best divas/best belting!!- Page 3

[bwaybaby2]

Posted: 9/3/04 at 9:13pm

sutton, ellen green, linda eder - most amazing belter ever, carolee carmello and yes - im gonna say it! WATCH OUT! i dont know why everyone is SOOOOO afraid to mention idina. she is amazing. as popular she and wicked amnd rent are, she is a vocal powerhouse. she is amazing

[lullabyofbroadway28]

Posted: 9/3/04 at 9:19pm

I love Sherie Renee Scott's belt in Last 5 Years. Her register changes are so disguised, she's amazing. And no one has said my favorite, Bernadette Peters! I love her singing Everything is Coming Up Roses!

[Plum]

Posted: 9/3/04 at 9:20pm

Who's afraid to mention Menzel? Maybe when you think "great belter," she doesn't leap to the forefront of everyone's mind.

[bwaybaby2]

Posted: 9/3/04 at 9:31pm

no - indina pops into to all of our minds... dont deny it! we all think of defying gravity as the ultimate bleting song and she is wicked so.... i think people r afraid to say her name cause everyone on this website hates wicked, or is at least sick of it. but when it comes dwn to talent. she is definitely up there.


thank you! i totally forgot - sherie rene scott is fabulous

[Chevstriss]

Posted: 9/3/04 at 9:35pm

Garrett Long belting SHINE in Spitfire Grill makes me weep and cheer at the same time.

my .02 cents on Merman, unfortunately, alot of people have never listened to recordings made in her prime. yes she got quite warbley there in her 50s, and this seems to be the "merman caricature".

But in her 20s, she was g. gershwin's fav singer. He's no slouch.

[Plum]

Posted: 9/3/04 at 9:45pm

Um, no bwaybabay. When I think of belting I think of Ethel Merman first and foremost. If you want to know my other choices you can read my full post farther back in this thread.

I didn't want to say this, but here it comes: Menzel's "belting" sounds way too much like screaming for my taste. And she's never, ever lacked for fans on this site.

[bwaybaby2]

Posted: 9/3/04 at 9:58pm

hey - whatever - i dont wanna fight or whatever this is... we obviously have EXTREMELY DIFFERENT TASTES. i dont even know what ethal merman's voice sounds like. i know who she is but.... i guess this is really a "battle" between old shows/stars and new shows/stars. i LOVE comtemporary musicals. i dont listen to old shows. they just dont sound as singable as the newer ones. sorry...

[bwaybaby2]

Posted: 9/3/04 at 9:59pm

and none of them have any real depth. there all like damn yankees or pajama game or whatever. they're all so light hearted i could throw up.... but no battle- we all have our different tastes

[broadwayfan24]

Posted: 9/3/04 at 10:09pm

oh darn! we were so close to having a non-wicked bashing thread.

I definatly say Idina Menzel singing "Defying Gravity" is the best belt song, hands down. It always gives me chills after she sings it. Sutton Foster comes 2nd because of "Gimme Gimme" in Millie. I love both of those songs.

I never cared for Ethel Merman at all. I think she really only got parts in shows b/c she could sing really loud b/c at that time they didn't have the type of microphones we have today. She can't really sing in tune imo. If you listen to both Bernadette Peters and Ethel Merman in Annie Get Your Gun, Ethel Merman just doesn't come close to Bernadette.

[Plum]

Posted: 9/3/04 at 10:11pm

Oh, please. Merman comes to mind first because she had quite simply the biggest voice in Broadway- she practically invented the Broadway belt.

And who says I only listen to "old" musicals? I happen to hate The Pajama Game and I've never even listened to Damn Yankees. But if you can't find the beauty in "Golden Oldies" like My Fair Lady, West Side Story, or Carousel I pity you, because you're missing out on some incredible music.

Did you read my first post at all? Obviously not. Some contemporary belters I like are Ann Harada in Avenue Q, Tonya Pinkins in Caroline, or Change, Roz Ryan in Chicago, and Bernadette Peters in anything she cares to do.

And you accuse me of lacking depth in my musical taste? That's rich. Try checking on my previous posts before you spew that kind of stuff.

And "Defying Gravity" would be a pretty good belt song if I ever heard Menzel actually pull it off. Updated On: 9/3/04 at 10:11 PM

[broadwayfan24]

Posted: 9/3/04 at 10:14pm

Don't get me wrong she did invent the "Broadway Belt" imo but I just never cared for her, no offense

[Plum]

Posted: 9/3/04 at 10:25pm

I'm not offended by that. I was offended by bwaybaby's implication that all I like in musicals is 1920's fluff.

Usually I'm fending off the opposite accusation.

[bwaybaby2]

Posted: 9/3/04 at 10:33pm

k - if you have never heard idina "pull off" defying gravity, BUY THE CD. its perfect. get the live version. its perfect. go see the show. its perfect. i agree - ethal merman did invent the "belt" and by no means am i saying idina is the only belter or the number one belter but she is damn good. no can deny that. i didnt read ur first reply. my bad. actually. and i do find beauty in those three classic shows, but i prefer to listen to and be in comtemporary shows. - thats just me. and having the biggest voice doesnt mean its the best - fyi. i wanted a non-wicked bashing thred too. ok? so yeah - u like deep and comtemporary shows. thats cleared up. k? cool...

[xluckystar2107x]

Posted: 9/3/04 at 10:37pm

i honestly have a lot of faith in kristin chenoweth. shes a legit singer. i mean she sings classical and can belt.

[Plum]

Posted: 9/3/04 at 10:44pm

I don't think Menzel does complete justice to the song on the CD. But then, I don't like her voice, so I doubt we're ever going to agree on that.

It's fine that you prefer contemporary shows. :P

And Ethel Merman's voice was big, but not always pretty. I readily admit that.

[bwaybaby2]

Posted: 9/3/04 at 10:44pm

yeah! no one mentioned kristin! god! she is a flawless singer.

[FosseBoi]

Posted: 9/3/04 at 11:07pm

Idina Menzel (the BEST EVER!!!)
Sutton Foster (home girl!!!)
Bernadette Peters (AMAZING!!!!)
Eden Espenosa (WOW!!!!)

Updated On: 9/3/04 at 11:07 PM

[FosseBoi]

Posted: 9/3/04 at 11:08pm

Idina Menzel (the BEST EVER!!!)
Sutton Foster (home girl!!!)
Bernadette Peters (AMAZING!!!!)
Eden Espenosa (WOW!!!!)
Heather Headly (OH MY GOD!!!!!!!!)

Posted: 9/3/04 at 11:13pm

Patti Lupone is so fantastic... I hadn't seen her perform on a stage until I saw "Sweeney Todd- Concert" on DVD earlier this week... absolutely phenomenal. I had heard her voice before obviously, and I definitely think that she has a really amazing belting voice.
p.s. she belts BEING ALIVE really wow-ly

AND OF COURSE... BERNADETTE PETERS!!!! Updated On: 9/4/04 at 11:13 PM

[bwaybaby2]

Posted: 9/3/04 at 11:16pm

yeah - u dont like her voice. thats cool - a lot of people dont. but a lot more people do.... anyway - where can i hear more eden??????? i have a clip of the wizard and i but where else???????

[kissmycookie]

Posted: 9/3/04 at 11:17pm

While I liked Sutton Foster, Idina Menzel, and Kristen Chenoweth and their respective performances, I feel they have yet to qualify in the "best" category (compared to all the others who have been named). They still have a lot to prove. But they're still young, and let's hope they eventually reach there...

[Plum]

Posted: 9/3/04 at 11:20pm

I assume you mean Eden Espinosa? Try the BKLYN website.

[bwaybaby2]

Posted: 9/3/04 at 11:24pm

whats the bklyn website????

[Plum]

Posted: 9/3/04 at 11:26pm

BKLYN

[bwaybaby2]

Posted: 9/3/04 at 11:31pm

thanks sweetie - u helped me even though you hate me! haha. sorry - im ****in w/you