Musical artists sometimes through no fault of their own sound like other singers. The recent hit, "You Say" is a perfect example of the phenomena. When your hear this song for the first time-right away you think, "Is that a new song from Adele?" Well no, it is the Christian crossover artist, Lauren Daigle. The piano on the record just makes it sound even more like Adele-it because it sounds a bit like the piano on Adele's "Someone Like You".
Recent COPYCATS
Other copycats
When you first hear a song-you don't always know who the artist is-which makes for an interesting guessing game. The 1971 America hit -"A Horse with No Name" sounds a little like Neil Young's "Heart of Gold". But it's Dewey Bunnell of America doing the lead vocal. The song was America's first single-so it wasn't like people would say, " Oh that sounds like America." Oddly enough, these two songs both hit #1 on the American charts in March 1972 one after the other.
Here is a TV theme inspired by the sound of Outkast it is sung by Chaka Blackmon.
A more subtle example of the "inspired by" phenomena is Lenny Kravitz's "It Ain't Over Till It' Over". which beautifully recaptures the laid back soul vibe of 1970's artists like Earth, Wind and Fire.
During the 1960's British invasion many artists try to duplicate the Beatles vocal sound. A notable example of this is the Dave Clark Five's "Because".
John Cafferty and the Beaver Brown's "On the Darkside" sounds a lot like Bruce Springsteen and the East Street Band- almost more for the imitation of Roy Bittan's bright staccato keyboard sound then for the full throated vocals. The song was released in 1983 but didn't become a hit till 1984.
Finally comes the George Michael soundalike record, "Don't Forget Me When I Am Gone". It was a 1986 record by the Canadian act, Glass Tiger which features the lead vocals of Alan Frew . To further confuse matters Bryan Adams also sings on the song -and apparently the song was actually inspired by Tears for Fears, "Everybody Wants to Rule the World".
originally posted February 2019 by J.C.Bernhardt
I don't know where I've been lately, but I just discovered this "You Say" song and its singer Lauren Daigle. A friend sent me the official YouTube video, and I listened to the whole thing thinking it was the British Adele, and wondering why this other person was on the screen, lol. I was so startled and rather incredulous to realize it was not Adele. So, the song is still on my mind today, and I've been Googling some about it and came across your blog entry.
ReplyDeleteI wanted to like this article more than I did, but the tone it's written in really bugged me. I have often noticed some artists sound like others, but just because, for instance, Ray Orbison has a low voice, or Ricky Nelson also "sounds like a man" and plays a good guitar ("Garden Party") does not mean they intentionally wanted to be channeling Elvis Presley. I could furnish other examples-- older singers from my era such as Frank Sinatra (Harry Connick Jr.) or entire bands such as The Monkees which were indeed invented as a Beatles-type sound for American TV audiences. But to title your article "Copycats" and put that right with Lauren Daigle's name, sounds like a dig and a diss. Your opening lines say, "Musical artists sometimes through no fault of their own sound like other singers. The recent hit, 'You Say' is a perfect example of the phenomena." You talked about the "guessing game" of Horse w/No Name and Heart of Gold. Yes, you present the big picture, but the way you started your article sounds like you're trying to make a criticism or a put-down or a dismissal--of Lauren Daigle. Why might I take it that way? Well, I hear that tone because Christian artists "need" to be "brought down a peg" usually -- right? Media did it to Amy Grant in her day too, and Daigle is starting to be compared to her as a newcomer on the scene.
The word "copycat" has a rather pejorative ring to it. It connotes a deliberateness, even a slight dishonesty or trick. But consider that the husky-sounding voice of Adele as well as the husky-sounding voice Daigle are not an easy singing style unless the voice is designed that way. Another singer who kind of comes close to that was Carole King. And I know firsthand (because I was a singer who did try to cover her songs and sound the same way) how challenging that somewhat raspy style can be. Daigle's pours right out of her because that's her true and natural voice, just as it is Adele's. What you call "copy-cat'ing" is a rather amazing coincidence of "sound-alike".
I would have used the word "sound-alike" singers rather than the assertion they are trying to be copycats.
Yes, you may be right. I certainly meant no dig against Ms.Daigle. I will attempt to rephrase. Thanks for your comment.
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