My Band was Auditioned and ...

[two fingers]

She didn't storm "off the stage," though. It wasn't a performance, it was an audition for the band that was to back her up. She "stormed off" after their lead singer took it upon herself (I guess) to "show her how it's done" which made her feel like she was being ridiculed. Which, if you read all the responses in this thread, was probably true, given that the OP is quite gleeful about how the singer showed her up.

Now maybe the girl wasn't all that good, or was inexperienced. I did my first professional live shows at 19, and I sure didn't know all the things I learned later at that point. There were no Instagram "stars" back then so I don't know what kind of expectations that brings, but as someone pointed out, it's unlikely she's had a lot of opportunity to learn how to do a live stage show.

I guess I just don't get why so many are so quick to say that she's the problem. If you don't want to back up an inexperienced singer, don't volunteer for the job. If you volunteer for the job, then do your job. Your job isn't to make her feel bad about her lack of experience; your job is to learn the material and play it and let the other chips fall where they may as far as she is concerned. Do this and you will get the paycheck. If you think you don't want to risk being seen onstage with an amateur singer, then maybe don't sign up for that.

We all started somewhere.

Perhaps I should go back and read it again. I gathered that OP's singer took over AFTER she stormed off?

Which is it @5andFretless ? DID your singer upstage the girl DURING the performance of the song?

 

[LBS-bass]

Perhaps I should go back and read it again. I gathered that OP's singer took over AFTER she stormed off?

Which is it @5andFretless ? DID your singer upstage the girl DURING the performance of the song?

That may be true; I may have been the one who is misreading things here. It would be nice to know when Shelley sang it. My assumption that she sang it to show the singer it could be done better might be in error.

 

[legalbass]

Did any comments or statements by you or your crew precipitate this whole, "[o]ld fakers that sound like an elementary school orchestra" thing?

I'm not challenging your account but that just seems like a really bizarre thing for a 19-year-old these days to just throw out there. Did that comment literally just come out of the blue?

 

[ArtechnikA]

...OP hasn't given me any additional clarification that would help me understand better why Shelley mopped the floor with this young woman and until I hear that I have no other clues to go by.

I had to go back and re-read the thread.
Post #39 pretty much cleared it all up for me...

 

[gln1955]

From the first post:



Just because you can, doesn't mean you should. As a hired backing band, blowing away the person you're backing by singing their song better than them isn't part of the job. Just like a guitar player playing a 24 bar solo when the song is written for 8, unless that's what the Name wants. You're not there to shred all over it like it's your gig, make decisions, or step out of your lane. You're there to play as directed. Period. Any commentary should be offered in a way that it comes across as suggestions for their consideration, constructive feedback, or perhaps delicate criticism if you think you can get away with it.

The hired musicians should be capable of covering as needed in a live situation, but why do this at a rehearsal after literally just meeting the person? If she sucks, at least wait till she leaves the building before you get that out of your system.

I'm basing my opinion on the OP's attitude about it. His words:

"Shelly, our lead singer, did one of her songs with us last night and blew her away" which sounds suspicious to me. Shelly didn't need to "blow her away." Shelly could have made some points to her without demonstrating what a superior singer she is. I can't really think of a scenario where this needed to happen. Nineteen-year-old is not going magically become a great singer by hearing someone else do what she can't. Showing her something about breath control, warming up, etc. would be appropriate coaching.

But you're right that none of us were there and I can't tell you really why this occurred. All I know is that I remember when I was 19 and how insecure so many of us still were at that age. Whatever, I'm out of this thread. OP hasn't given me any additional clarification that would help me understand better why Shelley mopped the floor with this young woman and until I hear that I have no other clues to go by.

We don't know if the band was expected to just play and let her do whatever she does or if they were brought on to help her develop. If it's the latter, then showing her how to really make a song hers and work her performance would require the OPs singer to probably upstage her.

Some clarification about this from the OP would help.

 

[john_g]

Did any comments or statements by you or your crew precipitate this whole, "[o]ld fakers that sound like an elementary school orchestra" thing?

I'm not challenging your account but that just seems like a really bizarre thing for a 19-year-old these days to just throw out there. Did that comment literally just come out of the blue?

You know...that could be a cool band name....Old Faker and The Elementary School Orchestra

 

[NKBassman]

You know...that could be a cool band name....Old Faker and The Elementary School Orchestra

If there's one positive takeaway from this thread, let it be this.

 

[gln1955]

You know...that could be a cool band name....Old Faker and The Elementary School Orchestra

Hey, you knew what you were getting when you hired us.

 

[LBS-bass]

If it's the latter, then showing her how to really make a song hers and work her performance would require the OPs singer to probably upstage her.

I disagree. If you're working with someone, you can show them in short snippets what you'd like them to do. I don't know of any vocal coaches who would sing a whole song in performance mode to teach something to a student. You might show them how to open their mouth wider to resonate a certain vowel sound, and sing that sound, then maybe sing that line with the emphasis on the word in the song that uses that sound.

Another thing we aren't talking about is the vast differences in styling we hear in today's music versus what was done 30-40 years ago. If this singer is doing a close-mic Billie Eilish sort of style, that's very modern, and 100% appropriate to a younger audience of listeners. If the other singer is "blowing her away" by doing a louder, more theatrical delivery, it's possible the band doesn't understand the vibe of the music the younger singer is presenting, and maybe that's the reason she got upset. Whatever, I said I was going to leave the discussion and I keep getting alerts about it so I'm really leaving now. I just wanted to point out that there are a lot of different ways to look at this that don't automatically and stereotypically assume the young woman is a spoiled brat.

 

[DwaynieAD]

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

Then the entire cafeteria clapped

 

[john_g]

Hey, you knew what you were getting when you hired us.

This.

Hey Pal, your car was upside down when i got here and as for your grandma, she shouldnt have mouthed off like that!

LOL

 

[Kubicki Fan]

We will never know what really went down: details, subtleties and perspectives are missing. The original post (like most threads on TB) acts like a Rorschach test that reveals a lot about the commenters themselves.

I can't help thinking that perhaps if all parties used a little more compassion the situation would have resolved much better.

Could it be:
o the management company threw the singer under the bus having realized that maybe she needed a "life lesson"?
o a resentful "failed band" sabotaged up-and-comer thinking "why should she have a pass when we had to scratch"?
o ...

The scenarios are legion and some of them were mentioned as fact (entitled, delusional diva).

All-in-all depressing read and I had to quit after a few pages.

P.S.
The Milli Vanili comment put the cherry on top. I can't help thinking those two strapping young performers would still be alive if they went into a different line of work.

 

[jlm00013]

Something I learned a few years ago.
My oldest son is a great singer, choir, karaoke, has sung the National Anthem at race tracks, sporting events. He has tried to sing at jams with my band and just can’t get the hang of it. And I have noticed this at other open jams you can tell the Karaoke singers in one note they can’t sing with live music.
It’s funny, people who have sung with live musicians can go out and sing karaoke all night long, but people who only sing Karaoke can’t sing with live music to save their soul.
I’m sure there maybe some, but I have yet to hear one
Duke

Interesting point here: Steve Cropper thought John Belushi was one of the best singers he's ever worked with. That's coming from someone who worked with Otis Redding and Wilson Pickett. Cropper said it was because Belushi was a drummer, and had developed a great sense of rhythm from that.

Maybe the key is playing an instrument as well as being able to sing, or at least have developed a good sense of rhythm.

 

[DwaynieAD]

"why is live original music dying" proceeds to try to show up a young singer for what reason we don't know. Then gets on the internet to further tear down this person and look for validation for a crappy attitude then proceeds to find it. Musicians are the biggest problem in music.

 

[WillyW]

 

[E2942]

If we're guessing who, I'd vote Jo-Jo Siwa, but I think she's only 18.

 

[LBS-bass]

I had to go back and re-read the thread.
Post #39 pretty much cleared it all up for me...

Ah, thank you for that. So yeah, all my commentary stands. And I'm more inclined than ever to believe she had a soft delivery style and the band just didn't "get it."

 

[Low Down Brown]

I just wanted to point out that there are a lot of different ways to look at this that don't automatically and stereotypically assume the young woman is a spoiled brat.

I get what you're saying, but isn't it possible that if she was a mature professional with the drive to succeed (and that didn't ultimately storm out of the room), she would've stayed for the rehearsal and explained her vision/sound/musical goals to the group of old farts that are supposedly picking on her?

 

[Sixgunn]

So you never rehearse, and all tried to be professional musicians early in life and failed? Is that right?

No words for this....

 

[NKBassman]

I get what you're saying, but isn't it possible that if she was a mature professional with the drive to succeed (and that didn't ultimately storm out of the room), she would've stayed for the rehearsal and explained her vision/sound/musical goals to the group of old farts that are supposedly picking on her?

But she's clearly not a mature professional. As described this seems to be her first time seriously performing outside the bedroom. The point is that the hired backing band must be able to facilitate that. Or quit. That's the job.