Valisia LeKae Has Diana Ross DOWN

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 4/16/13 at 8:40pm

My god. I've yet to see MOTOWN, but based on the promo appearance the show just posted (cringworthingly awful dialogue aside,) it's downright eery how accurately Valisia LeKae is channeling Diana Ross. The vocals and mannerisms are virtually identical!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2g162kV1QZY

Updated On: 4/16/13 at 08:40 PM

[shrekster224]

Posted: 4/16/13 at 9:13pm

Just saying, that video is actually from November! I've had my eye on her since she was a swing in BoM and she stood out in the ensemble. She's a great talent.

I actually really want to see Motown, if nothing else for the music and their cast that is performing it.

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 4/16/13 at 10:47pm

I didn't realize how old it was, shrekster. They re-posted it recently.

That being said, the similarities remain incredibly impressive.

[bjh2114]

Posted: 4/16/13 at 10:50pm

I just saw it tonight and found her to be TERRIBLE. She values an accurate impression more than a quality performance, and that's a shame. The whole thing was too put on.

[dramamama611]

Posted: 4/17/13 at 1:24am

The reviews were not kind to her.

[loliveve]

Posted: 4/17/13 at 10:13pm

I thought she did a fantastic job impersonating Diana Ross, which is what she was supposed to do. So, naturally I disagreed with the reviews that said otherwise, but overall I really didn't think they were that bad. I find it interesting at how much they can contradict one another. I went through the first 8 or so reviews listed on the BWW "review roundup," and here is what the critics and to say (I must admit, I laughed the first time I read the comment from Variety, and it made me laugh again today, even if I disagree):

"Ms. LeKae’s cotton-candy voice matches up nicely with Ms. Ross’s, and she twitches her twiggy frame capably as Diana moves from awkward teenager to glamorous diva, even if the real Ms. Ross’s metallic edges — or should I say, as I’m sure she would prefer, the real Miss Ross’s metallic edges? — have been softened into mohair. -(Isherwood, New York Times)

“quite stunning performances, led by a go-for-it Brandon Victor Dixon as Gordy and Valisia LeKae as Diana Ross, who especially shines during an ad lib moment with the audience.” (Kennedy, AP)

"LeKae is a little stiff as the starry-eyed schoolgirl angling to join the Motown roster. But her vocal mimicry of Ross is uncanny, and her performance blossoms along with the artist she’s portraying. Spectacularly outfitted by costumer ESosa, she’s at her best in vainglorious renditions of “Remember Me” and “Reach Out and Touch,” the latter incorporating amusing audience interaction in which LeKae slyly suggests the phoniness beneath the I-love-you-all stage persona." (Rooney, Hollywood Reporter)

"The very appealing Valisia LeKae (“The Book of Mormon”) channels Diana Ross’ manners and voice to play the Supreme being. She brings a blast of spontaneity re-creating Ross’ solo Las Vegas concert and summons audience members to belt a bit of “Reach Out and Touch.” (Dziemianowicz, Daily News)

"Diana Ross, played with uncanny verismo by a breathy, wide-eyed, dazzler named Valisia LeKae, becomes Galatea to his Pygmalion." (Gerard & Boroff, Bloomberg)

"Valisa LeKae, as Diana Ross, captures the lady’s singing style and goes convincingly from innocent teenager to hard-working performer to glamorous solo star yet never quite arrives at diva." (Haagensen, Backstage)

"Valisia LeKae nails the understated intensity of young Diana Ross." (Geler, Entertainment Weekly)

"(Diana Ross could sue for defamation for Valisia LeKae’s grisly rendering of her.) But there are some great, big, glorious voices in this show, LeKae’s among them, so it doesn’t seem fair to condemn good singers for being lousy actors." (Stasio, Variety)

[ClydeBarrow]

Posted: 4/17/13 at 10:23pm

[atcsm2]

Posted: 4/17/13 at 10:29pm

Very mixed reviews for Valisia's interpretation of Diana, but as a long time fan of Miss Ross, I can't wait to see this in June. The pics of Valisia and Diana at curtain call melts my heart...