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Hello All! There has been discussion on several threads about Kat's less than stellar album sales and how some hard-core fans were disappointed that she chose the Pop/R&B genre. You know, I just don't understand it. Whether you like the new direction of Kat's music or not, the bigger question is why hasn't the album done better? If the material was crap I could understand it, but her music is just as good or better than anything else out there in Pop/R&B.
We all know she is far more talented vocally than the album reveals. However, she was targeting the mainstream market and radio play. I would much rather hear her belting out a power ballad but she certainly handles Pop/R&B as well as any other Pop Divas in the business. That video for Love Story is HOT, HOT, HOT! What I find most interesting . . . Kat has had an incredible amount of media coverage on all the entertainment shows, red carpet events and magazine covers galore. Far more than any of the other Idols with the exception of Carrie Underwood. So HOW and WHY are the others out selling her with no where near the about of press she has received? It's truly baffling to me. Kat is clearly one of the most beautiful, versatile, talented and marketable contestants to ever come off the Idol show. Bottom line - why aren't more people buying her music? Especially when it's so good and she seems to be everywhere! I'd really love to hear everybody's thoughts on that. I'm just scratching my head!! Baffled and confused, Teilah
I am definitely in the old fogey category at age 51, I have two music degrees, am a professional musician. I have seen all of Katharine's AI performances numerous times, and analyzed them. Some truly great TV performances. I thought the height of Katharine's performances was the Penney Jam SOTR and the Bocelli duet. Perhaps David Foster had something to do with it.
Unfortunately, I have not been able to appreciate what Katharine has done since then. What I admired before I find missing now.
I remember threads over a year ago when AI 5 was over about what direction her career would take, and some of the questions at that time still remain. Pop or the standards, singing or acting, style or substance, sex or substance, fame or artistry, mainstream or niche.
I don't find Katharine convincing in the songs that she is singing now. The Pop route was certainly within her ability. She has sex appeal, a beautiful face and body, dances well, a great sense of rhythm and syncopation. I wonder if she is singing differently now than when she was on AI (perhaps after her 3 week vocal rest?). Her singing sounds tamer now, and doesn't have the brass and grit.
The R&B/Pop route doesn't allow Katharine enough versatility to show what she can do. If she wanted to cross genres, the Adult Contemporary market would allow her to do that. She could aim for the market of Sissel, Sarah Brightman, Lara Fabian, Katharine Jenkins. She could be a female Michael Buble.
However, what appeals to the teen market is bound to offend some adults as being juvenile and shallow, and if she continues to go after that market, she is likely to lose adults.
Personally, I'd rather see her with David Foster. I think he knows her voice and how to exploit it. I'd rather hear her sing the jazz/blues/standards repertoire, and take the singing more seriously. So I am disappointed in the direction her career has taken, although it is understandable.
There has been confusion about her image, going from a good girl to bad girl, all smiles to no smiles. Earlier fans here thought that it was RCA that was forcing her do the urban pop rather than the ballads, but Katharine later confessed that she was the one wanting to go urban while RCA wanted more ballads. She said that wouldn't do Maxim but then poses for Stuff.
I agree with the good things that were said here about her, and I don't have the answer. I wish her well. Personally, I'd rather she go for artistry and substance and the standards, and stick to the singing. But I am just one person.
Here's what Jim - a Publicist at Media Giants had to say on the subject. He loves Kat too . . . -------------------------------------
Good comments.
Kat has got to realize that just because she wants to sing pop, the general public may not want her to. It would be so nice that we could do anything we pleased in our job, but that isn't always the case. Pretty quickly she'll have to make a decision whether to sing what she likes or what the public demands. Kudos for her if she sticks by her guns and continues to sing pop.... I'll just have to pick up a Holiday Inn schedule and she which ones she'll be appearing at... or which County Fair. If she comes to her senses and goes toward an Adult Contemporary route, the sky's the limit for her.