formal training. ``He's got a beautiful high voice with a lovely quality to it, and he looks terrific, too. He can sing well. But he'll need more work to be the star that they'll require of him if he wins. These kids need to feel every note. If you simply copy, you're a dead duck dead duck n. Slang One doomed to failure or to death. dead duck Noun Slang something that is doomed to failure Noun 1. .'' Cowell's verdict: ``Absolutely excruciating.'' Anwar Robinson Anwar Farid Robinson (born April 21, 1979) is an American singer/songwriter/musician who was the 7th place finalist on the fourth season of American Idol. Robinson grew up in Newark, New Jersey. , 25, of East Orange, N.J. Studied classical technique at college. ``I've been at odds with Simon because of his vitriolic treatment of Anwar. I hate to see tears come to the kids' eyes. But Anwar's song last week (R. Kelly's ``I Believe I Can Fly'') was not strong. He needs a piece that will take him up into his high voice. It can take him too long to get the audience's attention. These kids are doing the best they can with what they're being given.'' Bo Bice Harold Elwin "Bo" Bice, Jr. (born November 1, 1975 in Huntsville, Alabama) is an American singer and musician who came in second in the fourth season of American Idol. , 29, of Helena, Ala. Trained in high-school choir. ``Average. He's got a pretty voice but no emotional connection to the song (the Black Crowes' ``Remedy'') or audience. When a singer just belts it out or yells, you sense the discomfort. The audience thinks, 'I don't know Don't know (DK, DKed) "Don't know the trade." A Street expression used whenever one party lacks knowledge of a trade or receives conflicting instructions from the other party. what he's doing, but my throat hurts just hearing it.' Bo couldn't touch Nadia Turner or Nikko Smith.'' Carrie Underwood, 21, Checotah, Okla. No formal training. ``A wonderful voice for country, but she needs to get on some sort of a diet. I worked with Faith Hill, so I know what a girl needs to do. Carrie's got one of the best voices in the competition. But she's a chub Chub, in the Bible Chub (kŭb), in the Bible, an African people. This may be a textual error for Lub (i.e., Lubim). chub, in zoology chub: see minnow. . You not only have to pick the right material, you have to look good from every angle.'' Constantine Maroulis, 29, of New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of . Formal training at Boston Conservatory. ``A lovely voice, but a rather flat personality. He's a nice-looking fellow that needs to lose some weight. He doesn't have the look of a star. Some of these things make my blood run cold.'' Cowell's take: ``Like a classic pop star.'' Nadia Turner, 28, of Miami. Some training in high school. ``Fab-u-lous. She may have picked some not-so-great music (Melissa Etheridge's ``I'm the Only One''), but she's got it - the look, the feel, the control, the ability to sustain a note like a star should.'' Cowell: ``A thousand percent improvement over the horror we saw last week.'' Nikko Smith, 22, Town & Country, Mo. No training. ``He came from way behind, he was thrown out, but because someone quit, he was brought back and did beautifully. If he took those darn glasses off, he'd do better. He's nice and slim and has a wonderful personality. He did a Tevin Campbell number (``Can We Talk'') better than Tevin - and Tevin was my pupil. Nikko's styling up a storm.'' Scott Savol, 28, of Shaker Heights, Ohio Shaker Heights is a city in Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States. As of the 2000 Census, the city population was 29,405. It is an inner-ring streetcar suburb of Cleveland that abuts the city on its eastern side. . (He will remain with the contest, despite last week's disclosure of a domestic-violence arrest.) He took choir in high school. ``Needs to lose 100 pounds in a week. He's got good style, but his voice sounds like an English ambulance, just like Ruben (Studdard, second-season champ). Look, I'm glad everyone's makin' money, but when they don't sing well and they're big as houses, it just inspires everyone else to do better. If you look like a Greyhound bus, it's not gonna work.'' Says Cowell: ``If I were sitting in the karaoke bar, I'd be switching the microphone off.'' Vonzell Solomon, 21, of Fort Myers, Fla. Studied classical for four years. ``Star potential, but sometimes she overshoots the mark. These girls have to look a certain way. And there's always a tragedy. Not speaking of Vonzell, but no matter how sweet you think that big fat cow is, the audience has to identify with her.'' In a final volley, Riggs reveals his picks of those with the best chances. In the female derby, it's Nadia and Vonzell. Judges' favorite Nikko stands alone in the male category. Fred Shuster, (818) 713-3676 fred.shuster(at)dailynews.com AMERICAN IDOL What: The competition continues tonight with the final nine performing. Wednesday, last season's winner, Fantasia Barrino, returns. Where: Fox (Channel 11). When: 8 tonight, 9 p.m. Wednesday. CAPTION(S): 11 photos Photo: (1 -- cover -- color) And then there were 9 Vocal coach handicaps the remaining contestants on `American Idol' (2 -- color) Move over, Simon - famed vocal coach Seth Riggs has a few opinions to share about the ``American Idol'' finalists. David Sprague/Staff Photographer (3 -- color) Anthony Fedorov (4 -- color) Anwar Robinson (5 -- color) Bo Bice (6 -- color) Carrie Underwood (7 -- color) Constantine Maroulis (8) Nadia Turner (9) Scott Savol (10) Nikko Smith (11) Vonzell Solomon |
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