Steemit's Official Open Mic Judge @Verbal-D's Top 5 Entries For Week 78 (Original Blog)
Steemit Open Mic Week 78
My Top 5 In Order
As one of the 6 judges, and as an original artist also, I aim to represent the best original artists in this contest from our wonderful Steemit community. I am keeping my ears open for cover artists as well, don't worry but creating an original song is indeed impressive, especially if executed and performed well. Best of skill and performance to you all next week. This week was filled with so many wonderful artists, even amongst the high amount of entries, and there were still many talented performers who entered, so forgive me if I didn't list you, I definitely heard everyone's entries. Also, be sure to check out the other judges' top picks for the week, @krystle, @soundlegion, @passion-ground, @meno, and @luzcypher, who hosts the Open Mic Contest. See you next week! And don't forget to please vote for @Pfunk, @Ausbitbank, & @Teamsteem as witnesses, all three of whom are our biggest supporters equally who help to run, fund, curate, build and expand the Open Mic Contest.
1. @etemi's "Love Me Like You Do" By Ellie Goulding Cover Song
This cover choice was fireeeee. You just know how to make your soul cry these lyrics out so wonderfully and your control of range and vibrato is a highly sought after attribute for any aspiring singer and growing performer. You make it seem effortless in sound, but visually, how you pour your heart mind and soul into these performances is something to recognize and appreciate on a high level. When you sang "What Are You Waiting For?!" That was my reaction when you started to hit those high notes and showcase those crafty melodic runs you are so well known for. When you're on point, you make the judging process that much easier for me. Thank you for elevating the quality of our entries and raising the standard once more. You have gifted us with another gem. And whenever you do release an original, we'll be waiting for it. You're more than capable of singing it to life, it is all about taking your time with the concept, delivery and creative structure. Best of skill to you, luck is never needed.
2. @yidneth's "Morning Light" Original Song
Please forgive my reference but this wonderful original song of yours has the beautiful and entrancing essence and effect of Evanescence's "My Immortal" all over it. I don't know if you have ever gotten such a response from performing and sharing this piece before but both your song and hers compliment each other so well. You have a riveting and exceptionally virtuous voice that weaves throughout and blankets your flowing piano playing and the poetic lyrics you have crafted are highlighted by the dream state melodies you've paired them up with. This definitely calms the soul and provides a lingering glimmer of hope and light for the times we are surrounded in seemingly never-ending darkness and despair. You can story tell tales and wisdom with that lulling voice and bring peace to a large, and unsettled crowd. This was such a great first entry and we look forward to more of what you have to showcase for our inspiration and growth. Thanks for this charming and memorable gem.
3. @honeymoon-1611's "Yo No Quise Enamorarme/I Did Not Want To Fall In Love" Original Song
Bravo on your first successful creation, you have created such a beautiful song. You are quite the skilled performer and your voice has a mature low end range that adds that sound of an experienced woman revealing her heart and wailing out her emotions. The guitar melodies drove your celestial voice forward and you capitalised on the momentum you created. I listened to it a couple of times absorbing the musicality of your voice and you utilise volume very well, decrescendos and crescendos placed throughout to keep the song engaging and your vibrato is such a great attribute to your performances. Thank you for sharing this original with us all, we look forward to your next creation or cover entry. For those who have not taken the liberty to translate the lyrics. Here you go
I did not want to fall in love. Mr. excuse me. I did not want to fall in love. I swear, I tried. I really wanted to forget you. Mr. excuse me. I did not want to fall in love. I am very young and I know. But that does not stop me from loving you. I did not want to fall in love. I did not want to fall in love. I'm too young for you. And that's what you say. Because you have, fear of loving me. Lord, do me a favor. I did not want to fall in love. Talk to my heart. I do not know how to explain. Lord, do me a favor. I did not want to fall in love. How do I calm this tremor. I feel, just by looking at you. I did not want to fall in love. I did not want to fall in love. I'm too young for you. And that's what you say. Because you have, fear of loving me
4. @jotadiaz12's ”En Mi Vida" By Sin Bandera Cover Song
I love how you sang this entry with so much care and focused passion. You truly care about the sound you are delivering and the impact it makes on the audience. You captivate while living in the moment as you create it how you envision it. This was such a good cover choice as it highlighted your range and complimented your ability to showcase conviction and translate the emotions and message of the song through the universal language of music. As usual, I listen to entries before translating the lyrics if they are provided and although I didn't look up these lyrics, I do appreciate the feel good frequencies and positive build up energy that this song provides. You and your guitarist friend put on a display of pure skills, musical chemistry and connected with the audience with ease. This was a very high quality entry, and we thank you for sharing this with us.
5. @branhmusic's "Crazy" Gnarls Barkley Cover Song
This was such a cool acoustic cover. You always make great cover choices and you're even better at sharing your passion and having fun in the process. This was such a catchy rendition and I was vibing with you from start to finish. You did this one justice as you often do and I like the minor flairs you put on the choruses, the verses were just as grooving, and your guitar skills keep the rhythm flowing seamlessly. You're a pretty humble musician and performer and that is definitely an attribute worth noting and appreciating as well. Keep up the quality entries and we are glad you're a regular within our Open Mic family/community. Looking forward to what you do next.
https://steemit.com/openmic/@branhmusic/steemit-openmic-week-78-cover-of-gnarls-barkley-s-crazy
Honourable Mentions
My Top 8 In A Particular Order : )
1. @zipporah's "Anchor" Original Song
I am deeply and empathetically apologetic for your dear losses. Death can be so sudden, even when we see it coming from many leagues ahead, the living and feeling soul cannot prepare and brace for impact and be numb to such tragedy without losing some sense of what it means to be human. Darkness does indeed weigh heavy, and we, in turn, still need to be anchored before the currents of life sweep us away. Beautiful, poetic lyrics and performance @zipporah. May your loved ones rest in peace.
https://steemit.com/openmic/@zipporah/steemit-open-mic-week-78-anchor-original-song
2. @silentscreamer's ”Listen” By Beyonce Cover Song
You remind us once again how powerful and melodic your voice is just as you are skilled with the violin. This was such a great and passionate performance that definitely deserves to be highlighted and appreciated. You were singing your heart out wonderfully.
https://steemit.com/openmic/@silentscreamer/znifwtme
3. @petrajordan's "Nepoznám Ťa" Original Song
This is hands down your best performance to date, you sang this so exemplarily and those high notes shake the soul in a mesmerising way. The lyrics are very deep with what the English language provides and you pinpointed an issue many people deal with culturally globally around the world. This one is something special.
4. @lisamalletart's "Nosso Xote" By Bicho De Pé Cover Song
I must second what @luzcypher has stated and be unoriginal for a minor moment. Each time I hear you both perform the gift of music, I feel weight has been lifted off my shoulders and the world is a brighter, better more positive place. You truly know how to affect people for the greater good. Please keep it up.
5. @javierdunn's ”How I Love You” Original Song
I must say this is your best original entry to date as well, and it still kept true to your voice. It might be an oldie as you say, but it is a goodie for sure. Your voice is melodically soothing and gentle at the right times and it delivers an intense spirited flow that fascinates the ears throughout. You were a privilege to listen to and you have created a really nice song that definitely has replay value for future years to come.
https://steemit.com/openmic/@javierdunn/steemit-open-mic-week-78-original-song-how-i-love-you
6. @builtinfire's "On This Road Again" Original Song
You write such deeply thought out songs and you sing truly with a pained and experienced heart. You bring everything to the forefront and lay it all down on the line. That is what makes your consistently quality entries and original songs so powerful.
https://steemit.com/openmic/@builtinfire/steemit-openmic-week-78-original-song-on-this-road-again
7. @joseacabrerav's "Alquitran Y Carmin" By El Niño De La Hipoteca Cover Song
This is a classic performance from you @joseacabrerav and you never fail to provide some tuneful and catchy vibes that we can all enjoy. This was a very good entry and you seem like you would be fun to jam with one day. You clearly do this for the love of music and it shows and you know how to enjoy every second of it.
8. @maerod's ”Roxanne” By The Police Cover Song
A very cool cover choice, and you both rocked that song. Alicia @lilixblack has a very powerful voice and brought to life that chorus section very well. I can tell this is definitely a favourite of yours to sing and you did it justice without a doubt.
Special Mentions
I want to mention more people, but I keep my judging strict for a reason. Many of you inspire me and make an impact. There simply are too many wonderful artists here, which is why open mic continues to grow. Keep playing and sharing please.
Artist On My Radar From Week 78
@donroberts @musiccircle @gibber @darrenclaxton @danielmonteso @senzenfrenz @scribblingwilly @lerpdrummerboy @futuremind @untaljames @jonsnoww @ramoncinibass @andreamaestre1 @paulove @wilins @guifaquetti @moderndayjester @lucas-alma @gloriana071 @alfredmusic @pipomontilla @lynnm @laviq @stevenwalkerrr @esaug @miguelblanco @markaustin @mategomez @drewley @williamsreinoso @graceleon @siomarasalmeron @vanne @davidcentenor @grayarty @itinerantartist @michaeldietrich @joanm897 @donatello @aidarojaswriter @nilssonleiva @pechichemena @yenibe @heatherthebard @najp @zwartmusik @orrslaw @solburgos @stanhopeofficial @rjcha @yoi @helyorsini @dreamrafa @mrprecious @lloyddavis @breakoutthecrazy @jetperalta @yrmaleza @gonetroppo @stephantattoo @chaifm @maryjaney @heymattsokol
Apparently a lot of people don't know that I, @Verbal-D, am a Hip Hop Emcee as much as I am a singer/songwriter/beat producer, so I will continue to showcase from now on the song that inspired @Luzcypher to create the Open Mic Contest that we are all apart of today. I hope it inspires you to write original music.
The Official Steemit Song By @Verbal-D, Feat. @Papa-Pepper & @EdgarStudio
A Must Read Rap Verse Of Why I Love Hip Hop
Creating & Sharing Positive, Conscious, & Inspiring Hip Hop To All
Click Green Title Above To Read
More original music from me coming very soon, stay tuned to my profile this week. I'll be releasing more live performances and professionally recorded tracks shortly.
Thank you for viewing and reading this post in its entirety, I hope you enjoyed it for what it's worth.
All Gifs used from Giphy.com
Next Post coming tomorrow
Please Upvote, Comment, Follow & Resteem to show your support
My very own wonderful gif logos provided to me by the generous and kindhearted @papa-pepper & @termitemusic. Thanks again very much!
I am so grateful :) I'm so honoured and touched for those words. I'm fairly new at Steemit, and this was my first open mic entry. I love to compose but I usually layer many instruments in my recordings as I'm not that proficient as a solo except in humbler hopefully honest performances like this. So it took me a while to go for a "one instrument/one take" but I think I'm ready to go on with these :) and definitely very encouraged. :) I was also unsure if I had done wrong cos I think I missed to post somewhere the entry. But I was happy enough to accomplish to participate this week finally as the contest had already helped me so much to find new friends and fellow musicians here on Steemit.
I don't mind the reference to My Immortal song, It's a beautiful song and I see the cadence in the chords at some points. I would love to add though that "Morning Light" is a song from my childhood (I was a child in the 80s and 90s when I was plagued by right horrors) though and though its first official release was later in time, its first versions and demos date from the nineties so it´s in fact actually older. When It released people told me sometimes but instead of changing it I accepted those things happen when you coincide in a cadence of chords at some points but I think the song being compared to is very beautiful and was very reknown and I take it as a compliment.
My favourite this week was @zipporah It seriously touched some strings in my soul and made me cry.
Congrats to all the featured and really grateful. On steemit I'm a newcomer so feedback is the best gift. Thank you!
You're most welcome. It is very possible you have inspired Evanescence then and she created Immortal afterwards. It is a wonderful childhood song of hope and glad you take it as a compliment. Yes @zipporah has created some wonderful music and has shared some very deep songs that share some vulnerable topics. She knows how to reach the heart and soul and pull on the human emotions. You are making a name for yourself here as a newcomer, great job once again, I'll try and find those poems of mine!
Aww that is unlikely... lol but convergence on chord progressions sometimes happen lol. Especially in the simpler songs, this one was always a very humble simple lullaby. In fact it is the same cadence I realized too in Bowie's "Major Tom to ground control", that moment also has a similar chord transition. Still they are all different. It is a beautiful song sung by a beautiful singer and I take it as a compliment. And they had their own vibe. We all want to be unique, still music and art is like an iridescent silver fabric, more like a woven tapestry and motifs may be at some points be similar. I love film music and 80s music those were my strongest influences and I guess those are the ones I am happy when people spot it out, because they really inspired me 🌸 once more thanks for the lovely feedback 💚
Yes I cried with Zipporahs, so simple, so aching and vulnerable
Looking forward to read your poems, I am encouraged to write about sleep paralysis now.
Yeah, same as when we are writing song lyrics, we are bound to come across similar ideas and approaches. I will find them now, and maybe throw in a couple of extras for fun, looking forward to reading your future posts.
Hey @verbal-d! Thank you so much for your mention and your beautiful text about us.
It’s so good to be back on the Openmic!
Your support means a lot to me 🙏
Sorry for my late reply, I am happy to support you and @rhavi :) Keep bringing forth beautiful music, thanks for making the world a more wonderfully sound place.
Thank you for your sweet review and the honorable mention, @verbal-d! Especially given the ever more inspiring talent I encounter here on Steemit. Each week I intend to up my game a notch by hearing all those gifted voices and musicians (with a lot of hard work behind the scenes). Definitely the most wonderful training I could have wished for ;) Thanks again and congratulations to all the winners!
You are very welcome. I can tell you are upping your skill level and performances and it is a great thing to witness because it provides inspiration for us all to push our own limitations and expand beyond our previous resting points. This community is unmatched anywhere else.
I cant be more happy than i already am... Its a priviledge once again to top your list.. Your write up underneath our performance is just what bursts my head... That not withstanding is there any where you think are my lapses i would like your critics on that one so i can work on it !
Congrats to all the contestants .. Listened to all your music too it was really cool...
It is easy to place you when you earn and deserve it with your performances. I am happy you're happy. This was a really good entry. Since you asked, As far as critiques go, I don't have much to say besides a slight sliding up short on a half note for the chorus section at 2:08-2:10 , but it was very minor and you can compare that to a more clear and pristine chorus from 2:28-2:31 and you recovered well keeping consistent with your runs, your falsetto head voice is improving, but remember when you submitted your entry for Listen by Beyonce a few weeks back?
That performance started out okay but if you listen to it, your emotions got the best of you and you were off key and not fully in control of the notes you were trying to hit. The vibrato and power of your voice matched the correct intensity, but in the moment, you maybe didn't realize you were hitting the wrong notes throughout the entry and when you submit entries like that, you will notice when I don't add you to my list, because you clearly can sing when you focus and are passionately in tune with the song like this entry above. Keep up the great performances, you are still growing, as we all are.
Wow... I didnt even know.. This means alot to me critics or positive comments ... I entertain critics too some times cause its necessary for growth... Yeah its true i remember i ran out of breathe for a while in the song, i was struggling cause my voice hadnt been in its best shape infact since i started openmic cause of school stress since january was tryna push it tho .. As for the falsetto there was a time about last year i couldnt do any of those falsettos it was pretty hard thats why i practiced hard, with my voice in its best shape it could come off better than this though... So thanks for the critics i would work on them... The song you gave to me am gonna work on it with time. My exams are so close i have been busy with reading and i havent really put up my best performances here cause of alot of constraints but its all good... With time tho!! Thanks verbal-d.
Is there any technique u might want me to practice that would be cool ? I would love to learn and expand my vocal abilities .
You're welcome, I understand everything you speak about. Take your time and focus on your studies for sure. As far as vocal abilities and expansion, you can check out some of India Arie's music and see what she inspires out of you. She has a great voice and knows how to use the dynamics of sound to deliver her deep and stirring messages of love, poverty, and healing. Definitely someone to study and learn from in my opinion.
Thanks for you mention! <3 <3
Giving us strength to continue!
You are most welcome, glad to mention you and your great uplifting music. By the way, can you please tell me what camera do you both use? I love the visual quality. It's impeccably stunning and high def.
Hey! On this video we are using a Canon 5D Mark II and the iPad Pro 2017 to record the audio.
On the #openmic week 62 I did a little presentation of the gear we use to make our videos.
It's in portuguese but maybe it could be interesting for you:
https://steemit.com/openmic/@lisamalletart/open-mic-week-62-or-many-ways-lisa-and-rhavi-or-original-song-making-of
Cheers!
Thanks for the info @rhavi! I remember this post, much appreciated.
Thank you for the mention, pretty. Greetings. It's laaaaaate. Going to bed.
You're most welcome, greetings. Get some rest
Great picks @verbal-d
I'm honored to be on your radar, and honored to be a part of #openmic
Thank you for your contribution to this awesome community!
Much love
@futuremind
You're welcome. We are honored to have you here with us, keeping quality music in abundance
Thanks for stopping by, Steem on
So much talent here. I love each and everyone of these songs but for me I would have to go for number 2. Like what you said about sounding like Evanescence. I love how soothing and calming, also like the song called Hello by Evanescence too. Lovely really lovely
Yeah, she did a really great job. Everyone has their favorites and there are too many talented entrants here, that is the beautiful thing. Glad you enjoyed the music. Thanks for stopping by.
Sure thing bud. Keep up the fantastic job you are doing.
Appreciate that, indeed I shall. Steem on
Thank you for the mention boss, i am grateful.
You're very welcome, keep up the good music :)
This is an awesome list of music. Some of the honourable mentions I hadn't yet heard and loved...
Great to see @yidneth in your Top 5! She's awesome!
And @Zipporah's song was heart melting...
Blessings mate!
Yes both of these ladies are awesome and create some heavy hitters for sure.
Glad you enjoyed this list, thanks for stopping by bro.
Steem and jam on