First of all, apologies to CameronProf; I know asking the community a pop (and sometimes not pop) culture question to create community conversation is his territory and I hope he will forgive my incursion. I needed to write but not have to do heavy thinking. Today absolutely kicked my butt and I needed something (certainly NOT politics) to relax … although I bet some of you won’t find my pick most talented vocalist today very relaxing!
Greats From the Past
Before posting I had to check out some lists of the Greatest Vocalists of All Time to remind myself of all the talent from the past and boy, it brought back a lot of joyful musical memories! Some of these folks are still alive but not producing new music today. Names that stuck out for me are:
- Marvin Gaye
- Tina Turner
- Freddy Mercury
- David Bowie
- Michael Jackson (never liked his music but there is no denying the talent)
- Janis Joplin (though I gather her vocal technique was not the healthiest)
- Whitney Houston
- Elton John
And these lists are so incomplete — no classical music! Very little Jazz. No Latinx music! There is a whole world of music I’m missing on these lists.
Before I give my nominee, I want to say I hope that a diverse set of artists from different genres, cultures and musical traditions pops up in the comments! I love sharing culture and hearing new music!!!
my choice for Most talented vocalist of today is:
Tatiana Shmailuk of Jinjer!
Jinger fans: shhhhh.
Jinger is classified as metal (well, progressive metalcore) but their music includes jazz, reggae, djent, rap and more. Eclectic is a mild word for what they do. They are a Ukrainian band and yes, the Russian invasion has had a direct effect on their lives — in 2014 they had to flee their Donetsk province, leaving their homes and moving to Lviv and finally, Kiev. As a band — they are tight. I mean like, their live often sounds as polished as their studio work.
Guitarist Roman Ibramkhalilov writes the vast majority of their complex and challenging music. Fortunately, bassist Eugene Abdukhanov is more than up to the challenge — and quite frankly, drummer Vladislav Ulasevich just blows right past musical challenges as if they are not there. Their songs change time frequently and the crisp smoothness of change feels absolutely fluid and natural.
Now, meet the talented Tatiana!
Oh, no. I ain’t gonna be the one to introduce her. Tatiana can introduce herself, thank you very much! But I will say this much:
- Every vocalization and sound comes from Tatiana herself. There is a tiny amount of doubling but even that comes from Tatiana, not software magic.
- Even if you HATE metal, you may be seduced by some of the vocals and music — brace yourself and give Jinjer a try and watch the live studio session video for Pisces below.
Every sound Tatiana makes is done in a healthy way that does not strain her vocal cords — from high to low, her voice comes from her diaphragm and lungs — not from forcing the throat.* Additionally, as Tatiana sings she sounds very American. But when Tatiana speaks in interviews she has a prominent Ukrainian accent. This is because she memorizes the proper English pronunciation and enunciation for the lyrics!!!
Speaking of lyrics, they are often full of emotional pain, anger and even sorrow. My sense is that Tatiana survived some very harsh times in Ukraine after the collapse of the Soviet Union — poverty, violence, danger and possibly abuse. In Pisces, she sings at the start:
Step forward and meet a new sunrise
A coward is shivering inside
Today I'll be a friend of mine
Who swallows suffering with smile
As a person who has lived with on-again/off-again suicidal depression for decades — I relate strongly to this; it speaks to me very directly.
The next song, Teacher, Teacher is my favorite by Jinjer and it tells the tale of abusive and hypocritical religious leaders — and overcoming any fear or power they may have once held over you. I find it incredibly powerful:
Don’t let the school make a fool of you because the teachers may be fools too ...
And last we have the song Crime & Punishment, with the most dramatic vocal shifts presented in a ONE TAKE vocal performance. The way Tatiana shifts her voice just … even after many listens it startles me.
Thank you for letting me share this remarkable woman’s work! Now I need to know
who is the artist you would choose as the most talented vocalist today?
Please share! I would love to hear what you enjoy and hopefully I will find a new-to-me vocalist who captivates me. And dare I hope that Jinjer captivated any of you who had not heard them before? Post your videos in the comments and I can’t way to see them!
*At least, according to a slew of vocal coaches and singers on YouTube.