Vote: Is Jackie Evancho changing her sound?

In the non-surprise of the summer, Jackie Evancho made it through to the top 10 on NBC's "America's Got Talent"  Wednesday night. Earlier this week when Evancho inspired us to look at how common it is for children to emulate their heroes when they are first starting out, several opera singer friends suggested that the 10-year-old must listen to a lot of Sarah Brightman.

"America's Got Talent" only allows its cast to speak to reporters from their hometown while the program is still airing, so we can't ask Jackie herself. So we did some more YouTube diving.

An old interview from a Pittsburgh-area news broadcast said that Evancho likes Sarah Brightman and Andrea Bocelli, but what is even more interesting is comparing performances. The song Evancho sang on Tuesday was "Time to Say Goodbye," a Bocelli and Brightman signature.

From the first few seconds of Brightman's performance, the mystery of Evancho's strangely mobile hands is solved. It's a classic Brightman tic.

What's not at all like Brightman, bizarrely, is the voice. In Tuesday's performance, Evancho's voice was even darker and more adult-sounding than it was three weeks ago. "America's Got Talent" vocal coach Yvie Burnett assured me that the performers work with the talent they have and don't try to change it, but the difference between Evancho's two "America's Got Talent" rounds is not something that would happen without coaching. It may not be the show that is encouraging Evancho sing like this, but someone is.

You can compare for yourself with these videos, but to my ears, when you factor out physical maturity, Brightman's voice is much lighter and sounds more like Evancho a year ago.

Which voice do you prefer -- Jackie's original or the new, more grown-up sound?

-- Marcia Adair

RECENT AND RELATED:

Jackie Evancho's voice strikes a chord

Before Jackie Evancho: Remembering Julie Andrews, Beverly Sills and other young vocal prodigies

Hear Jackie Evancho, the 10-year-old with an operatic voice

The Emmys gets a little musical with "Glee"

Comments

[Tyler]

"There is a huge difference between an innate talent and the learned skills that Prince Poppycock and Fighting Gravity display."

I'm sorry, but I must disagree here. It is true that some people are born with a greater potential for vocal performing than others. Everyone is born with a natural propensity towards one thing. However, even the most natural of talents still require learned skills to fully achieve its potential. You may have the sharpest, most powerful sword in existence, but if all you know how to do is swing it willy-nilly, you'll easily lose a duel to a master wielding a butter knife.

For singing, these skills includes breathing control, pitch control, song and style choice, warm-ups, phrasing, etc. To me, it's clear that Jackie has a lot of skill for one as young as she is, assuming this is not a hoax as many claim. Still, there are a few things that need fine tuning -- listen to the very end of her most recent performance and you'll hear what I mean.

[LarDawg]

This beautiful Child is nothing short of Angelic in her performance and sweet demeanor. Her voice is so sweet it brings a tear of joy to my eyes. Any of you critics who want to trivialize her or put her style down have no heart. Am I sensing a very catty and jealous author of this article

[Idaho John]

Tyler said:
"Still, there are a few things that need fine tuning -- listen to the very end of her most recent performance and you'll hear what I mean."

Yep, you could hear a little waiver at the end of the song. I think it was because she simply hasn't developed the lung capacity to sustain a long note like that. It will come in time...

[Brooklen]

What a complete and total fake!!! Little miss white bread is a total and complete fraud!! I counted at least 8 separate occasions on tonight's performance that were way off!! Her timing was terrible her mouth was open on occasion when there was no one singing as well as her mouth was closed on several occasions as well as the end of the song and there was still someone singing!!! Also her mouth movements and throat motions do not coincide with the sounds that are suppose to be coming out of her mouth!! Also have you noticed that the cameras only take close up's of her singing for a very short period of time?? I mean compared to Michael Grimm or Prince poppycock where the camera never leaves their face for a second they only stay on her for seconds!! HMMMMMM I smell a very big fraudulent rat and it's called Americas Got Talent!! This could go down as one of the LARGEST CON'S EVER PULLED ON THE AMERICAN PUBLIC!!! Does anyone remember the Balloon Boy? Well that's all this is but on a much larger scale!!! Jackie Evancho is just another Balloon Boy!!!! WAKE UP AMERICA!!!!!

[Victoria]

I hoped that Jackie would sing Pie Jesu this evening and she did - pitch perfect, strong, controlled and just etherial. Her composure is amazing. She picked a challenging piece for the previous round and it was rushed for time. Sure, she ran out of breath and missed a note or two. Given her level, at this point, it's pretty irrelevant. I assume that Prince Poppycock and Defying Gravity will also advance. The rest I couldn't care about.

[Greg Matthews]

Good point Brooklen! Did anyone notice how her hand covered her mouth during the last few notes of her performance. Also, she appeared to be looking down at a video monitor at that precise moment to make sure her hand was in fact blocking the view. Very strange. IMO.

[jim smith]

The difference that I see is that Jackie likes singing, she likes making people smile. Yes her sound has changed and will continue to change as she matures. I think the change we're hearing now is confidence. I am however conflicted. I am not sure if I want Jackie to win the competion or wait another couple of years before she starts her career. And she will have a great one.

[paul townsend]

lets keep it real, sarah brightman is the all time greatest thus far of sopranos...gifted voice and the looks to match , but...a lot of young girls can sing like jackie evancho...the difference is the control she has ....a pure voice that will only get better in time.....sarahs always my choice...but the gods have blessed young jackie with an angelic talent......proud is a pale comparison to the word that can express how her parents must feel.....god bless you jackie...i will buy every future album you record....as i have sarahs

[Mark Rhoads]

So what if Jackie mimics the hand gestures of her role model? What difference does it make if it makes her comfortable? I am sure many influences are making an impact on her including parents and voice coaches who also think they have a personal stake in her winning AGT but she has already won just by going this far and she has already charted a course to future stardom. Plus, she is introducing a new generation to the beautiful sound classic operas and that is wonderful. It often does not matter who wins. The public in Britain passed over 12-year old classical singer Faryl Smith in favor of a hip hop break dancer. Faryl has signed on with Katherine Jenkins to a record label and she will be a star for years to come long after the break dancer is forgotten. Jackie deserves time to be a child and she has plenty of time in the future for stardom.

[erick]

It's a sort of pretty, breathy little voice that wavers a lot and has lousy breath control. Sort of the Sarah Brightman/Charlotte Church drivel-d-doo.

I guess it's impressive for a ten year old, but great singing it ain't.

[Stadt101]

Umm yeah Jerry West what do you know of Opera singers? i'm sure nothing at all most SUPER STARS are noticed at what they can do at a VERY young age at around 6 or so Tiger woods, Joe Mauer, Joe Montana, that kinda scale. i'm really sorry that your dreams didn't come true for you but spamming no no no no like you're stomping on the ground clearly makes you look like a 5 year old not getting what you want. grow up and fyi Jackie made a mistake at the end of CON TE PARTIRO it was very clear that was her voice no machine can time human mistake.

[chris]

Have YOU ever seen the movie "the orphan" I BETCHA! shes 30

[chris]

Has anyone seen that move "the orphan" ? shes 30

[nancy]

Jackie is amazing;...her talent and persona --especially for such a young girl. Although I think her talent deserved to win, for her, I'm glad she didn't in this competition. Too much adult pressure and not the right venue for her in Vegas, for goodness sakes. Let's hope her family and handlers have her best interest at heart for the "long haul". We want to see her in 20-30 years....not just 2 or 3.

[mistijo]

A a voice teacher I work with young students everyday- vocal health should always be a priority ESPECIALLY with young students. This article hit the nail on the head- Jackie's voice changed dramatically and it seems that there is enormous pressure for her to "cover" her natural sound with a deeper, more mature sound that her young vocal cords may not be mature enough to handle! She is enormously talented, but I really worry about her future if she keeps pushing her voice to keep up with songs that are too big for ANY 10 year-old to sing.

[norma heredia]

i am surprise that m ichel grimm won because piers said they
were looking for real talent i really dint see any talent
in michel i feel that sombody stole the veredict of the talent show

[FJP]

Some of these comments are so unbelievable. Is she really a male? Did they use a voice changer? Did her voice change? Really what happened is this. Jackie's first voice was actually Stan Laurels' voice. The second voice was actually Oliver Hardys' voice. Now you all know the facts. Get with it.

[Joseph A. Giallanza]

And it begins. The "miserabla" world critics already want to start beating down the efforts and triumphs of a 10 year old girl.

She should be able to grow and mature in her own way and at her own pace, not by any popular demand or by what anyone thinks she should sound or look like at this stage. So leave her alone!

This makes me want to come out of retirement....and I just might.

Joe G

[Scott]

I can't believe there are still people who aren't convinced that Jackie is for real! I can unequivocally guarantee that Jackie Evancho in not lip syncing, using ANY sort of electronic voice enhancement, or practicing mass hypnosis techniques in order to attain her amazing vocal performances! It's called "talent" and "practice" people!

[RonH]

Jackie is a phenomenon like no other I've seen in some time. It's not just her singing. It's also her maturity, determination, ambition, attitude, courage and work ethic all wrapped around an unbelievable core talent. Her interviews amaze me as much as her singing. How many 10 year olds would mention Sarah Brightman's vocal coach as one of their top 3 idols. It seems that she is very aware of team effort when it comes to success. On the Jay Leno show, I noticed that her listening skills were extraordinary. Leno asked her if ducks were smart and then rambled on about being chased by ducks and then asked her if ducks were ill-tempered. It sounds trivial but she blew me away when she answered Leno about how ducks raised by humans were better behaved than wild ones and also went back to his first question on whether ducks were smart. How did she remember that question ? And then there is this child like quality about her. This part of her only comes out when she's not singing or talking about singing. She transforms into an adult as soon as singing is involved.