if i can ever get my hands on a cd that has this... broadway cares : HOME heather headley and clay aiken duet : can you feel the love tonight here are some taken off RHT Last night's Heather Headley benefit really illustrated vividly for me what some people mean when they suggest that Clay has immense raw talent that he may not quite know what to do with yet. At the Heather Headley show, his voice and demeanor were fairly bursting with beauty and earnestness. The way he sounded on that last harmony of CYFTLT -- it made clap my hands over my mouth, it made my heart skip -- I think I have never before been so moved by one series of notes. It was beyond words. You can hear it in the .mp3. And when you see his face... Soon, she started talking about The Lion King. It was Clay's turn. She had this schtick going all night about constantly seeking out cute, good-looking guys to sing with, and she started with it again. But, in contrast to her other intros, she didn't mention any history with the singer, she only said that he has a really good voice. She didn't mention his name. It had the feel of an introduction of someone new and previously unseen (and, simultaneously, the feel of an introduction of someone for whom she knew some in the audience would go nuts). She started to sing the first verse of CYFTLT. She was changing it up, adding melisma, and singing it gently -- she sounded gorgeous, but I was wondering how Clay would fit in. She finished the verse, and said, softly, "Ladies and gentleman, Clay Aiken." Loud applause and screams ensued, making it hard to hear Clay. But when I finally could...wow. I haven't ever heard his voice like this. Tender and mature, and beautifully so. Once again, he had sensed his surroundings, and adjusted his delivery. This was a song that I had fully expected to turn into a belt-fest, and the thought made me cringe, because it would have sounded amateurish in light of what had preceded it. But no, Heather and Clay sang it gently and sweetly to each other, as a song of realized love, and it was convincing. This is the first time that I have been persuaded by a Clay Aiken duet. Clay's demeanor was noticeably tentative - he looked nervous, and, in watching Heather throughout the song and taking cues from her, he showed his respect for and awe of the moment. He sounded effortless, for the most part, but his body language made clear how much he was trying to get it right. He seemed young and green out there as a consequence, but it made his performance even more sweet, and the audience at large seemed appreciative. This wasn't a place where Clay was going to get respect for being a multiplatinum recording artist. I think that he did earn respect for his talent. His stage presence wasn't anywhere near as assured as it was during the Independent Tour (or Wango Tango), but he was, to me, utterly winning. I fell in love...again. That last harmony in CYFTLT -- it was devastatingly beautiful, he totally nailed it. When the song was done, the screams that had intermittently sounded while they were singing gathered into a rousing cheer, for both performers. It wasn't just the fangirls who were appreciative (although we may have been loudest). It really surprised me that the duet with Clay was allowed to close the first act. It was obvious that he didn't have the experience of people like Headley and Lewis -- but the decision may have been out of deference to the guy who had sold a lot of tickets that night. Wouldn't surprise me if Clive had a hand in this -- to get Clay some experience and to give Heather some added exposure. I hope to see another collaboration between them -- perhaps they could do a duet for the Christmas album/Christmas special? too precious!!! posted by Yee 6:58 PM . . .
