My Band was Auditioned and ...

[cheapbasslovin]

I am wondering how doe someone like her get backing from a label? Admittedly I have no knowledge of the current workings of labels or stardom.

A million followers and a half decent ability to record vocals into garage band would be my guess.

I know someone who is a tiktok 'star' and they have nothing going on except for being pretty and working nonstop to put out mediocre content. It's a weird world.

 

[fhm555]

Just like musicians who can shred alone but struggle or fail in a group situation, I've seen people who can sing well doing karaoke or in a choir, but struggled or fail with a live band. IME live music, including vocals, is an acquired skill gained through doing it. You can prepare with individual practice but until everyone is gathered and the countdown begins…
I once rehearsed with a band put together specifically to back a very good singer who was "discovered" while doing yard work for a guitarist who heard him singing along to the radio while working. He did great in the basement but when we went to do a public set, our singer was "not ready" and never got that way. Turns out he was too afraid to sing in public.
There's plenty reasons people won't, or can't perform live music in public.

 

[40Hz]

backed by a couple of fresh music-school kids looking for a cheap gig that'll work for the CV and the understanding she might take her with them when she goes up.

Yup. And if those kids fresh out of music school believe that old "this may lead to something bigger" line for one split second, then I have a bridge in NYC I want to sell them.

 

[SLO Surfer]

TL/DR

so did we ever find out the name this insta-star?

 

[john_g]

It's only true because Boomers cut funding for music education in schools.
So don't make it sound like it's the kid's fault... ;-)

Well, that...and the fact that music is now made mostly on the computer without real instruments.

 

[azureblue]

I'm making a giant assumption, but I wonder if she would be able to have a musical discussion with a MD or musicians who actually know what they are doing.

This reminds me of a certain band way back - they went into the studio to record and there sat "The Wrecking Crew". They knocked out three songs in two hours. All the "ban" had to do was sing on top of the tracks, but, no, they HAD to play, too. SO, next session, the band tried to record - 6 hours later, not even one good take.

Sometimes, you need the pros to lay it down. She doesn't know anything. She is the kind to learn the hard way.

 

[Christophe C]

Shelly, our lead singer, did one of her songs with us last night and blew her away, and she did that reading the lyrics off a piece of paper. That's when our "star" stormed out.

was your band's singer asked to interpret the song ? if not, wasn't it a bit provocative ?

 

[ArtechnikA]

@two fingersThe result of her whining away on social media is so juvenile, it's almost beyond belief. However, it seems to be the rule nowadays.

I must have missed the post where it said this happened... I got the whining, but I didn't see where it was posted to the public. I agree it would seem in character, but I didn't see where anyone actually said that happened...

 

[SLO Surfer]

was your band's singer asked to interpret the song ? if not, wasn't it a bit provocative ?

Yeah, why was your lead singer singing the insta-star's song in the first place?

 

[Stock]

The 19 year old Instagram "star" called us a bunch of "Old fakers that sound like an elementary school orchestra."

We are 9 people in our 40's, 50's, and 60's who all tried to be professional musicians early in life and failed, so we now do this for fun. We were asked by her management to be the live backing band for 5 local gigs in April because her record label wanted her to get some crowd time before they spent real money on an out of state tour.

Our impression - she is a Karaoke singer with no experience with a live band. Shelly, our lead singer, did one of her songs with us last night and blew her away, and she did that reading the lyrics off a piece of paper. That's when our "star" stormed out.

We are now waiting to see if we are fired. It wouldn't disappoint any of us.

No names to protect from legal actions

Boy it is painfully true karaoke singers rarely transition well into bands. Generally they aren't musicians and are good at imitating singers but are clueless from a front man/woman perspective. When I audition singers I care much more about their ability to hear intervals and contribute harmonies while maintaining pitch and having appropriate tone.

 

[roccobass]

I must have missed the post where it said this happened... I got the whining, but I didn't see where it was posted to the public. I agree it would seem in character, but I didn't see where anyone actually said that happened...

Hmm. I was going by the very first paragraph of the original post calling them fakers ( in quotation marks) and that she was an Instagram star. Check it again. I put one and one together and presumed. If you confirm that this not so, I will retract my error.

 

[WarwickE36]

As I read this thread. I cannot help but imagine it going down something like this...

 

[ArtechnikA]

...When I audition singers I care much more about their ability to hear intervals and contribute harmonies while maintaining pitch and having appropriate tone.

Those are -great- qualities!
I worked with a singer who couldn't come in on the '1' after a count-in.
If the ball wasn't bouncing, she couldn't count...

 

[deff]

Well...

Sounds to me like the original plan was a good one. I don't think that "being 19" disqualifies you from having a more professional attitude or working with older musicians. E.g. the musicians and producers who worked on Adele's first album (when she was 19 ) were at least 10 years older than her.

It sounds more like the singer is less experienced and more insecure than management expected. I doubt that can be fixed by working with musicians her age.

In case the obvious hasn't been pointed out, it is likely that this singer is not Adele. LoL

 

[ArtechnikA]

 

[DRBP]

It's only true because Boomers cut funding for music education in schools.
So don't make it sound like it's the kid's fault... ;-)

actually in my neck of the woods the boomers aren't the problem there- remember they are the age that made all their kids take piano lessons... it is the generations younger that want to cut music, theater, and speech (and industrial arts programs) so there is more money for football, wrestling, basketball, stadiums, new weight rooms etc.

 

[gln1955]

It's only true because Boomers cut funding for music education in schools.
So don't make it sound like it's the kid's fault... ;-)

Sorry, no. Most schools still have music programs. Besides, when did school music programs teach kids how to be pop singers?

 

[NKBassman]

Working as a backing band/musician behind a Name isn't always glamourous. You're there to do a job, which is to know and play your parts accurately and consistently, make The Name feel comfortable, and make them sound as good as humanly possible. This has to happen regardless of your opinion on the songs, or The Name's ability to perform them. Your opinion of her talents, as a backing musician, is inconsequential and irrelevant.

If she storms out of rehearsal because of her own inexperience and/or ego or whatever, that's pretty telling. But having your bands singer jump in to show her up on one of her own songs probably wasn't a good move.

 

[J_Bass]

Well,

How much "live show" experience can a 19 yo have?

Before the pandemic she would be 16yo.

How would she have "live show" experience?

 

[MVE]

Probably would have helped to run through the songs with her a few times with just your guitar player, playing an acoustic, to help her get the feel of singing along with someone playing live.
You should have done this a day or two before the full band rehearsal and this entire situation could have been avoided.