Lip-syncing: Is it Necessary?

Only one more week to Super Bowl Sunday and I do not know about you all but I am pretty excited about it! There will be a battle of epic proportions when Beyonce' goes to war with the lip-syncing critics on the grandest stage of them all. Okay, maybe I'm being a little too dramatic over this but you have to admit that anticipation over this year's half-time show is starting to get more attention than the actual game itself. Most of the attention has been stirred up from the fact that Beyonce' lip-synced her performance at the 2013 Presidential Inauguration last week. Was her "fake" performance on that day needed? Should she be considered a true performing artist? Will she lip-sync her performance at the Super Bowl?  These are the questions that many fans and critics have been debating over the past week.  Today, I am going to dig a little deeper into the lip-syncing issues of not only the music industry, but of all entertainment.

What is Lip-Syncing?

Lip-syncing, or lip synchronization, is the technique used in all of show business to line up the movements of the lips with previous recorded vocal lines.  Lip syncing can be used in the creation of video games, animation dialogue, film productions, and dubbing. Lip-syncing is more identified now a days with live performances.  The art of lip syncing (and I say this loosely) has been a heaven-sent gift to hard working performers who may not have the energy at the end of a long week to do another show.  In the music industry today, lip-syncing is viewed as more of a taboo than a blessing.  We all do it from time to time but no one is quick to jump up and admit to its use. 

Why Use It?

We all know that a weekly schedule for a performing artist can be quite hectic.  On a weekly bases an artist is expected to work their talent to the fullest doing everything from morning shows and radio performances to recording sessions and television concerts.  As artist we are rarely understood when we decide to cancel a tour date or appearance because we all know it's all about the mighty dollar in the wonderful world of show business.  Take the time to consider what you do for a living.  You wake up in the morning, work a 9-5 job, and get to come home to relax. Now think about this, what if you were expected to work for an extended period of time, constantly having to reinvent the way you perform, and unaware of the moment you can finally take a break from it all? An artist must do what they can to keep their audiences engaged and satisfied in their music while also evolving into a better performer.  I do not fault an exhausted performer who decides to lip-sync their performance every once and awhile in order to entertain their crowds (half the time the crowd never notices anyway).  I do, however, have no respect for "artist" and who solely relies on lip-syncing to sell a performance.  These artists are seen no more than frauds to the art of music performance and should be seen as "posers" to the rest of the entertainment industry.  

Controversy

Like I said before, WE ALL DO IT when it is absolutely necessary but, there have been cases where the blessings of being able to lip-sync a performance has become a curse. Many legendary artist from Michael Jackson to Cher have resorted to using the technique. Lets take a look at some artist who got caught using the useful tool: 

I'm must apologize as I pick myself from the floor after seeing this clip.  As a fellow performer I can understand fatigue or sickness leading to an artist lip-syncing but forgetting the words?! Now there is never a good reason for any of that unless you are high out of your mind! 

Masters of the Lip-Sync

Okay so lets talk about those who have made a career out of lip-synchronization.  As a performer, I can tell you first hand that it is extremely difficult to put on an entertaining show while producing a steady stream of sound.  I have seen many artist attempt and fail to put on an electrifying show without sounding like a singing goat.  So who are the masters of the lip synchronization?  Many if not all of today's top performers who sell their shows with exciting dance moves and effects rarely go without the technique.  Janet Jackson, Madonna, Lady Gaga, Usher, Beyonce', Chris Brown, Jennifer Lopez, and many other dance artist are guilty of using the lip-syncing tool.  Watch this successful performance that was recent used with lip-sync and tell me if you can notice anything fishy: 

So you mean to tell me that the forces of gravity will not affect me if I sing "na na na" while jumping up and down on a solid surface? Next chance you get ask a member of a marching band how difficult it is to dance and march while playing their instrument correctly. The point I am making folks is that as a fan you must know what kind of show you are getting when you purchase that ticket.  If you want to see dancing do not crucify the artist for lip-syncing everything. If you want a stellar performance from a vocalist seven shows a night for six days a week do not get surprised if your favorite artist is sounding a little funny when the track starts.  As consumers of the music industry we must take a step back and think about the men and women who entertain us week in and week out.  As much as we like to idolize these entertainers into larger than life heros we also must remember that they are bound to the same mortal restrictions that you and I share as human beings. We, the artists, should not be slaves to your amusement but, instead, be liberators of your known and unknown emotions. 

I ask you this question: 

"If you had to hand write sixteen 2000-word essays within one week, would you hand-sync some of them?"

Live the Music. . . .

What is the Industry Thinking Part II: Image

Welcome to part two of our blog where we ask, "What is the industry thinking?"  Last post we talked about the case of international pop star M.I.A.who's latest album had been pushed back due to some "changes" that needed to be made.  This week's topic will explore other familiar instances where record executives placed their hands in the creative molding of their artist music. We will also take a look at the overall image that is expected from other artist trying to become relevant in the industry.

Before moving any further let us acknowledge what imagery is and how important it is to music industry. Imagery, in any form, is the formation of mental images, figures, or likenesses of things, or of such images collectively. Imagery is used in all forms of art and in many forms of the media. Imagery in music is the key to sculpting a masterpiece composition that causes the audience to visualize scenery within a song. Like poets, songwriters create full descriptions of emotions and surroundings for their listeners to understand their music better.

Imagery in the music industry is used solely for the gain of profits by managers and labels. So how is it used you ask? Through the artist! As an artist will use imagery in their songs to create a great hit the industry will use imagery in the artist to create profit. If you have not figured it out by now, the performing artist is what sells the song. The artist must reflect the current popular culture while continuously reinventing it. If your fans can not identify with the way you look, sound, and live then they will not be interested in purchasing your product.

In today's industry, music sells are not the only means of income for a record label. A successful label will build an investment in their artist by selling t-shirts, books, movies, clothes, and other merchandise that they can put their artist's face on. The more followers an artist has the more money in the bank! So does this mean that any joe shmo artist can be seen as a superstar? Only if they are willing to "sell their soul" in order to please their fans and management.

The creation of a performing artist is much like the creation of a wrestling superstar (for my WWE fans out there). First you need a backstory, an outfit, a persona (or multiple personas), and a particular crowd that your star will identify with. Most up and coming artist try to build their own market when getting into the business but they are ultimately changed into what the industry and society wants them to become. Check out these before and after pictures of various artist.

As you can see, no matter what they say in their interviews (which is probably written out by their managers) the artists are never what they seem to be nor is it easy for them to simply "keep it real" in the early stages of their career. There are, however, artist who have played the system in their favor to win over loyal fans that would follow them no matter where they go in their music career. Pink was successful in debuting in the r&b market and later crossing over into the pop rock genre. Check out her first music video and notice the change in style in her latest video.

So as young musicians and artist should we be worried about staying true to ourselves in the industry? That depends on one's morals and integrity. You don't have to conform to what your managers say but be aware that supply and demand is prominent in the industry and it is ultimately the audience that states what is hot and what is not not the artist. If you want to succeed you must play the game while being cautious of those that are handling your image.

Live the Music.....

What is the Industry Thinking?!?

Welcome back everyone and I hope that your week is going in the right direction! So I spent the last three days trying to figure out the next topic for this blog. I spent time talking with friends, watching movies where Trey Songz gets his head chopped off, and getting used to my new trumpet while working on some new tracks.

While hopping around twitter trying to find people to follow I came across a tweet from @rollingstone which read: "@RollingStone: M.I.A. says her new album, delayed because her record label thought its sound was "too positive," is due out in April"



......really?

I'm not a huge fan of M.I.A. but, I respect her artistry and can't help but shake my head at her label for making such an ignorant decision towards her music.

WHAT IS THE ISSUE?

I couldn't help but wonder what was so "positive" about her content that her record execs couldn't bear to let out. Also, considering where M.I.A. is from, I took into consideration the current event that is rocking that nation and how it is affecting the world. I had my own assumptions as to what made the label push the project back but first I wanted to get more info out of the situation.

I had to find the answers to these burning questions:
Where is she REALLY from?
Where does she currently reside?
What ties does her latest album, if any, has to the event?
Why did her label push her album back?
What was M.I.A. saying in her album that was to positive for the world to hear?

HERE ARE THE FACTS

So as I researched various sites for answers I discovered that my speculations were far from the truth. As I read the headlines for the story I wanted to believe that her music may have had something to do with the horrible gang rape that took place in India recently. It would've been a bad move on her label if they were to censor her from protesting the event in her music. As I failed to connect the story what I did find was the truth and here it is:

•M.I.A. Is from an area in London, England
•She currently resides in her home in Brentford in LA and frequently travels to her mother's home back in England.
•Until M.I.A. discusses the content of her album in an interview we will not not what ties it has to the event until the album is released in April.

SO WHAT'S UP WITH HER LABEL?

M.I.A.'s album was pushed back due to her wanting to make her image a little bit more cleaner. As her label spent the previous years making her out to be a "bad girl" they see it damaging to her image to bring positivity into her music. So many more things I could say about the findings of this information but I will share that in the next blog. This boils over into a deeper issue:

Who is the master of an artist's image and why should that put a shackle on their music?

For more information on the story click here

Check out M.I.A.'s website

Please comment and tell me what you think about this post and feel free to share!

Live the Music....

Expectations of a New Blog

Hello all and Happy New Year! I am excited to be blogging once again and I hope to keep things rolling into the future as E Wills Music begins to slowly take off.

SO WHAT ARE THE EXPECTATIONS OF E WILLS MUSIC AND THIS BLOG?

E Wills Music is simply here to help restore the passion of music in all of us. As children there was nothing like picking up an instrument for the first time, letting it blow, and thinking we sounded like our favorite musician. There was nothing like witnessing our parents catch the spirit as we took the solo in the church choir and let the Holy Spirit move.

Today young aspiring musicians are having more opportunities taken from them by ways of closing music programs, struggling churches, and a reducing number of music graduates. E Wills Music is committed to serving those that can not learn how to express themselves through their craft or hobby.

THIS BLOGS PURPOSE

As I write more blogs on this site be prepared to be apart of discussions concerning current issues in today's music society as well as my personal thoughts on other current events. Nothing will be left unsaid as I strive to change the minds of society to destroy group think and create more diverse group of thinkers.

I will do my best to provide at least 3 post a week (Sunday, Wednesday, Friday) for all of us to enjoy. Feel free to be an active participant on this blog by sharing and commenting on my post. So as I sign off for today to begin a new week full of progress and inner growth I ask you the first question:

"What are you doing to better yourself this week?"

Live the Music everyone!