Sound CheckTaylor Swift has vocally challenging New Year’s Eve performance
Taylor Swift seemed a bit off during her performance at “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve With Ryan Seacrest“ television special.
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The 23-year-old singer/songwriter performed a medley of her tunes “I Knew You Were Trouble” and “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” on the last night of 2012 in New York City’s Times Square and sounded like she was having some trouble hitting her notes.
Swift sounded pitchy (as “American Idol’s” Randy Jackson would say) on both tracks and appeared a bit robotic in her stage presence, methodically walking back and forth, kneeling and reaching out to the audience with dramatic hand gestures that would make Celine Dion proud.
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As Popdust points out, one of Swift’s most notable missed notes happens when she tries to climb during the big “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” lyric “No!” that precedes the song’s chorus and fails. (Skip to the 6:10 minute mark in the above clip for the off-pitch calamity.)
However, Swift’s fans have come to her defence, blaming the weather and her health for her not-so-great sound.
“You can tell it cold outside her voice is cracking she sounds bad,” one viewer said.
Wrote another: “She is still amazing even if she was ill <3 i love herr (sic) <3.”
However, not all viewers think an illness was to blame and have tweeted remarks like, “Taylor Swift you weren't fooling anyone when you fake coughed to make up for your cracking voice. You aren't sick.”
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As for her stage walk, it might be a good idea for Swift turn her attention to Britney Spears’ strolling fashion from this 2001 performance during the “Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Celebration” where she joined the King of Pop on his tune “The Way You Make Me Feel” for inspiration.
