Could Someone Explain Daphne Rubin Vega to Me

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 1/31/07 at 2:22pm

I have tried to adjust to her "style" and just can't. I can barely get through her Rent songs, and find her work in Bernarda Alba to be almost impossible to get through. I know she has a fan base, so I ask? What is her spark? I just can't see it. THis isn't a thread meant to bash her, just curious what about her voice is so special to everyone.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 1/31/07 at 2:27pm

[C is for Company]

Posted: 1/31/07 at 2:27pm

Did you see her live in Bernarda? In the theater she blew me away, I didn't expect her to be so good although I loved her voice in Rent. Listening to Alba on cd though, she sounded less fierce than she did in the theater.

And in Les Mis I consider to be one of the few who loves her rendition of "I Dreamed a Dream." I can see why most don't like it, but she met my expectations of her I suppose.

[gumbo2]

Posted: 1/31/07 at 2:29pm

Yeah maybe you have to see her live (I was one who saw her in Les Mis and thought she was fairly good, didn't love her voice, didn't hate it). I kind of feel that way about Raul Esparza too, like his voice sounds kind of weird on CD but live he is spectacular. I guess the acting element helps.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 1/31/07 at 2:29pm

PErhaps her style doesn't translate well to disc...

Uh oh Lizzie...Flame War?

[purpleprince101]

Posted: 1/31/07 at 3:09pm

she was amazing in bernarda alba

[JustinRZB]

Posted: 1/31/07 at 3:19pm

Personally I don't mind her. It's not that she can't sing... she's just very throaty.

It's very Unique.

And it seems that some of Broadway's most memorable voices weren't sweet and soft... but rather dynamic and unique. Unforgettable.

[snl89]

Posted: 1/31/07 at 3:31pm

to me, daphne seems like the kind of person you have to see live to really grasp why she's so good. And I HAVNT seen her live, but I can tell just from videos and stuff- you can sense what an amazing stage precense she has. You know how in the RENT commentary Chris was saying that sometimes you see a person on the street and they look totally normal, and you wonder why they'd ever be a movie star, and then they step in front of a camera and it just... fits? well, that seems like how Daphne is with the stage :) I dont absolutely posiively LOVE her voice or anything- its not BAD, its just not what I'd call "pretty"- but I really do want to see her live in something one day, because she seems like a stellar performer.

[jewishboy]

Posted: 1/31/07 at 4:15pm

I agree with snl89. I did not like her voice at all when I first started to listen to Rent and would also skip all of her songs. Then, as I grew I realized how much heart and soul is in her Mimi. It really sounds as if she is dying and a junkie, but she also sounds like a rocker. After watching the movie I was so bored by Rosario Dawson. Yes she was good, but she just wasn't Mimi. I actually started to miss the earthy, edgy, and raspy layers her voice has. Then I saw a video of her doing Out Tonight on You Tube and realized how good she was. Give Rent another try, go to youtube or google video, and go see her live. It really is too bad you missed her in Bernarda Alba, she was amazing live.

I wouldn't call her voice beautiful either, but I would call it heartbreakingly beautiful. I always thought her ‘Without You” was gorgeous.

[Dibbledl01]

Posted: 1/31/07 at 4:26pm

i agree bobbybuddy, I don't get her. she seems as if she's trying to hard to sound like something she will never be

[AC126748]

Posted: 1/31/07 at 4:33pm

While I wouldn't consider myself a fan of hers, I've really been enjoying her solo album, "Redemption Songs". Aside from the fact that certain people love her just because she's the original Mimi, I think there are some people drawn to the esoteric quality of her voice. She's unique.

[Shawk]

Posted: 1/31/07 at 4:40pm

I've never seen her live, so I can't speak to that, and I actually don't have an opinion on her voice. It's different, but not something that I strongly dislike.

What I do (possibly irrationally) dislike is the "childlike" (I can't think of a better word) way she pronounces her vowels, and the way she splits them out sometimes("Without yooou-ew"). It just drives me insane and prevents me from really being able to think too much about other aspects of her voice.

[Broadwayboy2631]

Posted: 1/31/07 at 4:41pm

I don’t completely understand her either, but I do appreciate that she is not the same thing that you hear all of the time on Broadway. Her raspy voice lends itself better to some roles more than others.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 1/31/07 at 4:48pm

Shawk, you summed up my problems with her nicely. It is the "baby phrasing" that really gets under my skin...

[Fenchurch]

Posted: 1/31/07 at 4:54pm

Her voice is unique, but in my opinion excellent. Her diction is clean, insofar that she clearly enunciates her vowel separately in each diphthong, at least tries to, something that most singers doing musical theater rarely care about.

Her style is distinctive, but its her and love her or hate her, she takes a lot of risks musically and she should be applauded for that.

A friend of mine went to college with her and described her as an iconoclast, it's obvious that she is, and those, like another above poster mentioned, are the ones who will be remembered.

[dramaqueen2]

Posted: 1/31/07 at 4:58pm

agree with snl..

something you have to know about daphne.. she is a performer. yes, i know all broadway stars are peformers, persay.. but what i mean is that in the very literal sense of the word.. she laps up the audience vibe and just pours her heart onto the stage and into her roles. she is a very firey performer and thrives on the live aspect of the theatre. which is what makes her great. she is still great on cd, but i'm sure it isn't half of what seeing her live is.

also, i think her voice can be more of an aquired taste, and if you're not into the more rock-ish edgey theatery sound (i know a lot of -ish's and -y's ahah) then she may not for you. she isn't for everyone, but one this is for certain, she's got a way about her.. and it is very alluring to many people.. it makes her stand out and be remembered. after all, you did post a thread about her, haha. see what i mean?

=)

[MimiLovesRoger]

Posted: 1/31/07 at 5:37pm

She's just a bit different from what we're used to hearing. I personally love her on the Rent OBCR. I think her voice just fits with Mimi. Then again, I have never seen her perform live, so that's just my oppinion.

[dirty rotten guy]

Posted: 1/31/07 at 5:55pm

She was absolutely PERFECT for Thr Rocky Horror Show. I suggest you buy the revival cast album. After hearing her version of "Science Fiction/Double Feature", I would be suprised if you still didnt "get" her.

[Craww]

Posted: 1/31/07 at 6:17pm

I think her vocal differences and vocal flaws are less shocking to me because I was a rock fan before I was a musical theatre fan.

Some people don't get Tom Waits or Bob Dylan. Or Cyndi Lauper or Shakira. Daphne is an obvious aquired taste sort of voice. Just think of everything you hate about her and that's probably exactly what other people love about her. It's not that hard to figure out once you've accepted that you'll really probably never get it.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 1/31/07 at 6:19pm

I would not judge anyone who dislikes Rubin-Vega's voice, her vocals and her singing style are very unique. I've never seen her live but she is actually one of my favorite performers on disk because of her peculiar voice. She brings so much soul, heart, and emotion into every note she sings. Her "Martirio" in the Bernarda Alba cast recording is almost painful to listen to because she really transmits the pain her character is feeling, I believe her performances on disc are filled with nuance, layers, and an intensity that is rarely seen on the performers that most people tend to prefer over Rubin-Vega (i.e. Menzel, Espinosa, Foster, Brown et al).

[FosseForever3]

Posted: 1/31/07 at 6:19pm

dirtyrottenguy: agreed! I was just going to say HOW has no one mentioned Rocky Horror yet?!?

Updated On: 1/31/07 at 06:19 PM

[FutureElphie]

Posted: 1/31/07 at 6:35pm

I deff. agree with Shawk. And I don't particularly like the tone to her voice either. The first time I saw her was in a RENT video of her singing "Out tonight", and I thought maybe her voice had just been off that night or something. but then when I saw her live in Le Mis, I realized she just was not very good. I thought she sang the songs to harsh, and over acted just a "little bit". And it was clear to me that other people didn't like her. during intermission my mom and I overheard people talking about how they apparently didn't like her either. This is really just my personal opinion, I don't like judge anyone that likes her. =)

[D2]

Posted: 1/31/07 at 6:38pm

I've never really heard her sing - I didn't see her in RENT and I don't own the recording. But I did see her live in ANNA IN THE TROPICS, and her stage presence is extraordinary. She inhabited her role with such riveting intensity that I couldn't take my eyes off her the entire time. Whatever "that something extra" is that defines a true stage creature, she has it.

[Dirty Rotten Scoundrel]

Posted: 1/31/07 at 6:42pm

I loved her in THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW revival. I thought her voice really fit the role of Magenta. I think she's OK in RENT (my judgements made solely on the cast recording), there are other Mimis I've seen who I've enjoyed more. I saw her in LES MIS and her singing wasn't quite my cup of tea. I suppose it's all to do with the role.

[americanboy99]

Posted: 1/31/07 at 8:29pm

Watch out, BobbyBubby. I know from experience- this is a very scary topic to bring up.