1 hour ago, GlamSlam said:

Meaning Whitney is singing for her life when she sings.

There was an old saying about someone is doing X like the rent is due tonight.

Whitney was doing it like it was past due. She gave her all.

 

And yes, name a note Mariah cant hit that Whitney can. I can name plenty of notes Whitney can't hit that Mariah can.

 

It's so hard to compare the two since they are both so amazing for different reasons.

 

This thread is dork sided.

I say this as a big fan, but what mariah does in studio is vastly different how she performs live. Her vocals live are hit or miss, even in her prime. Whitney in her prime was a better vocalist

 

Mariah is obviously the better musician though

On 1/15/2024 at 6:11 AM, GoodGuyGoneGhetto said:

Considering this is well over the 50th live performance overall of “IWALY” during that era alone, if we count the fact that she started the ‘Bodyguard World Tour’ in July 1993 and this was filmed in March 1994 at an awards show, I would say this is easily one of her best live show-casings of the song out there. 
 

Which other contemporary female artist at the time was singing such songs, live, with practically broadway-performance like demand, so consistently (much to her own detriment in the end, unfortunately)? 
 

Her pitch was great in this performance actually. There were momentary “vocal cracks” during the first verse and chorus, the transitions and overall intonation from chest voice to falsetto weren’t as smooth, but everything else was top tier especially the climax; her voice exploded and her breath support was fantastic.

@CaptainMusic @naval23 @idkwiam

@My Tears Ricochet @GreatestLoveofAll

 

So, I actually visited Houston’s “Bodyguard World Tour” Wikipedia page. 
 

This performance of “IWALY” was her 83rd.
 

This performance took place in May 1994, whilst she was on a “break” and still in the midst the second leg of her North American leg of the tour, at the World Music Awards. 
 

I’ve counted 80 concert performances between July 1993 - May 1994 where she performed the song at every one including this performance, the performance at the Grammy’s in March 1994 and the performance at the charity/benefit concert in Carnegie Hall in March 1994.
 

There’s no way people are going to tell me that this woman isn’t the greatest voice to have graced contemporary music in the last 40 years. 
 

  

Edited January 16, 20242 yr by GoodGuyGoneGhetto

5 minutes ago, GoodGuyGoneGhetto said:

@CaptainMusic @naval23 @idkwiam

@My Tears Ricochet @GreatestLoveofAll

 

So, I actually visited Houston’s “Bodyguard World Tour” Wikipedia page. 
 

This performance of “IWALY” was her 83rd.
 

This performance took place in May 1994, whilst she was on a “break” and still in the midst the second leg of her North American leg of the tour, at the World Music Awards. 
 

I’ve counted 80 concert performances between July 1993 - May 1994 where she performed the song at every one including this performance, the performance at the Grammy’s in March 1994 and the performance at the charity/benefit concert in Carnegie Hall in March 1994.
 

There’s no way people are going to tell me that this woman isn’t the greatest voice to have graced contemporary music in the last 40 years. 
 

  

Agreed that is insane. NO one is touching Whitney's ability to emote and that's a hill I'll die on 

6 minutes ago, naval23 said:

Agreed that is insane. NO one is touching Whitney's ability to emote and that's a hill I'll die on 

Imagine belting out a strenuous song with one of the most explosive vocal climaxes ever like “IWALY” EIGHTY-THREE TIMES, in less than a year, and only having a slight vocal crack during one random performance. 
 

 

Spoiler

@GlamSlam

 

Edited January 16, 20242 yr by GoodGuyGoneGhetto

46 minutes ago, GoodGuyGoneGhetto said:

@CaptainMusic @naval23 @idkwiam

@My Tears Ricochet @GreatestLoveofAll

 

So, I actually visited Houston’s “Bodyguard World Tour” Wikipedia page. 
 

This performance of “IWALY” was her 83rd.
 

This performance took place in May 1994, whilst she was on a “break” and still in the midst the second leg of her North American leg of the tour, at the World Music Awards. 
 

I’ve counted 80 concert performances between July 1993 - May 1994 where she performed the song at every one including this performance, the performance at the Grammy’s in March 1994 and the performance at the charity/benefit concert in Carnegie Hall in March 1994.
 

There’s no way people are going to tell me that this woman isn’t the greatest voice to have graced contemporary music in the last 40 years. 
 

  

While Mariah is legend on her own for her singing skills (her songwriting skills too) no female touches Whitney Houston's vocal skills. Maybe it's just natural talent of hers, maybe coming from a big and well established family like Drinkards and specifically Dionne Warrick or maybe a combination of both (actually now thinking Mariah had her mother too but I guess it's not comparable to Whitney's family). 

Whitney hands down. Music is an artform that tells a story first and foremost, and Whitney's voice was full of emotion. Mariah can hit higher notes, but she’s basically a very, very technically proficient background singer. Her voice delivers nothing that goes beyond ‘sweet’ or mimicry of ‘soul’ in a very textbook style of way. So very bland and karaoke. 

 

Whitney was also a much stronger and more consistent live singer in her prime than Mariah was in hers. To speak nothing of stage presence and an absolutely inimitable vocal timbre.

 

Mariah challenged herself vocally - look no further than her final run on "Lead the Way" - but she's often the "look ma, no hands!" of singing. Afterall, singing isn't just doing vocalises. Same with the whistles. I find there's often a disconnect between the music and her vocal acrobatics. American Idol to the core.

 

And I'm not buying that Whitney had less vocal agility, she just employed it less (again showing Whitney's musicianship). In the below clip for instance, her run is far cleaner.

 

 

Whitney also knew how to build a song like no other - by the climax at 2:03 here you're breathless, and then she kills it with her stunning head voice in a capella. Again, she just GOT IT when it came to building, storytelling, leaving the listener wanting more, and ultimately feeling that you were in the hands of a pro.

 

 

There's a reason that Mariah was compared to Whitney from day 1, that in any interview of them together Whitney took the natural lead, and that Whitney is winning this poll. Mariah always has to remind us of how commercially successful she is ("look ma no hands!") Whitney was effortless. She just had it. Mariah follows.

Edited January 17, 20242 yr by Capris Groove

3 hours ago, QueenB said:

I say this as a big fan, but what mariah does in studio is vastly different how she performs live. Her vocals live are hit or miss, even in her prime. Whitney in her prime was a better vocalist

 

Mariah is obviously the better musician though

Sure, there are album songs that are very hard to recreate live, but the vast majority of songs that Mariah has recorded she has sung better live.

 

She has live performances of Vision of love that are better than the recorded version. That's a song that is probably as technically demanding as IWALY. Mariah's IWALY - Forever - she has sung that live multiple times as well.

 

She is the only person  who has released a live performance (I'll be there) that went to #1.

 

She has songs that are technically harder than IWALY that she has done multiple times - Emotions, Vanishing, etc.

 

During Daydream, she had live versions of Hero that surpassed the original:

 

 

And let's be real here. Whitney was not perfect all the time. During her last decade, she was dodging all the high notes and stayed in mid range. Let's not even talk about the disastrous Brisbane performances.

 

I agree though that Whitney was definitely more emotive and theatrical with her voice. I love them both. I don't think they should be compared.

Whitney better singer for me but Mariah could cover Whitney way better than vice versa

5 hours ago, QueenB said:

Her vocals live are hit or miss, even in her prime.

Care to provide an example?

This is so weird. Their voices are so different. I think Mariah showed off her technique much better than Mariah. Some of Mariah’s finesse with her growl, melisma, airy vocals, belts, staccato, and whistle notes is just something very specific to her. Whereas I think Whitney’s most unique asset is the sheer power, tonal quality, and brightness to her voice. They both serve such different things that it’s hard to vote, but if I have to, I’d vote for Whitney. 

11 hours ago, GoodGuyGoneGhetto said:

Imagine belting out a strenuous song with one of the most explosive vocal climaxes ever like “IWALY” EIGHTY-THREE TIMES, in less than a year, and only having a slight vocal crack during one random performance. 
 

 

  Hide contents

@GlamSlam

 

Exactly. It's not like Mariah has ever performed without any vocal cracks either, some of which happened during one performance in the early years at her peak. 

She still sounds decent though, but Whitney is on a much higher level. 

 

 

17 hours ago, GoodGuyGoneGhetto said:

@CaptainMusic @naval23 @idkwiam

@My Tears Ricochet @GreatestLoveofAll

 

So, I actually visited Houston’s “Bodyguard World Tour” Wikipedia page. 
 

This performance of “IWALY” was her 83rd.
 

This performance took place in May 1994, whilst she was on a “break” and still in the midst the second leg of her North American leg of the tour, at the World Music Awards. 
 

I’ve counted 80 concert performances between July 1993 - May 1994 where she performed the song at every one including this performance, the performance at the Grammy’s in March 1994 and the performance at the charity/benefit concert in Carnegie Hall in March 1994.
 

There’s no way people are going to tell me that this woman isn’t the greatest voice to have graced contemporary music in the last 40 years. 
 

  

Oh wow  

 

Mariah is/was amazing and is the better artist, but she was just never seeing Whitney vocally.

 

And the idea that Whitney was only considered the g singer after she died is nonsense, even when she was being clowned people still gave her props for her peak vocals. Nobody was on her level, ever.  

14 hours ago, Capris Groove said:

Whitney hands down. Music is an artform that tells a story first and foremost, and Whitney's voice was full of emotion. Mariah can hit higher notes, but she’s basically a very, very technically proficient background singer. Her voice delivers nothing that goes beyond ‘sweet’ or mimicry of ‘soul’ in a very textbook style of way. So very bland and karaoke. 

 

Whitney was also a much stronger and more consistent live singer in her prime than Mariah was in hers. To speak nothing of stage presence and an absolutely inimitable vocal timbre.

 

Mariah challenged herself vocally - look no further than her final run on "Lead the Way" - but she's often the "look ma, no hands!" of singing. Afterall, singing isn't just doing vocalises. Same with the whistles. I find there's often a disconnect between the music and her vocal acrobatics. American Idol to the core.

 

And I'm not buying that Whitney had less vocal agility, she just employed it less (again showing Whitney's musicianship). In the below clip for instance, her run is far cleaner.

 

 

Whitney also knew how to build a song like no other - by the climax at 2:03 here you're breathless, and then she kills it with her stunning head voice in a capella. Again, she just GOT IT when it came to building, storytelling, leaving the listener wanting more, and ultimately feeling that you were in the hands of a pro.

 

 

There's a reason that Mariah was compared to Whitney from day 1, that in any interview of them together Whitney took the natural lead, and that Whitney is winning this poll. Mariah always has to remind us of how commercially successful she is ("look ma no hands!") Whitney was effortless. She just had it. Mariah follows.

Mariah Carey's voice is bland and karaoke? Name one, just one singer who has a tone like Mariah? 

Okay, I did NOT expect to witness a Whitney vs Mariah stan war in 2024

You guys slay.

2 minutes ago, superben said:

Okay, I did NOT expect to witness a Whitney vs Mariah stan war in 2024

You guys slay.

It's pretty much over now because Virtual_Insanity has been permanently banned.

 

On 1/16/2024 at 8:46 PM, Capris Groove said:

Whitney hands down. Music is an artform that tells a story first and foremost, and Whitney's voice was full of emotion. Mariah can hit higher notes, but she’s basically a very, very technically proficient background singer. Her voice delivers nothing that goes beyond ‘sweet’ or mimicry of ‘soul’ in a very textbook style of way. So very bland and karaoke. 

 

Whitney was also a much stronger and more consistent live singer in her prime than Mariah was in hers. To speak nothing of stage presence and an absolutely inimitable vocal timbre.

 

Mariah challenged herself vocally - look no further than her final run on "Lead the Way" - but she's often the "look ma, no hands!" of singing. Afterall, singing isn't just doing vocalises. Same with the whistles. I find there's often a disconnect between the music and her vocal acrobatics. American Idol to the core.

 

And I'm not buying that Whitney had less vocal agility, she just employed it less (again showing Whitney's musicianship). In the below clip for instance, her run is far cleaner.

 

 

Whitney also knew how to build a song like no other - by the climax at 2:03 here you're breathless, and then she kills it with her stunning head voice in a capella. Again, she just GOT IT when it came to building, storytelling, leaving the listener wanting more, and ultimately feeling that you were in the hands of a pro.

 

 

There's a reason that Mariah was compared to Whitney from day 1, that in any interview of them together Whitney took the natural lead, and that Whitney is winning this poll. Mariah always has to remind us of how commercially successful she is ("look ma no hands!") Whitney was effortless. She just had it. Mariah follows.

Mariah has sang much faster and melodically complex runs than Whitney did in that clip. Mariah bests Whitney in agility. That's just an anatomical fact. Mariah's voice is lighter and much smaller, so it's going to be more agile.

 

Agility is more than just runs/riffs. Mariah's otherworldly agility is largely due to her use of registers and the multitude of textures she uses whilst riffing/running. Other vocalists who are known for their vocal agility tend to sing lines and vocalize in full voice. Mariah tends to incorporate more elements in her singing - she is often constantly switching, flipping and transitioning between and throughout different vocal registers. When Whitney transitions, it's always between a connected head voice and chest voice. Mariah, however, flips and switches between various disconnected registers, which is more difficult because they involve drastic and abrupt changes in the vocal coordination being used, requiring precise pitch and control- such as flipping or switching from breathy voice, falsetto and solid chest voice, and even full belt to falsetto, and transitioning out of whispery mixed voice to solid chest voice, virtually seamlessly without any discernible breaks.

 

Agility is the totality of all of that, not simply just runs/riffs.

this entire thread

I voted Whitney because some like to disrespect her, but they're both the best when it comes to this and should always be regarded as some of the best vocalist to have ever graced Earth. The fact that some of y'all are arguing like y'all when Mariah and Houston always throw nothing but flowers at each other and were always respectful. There was nothing but admiration and a beautiful friendship between both.

Mariah that’s why I have an Ariana avi 

Mariah, at her absolute best >>> everyone else, for me

 

In her prime, Mariah sang with more range and agility/flexibility than just about anyone ever in popular music (the various textures and tonal variations across her massive range and her ability to employ them at will in each register and shift between them is peerless); her acoustics in her tonal quality are aesthetically superior in the upper fifth octave; and her melismatic phrasing, the fluidity and ease with which she weaves in and out of vocal lines and sheer speed is unmatched.

Edited February 5Feb 5 by tamills95

On 1/17/2024 at 5:15 PM, Mandalay said:

Mariah Carey's voice is bland and karaoke? Name one, just one singer who has a tone like Mariah? 

This is why I hate atrl at times. 

 

It is one thing to prefer someone over the other... but calling one of the greatest vocalists of all time a Karaoke singer... is just 1000 levels over the top stupid. 

 

I'm not sure why people are like that. 

On 1/20/2024 at 9:25 PM, abrahamjmr said:

I voted Whitney because some like to disrespect her, but they're both the best when it comes to this and should always be regarded as some of the best vocalist to have ever graced Earth. The fact that some of y'all are arguing like y'all when Mariah and Houston always throw nothing but flowers at each other and were always respectful. There was nothing but admiration and a beautiful friendship between both.

Their friendship was so healing for the pop world.