Australia is obsessed with The Voice at the moment, even though I think most of us were ‘no way gonna watch another damn reality talent show’. I know it wasn’t just me – singer-songwriter Kate Miller-Heidke summed it all up in her send up of Australian Idol, ‘Career Advice‘.
Anyway, the first replay of the first episode caught me off guard, on account of the fact that the judges didn’t get to see the contestants. Of course, that would appeal to me – it’s kind of like the difference between blogging and pitching for writers 🙂
The stand out is Karise Eden, who has the voice of a 40-something at the age of 19, complete with a hard-luck story to melt the most cynical of hearts. As Seal, one of the judges, put it: “Your 50% is like everyone else’s 80%”. All I can say is – she better win.
For me, singing is probably the highest form of art – especially singer-songwriting. It is that sublime meld between writing and performance that gets me every time.
I was trying to explain to my brother on the phone one day how I would have liked to be a singer in an alternate universe.
“Oh yeah,” he said, “I know who you would’ve been – who’s that chick who sings and plays the piano…that’s right, Norah Jones.”
Now – nothing against Norah Jones – I have full respect for her musical talent. But, bro, did you miss the four years of my life when I was whining about how much I hated piano lessons?
I was going for alternate universe…the kind us introverts can only fantasize about (yes, I’m talking to you…don’t think I haven’t seen you lurking here…).
I went searching for an example of who my Ultimate Alternate would be. I typed in to Google: Sexy Rock Chick.
Apart from all the porn sites that came up, there were a few results:
Pink.
Hmmm, maybe before she was a pop star.
Love her stuff, but way too blonde.
Not my era. I mean – mullet, people, Mullet!
There were a whole bunch of others, but none seemed to fit the bill.
Then I remembered a movie I had randomly watched back in the 90’s, when I was living alone with Pepi, huddled in front of the bar heater…
Bandits, a German movie about a prison girl band whose members escape jail and somehow manage to make it on the world stage.
That’s it! I thought. But when I found the video, it was so NOT what I had in mind at all. It was like Eurovision’s idea of bad chicks…way too clean.
I was coming up with nothing, and then I realized my Ultimate Alternate was not a singer at all. Aww, but imagine if she WAS one?!
Lisbeth Salander in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
It was so perfect. I mean, she’s an introvert, who totally kicks ass, who – in an Alternate Universe (I’m pretty sure) – really would be a Sexy Rock Chick!
If you ask me, the whole Alternate fantasy is all about control. And the desire to either have it, let go of it, or – better still – have BOTH at once!
I’ve only ever raised my voice at someone twice. Both times involved copious amounts of alcohol. And the words all came out slurred, which sort of defeated the purpose.
So, given that I can’t be a Lisbeth Salander SRC, I’m forced to resort to blogging…sigh…But, actually, I’m having a blast 🙂
The great thing about a good Alternate is that they connect us with that inner source of who we are. The tricky part is how to get it out there.
It’s like Seal said – “You already have The Voice – it’s a question of what you’re going to do with it”.
So I’m dying to know. Who’s your Alternate? How do you unleash it in the here and now?
Alarna Rose Gray 