JRB 2012 Karaoke Contest Semifinalists
Sorry; this is a VERY slow-loading page. It has to make 70 separate calls to SoundCloud to access all of the recordings.
Please be patient...
70 Semifinalists Announced
On Sunday, September 30, 2012, Jason Robert Brown announced the 70 semifinalists in his "2012 JRB Karaoke Competition."
The contest closed on July 1, after receiving over 750 entries - of which 699 remain. In other words, Jason chose 10% of the remaining entrants as semifinalists.
What's Next?
Jason has selected 70 semifinalists. Four musical theatre professionals will propose a number of finalists to Jason.
Supporters are invited to message Jason with their five favorites (of the 70 semifinalists.) Jason and his fellow judges will then determine
the complete set of finalists - and eventually, one or more winners. Learn the details and names at
Jason's blog: 70 semifinalists.
How to Vote
Listen to performances by the 70 semi-finalists. Send an email with your five favorite semi-finalists ranked from #1 to #5
(where #1 is your favorite) to
in an email to jason@jasonrobertbrown.com, with the title of the email being “SEMIFINAL LIST-MY NAME IS...“ followed by your REAL name.
Voting is open to anyone, worldwide. Please submit only one list of exactly five names, with no duplicates. All contestants are encouraged to vote as well - and
semi-finalists may vote for themselves.
Please don't just vote for your friends. If you don't have time to listen to all 70 semifinalists, perhaps set a goal of listening to half or more.
Jason Robert Brown has donated a huge amount of time to this contest. He's not asking for votes as a popularity contest; he's asking for votes to hear legitimate
opinions from music-lovers as to which entries they think are best.
In Jason's comment to a semi-finalist, he said:
You can certainly get everyone you know to vote for you, but the point of the public vote is to get everyone you know to listen to a lot of wonderful singers
and make up their minds about who they think is fantastic in addition to you.
The algorithm conflates votes to plays on the SoundCloud site, so someone who gets 1000 votes but only 100 plays has the value of those votes diminished (not entirely, just adjusted).
The aim is for a rising tide to lift all boats – when people who love you listen to some other singers,
then they might become fans of those folks as well, and then the whole community benefits;
as opposed to this just being a popularity contest, whereby the folks who have strong Internet followings already just blow the competition away.
But all of that is applied only after the judges have made their picks;
and it’s really just to help one or two semi-finalists get to the finals even if the judges passed them by.
So by all means, get everyone you know to listen to your track, and then give them a bunch of other suggestions about who to listen to;
maybe they’ll get hooked and hear all 70!
Stats about the contest and the "70" semifinalists
Here are a few statistics that may be of interest:
- About 750 entries were submitted; 699 remain as of October 1
- Women submitted 430 (62%) of the 699 entries; men submitted 269
- Thirteen men (5% of men) sang "girl" songs (LOL) and 6 women (1%) sang "guy" songs
I believe these statistics about the semifinalists are all accurate, but some may be incomplete. Please send any corrections or updates to me at
.
- There are 39 women (56%) and 31 men in the Top 70.
- The two youngest semifinalists are Ellis Gage and Mallory Bechtel; they are both professional singers.
- Several high school students made the semifinals; all (I understand are) 17yos. They include Delaney Amatrudo, Haydn Cox and professional singer Jordan Fisher.
In addition, Hector Flores Komatsu and Alex Unger finished high school in spring 2012.
- Many college students made the semifinals, including Phillipe Arroyo (CMU '15), Morgan Assante (Montclair State '13), Julian Decker (CCM '14),
Hector Flores Komatsu (Michigan '16), Blaine Krauss (CCM '14),
Claire Manship (Elon '13), Zachary Piser (Northwestern '15), Monet Julia Sabel (NYU '15), Josh Daniel Smith (CCM '13) and
Josh Tolle (CCM '13). Let me know if I'm missing anyone.
- More semifinalists studied at (or are studying at) CCM than any other school. There are also multiple semifinalists (students plus alums) from
NYU, Michigan, Belmont, Elon, USC, Northwestern and Berklee.
- At least two of the semifinalists went to the same high school. Since there is a signficant age difference between them, however,
Philippe Arroyo and Candice Corbin may not yet realize that they both attended Martin High School in Stuart, FL.
- Several semifinalists have performed (or are now) on Broadway or in National Tours, including Jesse Nager (MARY POPPINS, GOOD VIBRATIONS, MAMMA MIA!),
Morgan Karr (SPRING AWAKENING), GABE VIOLETT (Spring Awakening), Kennedy Caughell (AMERICAN IDIOT), Kat Hennessey (BILLY ELLIOT),
Mykal Kilgore (BOOK OF MORMON) and Brett Stoelker (JOSEPH...DREAMCOAT).
- While only one of "The Broadway Boys" performed in the Broadway Boys submission (Jesse Nager created the arrangement and sang all four parts),
company members Gabe Violett, Morgan Karr and Mykal Kilgore also made the semifinals.
- No semifinalists were chosen for "Stars and the Moon," "Mr. Hopalong Heartbreak," "She Cries," "I Could Be In Love with Someone Like You" or "Nothing In Common."
Listen to Contest Entries
Listen to all contest entries at
http://soundcloud.com/groups/jrb-karaoke - there are some incredibly talented people competing.
70 semifinalists
I'm listing performances by all 70 semifinalists here. Click on the song title to view all the comments for a video on soundcloud.
The three numbers below each track represent the number of views, comments, and "favorites" for the song. Note that songs that were submitted earlier often have
much higher numbers than those at the end of the contest.
Jason's comments
Jason listened to and commented on all 699 entries; I've included his comments on the semifinalists below.
He gives more critical critiques on some performances, but that often isn't a bad thing - he's paying special attention to their rendition.
All of these performances stood out to him over many other excellent entries.
Elliot Aguilar (NY):
"Gorgeous voice and gorgeous phrasing – really well done, Elliot!"
Delaney Amatrudo (TN):
"Really nice work, Delaney! Great timing, good strong belt – there's room for you to do a little more Singing and a little less Talking,
I'd love to hear you make a little more music with this, but it's a really nice performance."
Philippe Arroyo (PA):
"Great voice, great style, Philippe!"
Morgan Assante (NJ):
"Hey Morgan! Add this to the group! Sounds great!" Previous JRB comment: "That's a hell of a voice you've got there, young lady.
If you decide to re-record this on better equipment, make sure to let me know, but I can certainly hear you just fine here."
Samantha Barboza (KS):
"That's quite a trumpet you've got on you, Ms. Barboza! Sounds fantastic, and original and special. Well done!"
Matt Bauer (KS):
"Really nice work, Matt, especially in the bridge. Way to go!"
Mallory Bechtel (TX):
"Really great, Mallory – very layered and strong – I can tell you've done this part!"
Shelly Bort (CA):
"Sorry, what was that last vowel? Was that "like yo"? That's what it sounded like, did it sound like that to you? "Like yo!"
Kind of a Sylvester Stallone thing, really.
Oh my God, you should TOTALLY star in "Saturday Night Fever," that would be BANERKUS!
("Banerkus" is a new word I just made up, it's a combination of "bananas" and "berserk" and then, you know, "us," or whatever, because I just made it up, so
STOP ALREADY WITH THE MOCKING ME.)
I want a jelly donut, please."
Casey Breves (CA):
"YEAH BABY."
Melissa Brobeck (OH):
"Good for you, Melissa! Nice acting and great solid belt."
Bree Carroll (IL):
"Wow Bree! Such a great sassy belt, really good sound.
Take a listen to this again and pay attention to two things:
1) I feel like, except for a couple of phrases here and there, the first two verses are dramatically and musically slack –
you let out just enough sassiness to keep me paying attention, but it feels like you're coasting for a while;
it would be great if the whole piece had the kind of dynamic energy that you bring in at the bridge.
2) Listen to all of your climactic notes "top of the LINE" "totally MINE" and hear how you scoop up to every single one from the step below?
That's the appoggiatura disease – train yourself out of it.
When you hit the note dead in the center of the pitch, you knock it out of the park; have faith in that. Way to go!"
Kennedy Caughell (NY):
"Gorgeous voice and great musicality, Kennedy! Wish I'd gotten to hear you at Elon this week!"
J. Andrew Chauncey (TN):
"Wow, Andrew! Great style and great musicality – it's not all to my taste, but it's all yours and very special. Congrats!"
Dani Collins (CA):
"Good, strong, solid performance, Dani, well done."
Candice Corbin (NY):
"Really lovely, Candice. Beautiful instrument, beautiful phrasing. (Of course, you sang the wrong pitch on the last "I'm", but oh well, I'll take it!)"
Susanna Cork (UK):
"I love that you've got such a unique sound and a fresh take on the piece. Good work, Susanna!"
Haydn Cox (UK):
"Beautiful phrasing, Haydn! (And Stuart will be very proud that you stole his riffs!) Great hearing you again!"
Jacob Cummings (AL):
"Sensational voice, Jacob!"
Therese Curatolo (NY):
"Very funny, very fresh and you sing your ass off. Great job, Therese!"
Joey DeBenedetto (NY):
"Really great work, Joey. You're pushing a little hard with drama for my taste – it's already there in the music – but I appreciate your passion and intensity,
and your voice is very special."
Julian Decker (PA):
"Fantastic voice, Julian, great work! (I don't know why you changed some of the notes and words I wrote, but we'll worry about that some other time.)
Looking forward to hearing more from you!"
Lynda DeFuria (NY):
"Great voice, Lynda, very special."
Caro Michelle Fernandez (FL):
"Killin' it, Caro! Great work!"
Jordan Fisher (CA):
"Yes sir, Jordan Fisher, you are ALIVE. Well done."
Savannah Frazier (NY):
"What a wonderful instrument you've got! Beautifully, simply and passionately done. Thumbs up!"
Ellis Gage (NY):
"Great work, Ellis!"
Hayley Graham (TN):
"Yowzah, what a voice you've got! Fantastic! Tennessee in the house!"
Alyssa Grant (CA):
"I'm amazed I can even tell what you sound like from this, but you must be so awesome that it transcends this recording. Great sound, Alyssa!"
Kat Hennessey (NY):
"Wow, Kat! Great sound – really nicely handled all the way through. A pleasure to hear you on this one!"
Paul Ianniello (NY):
"Great voice and great interpretation, Paul – you make good music!"
Miguel Jackson (AZ):
"Sensational instrument, Miguel, just sounds as smooth and as easy as could be; your musical choices are beautiful.
I would only say that it feels (especially for the first minute and a half) too careful,
too controlled – part of what makes the song work is that it's got rough edges, it's a little scary, it's a little out of control.
I would love you to bring more of that to your performance."
Rachel Heather Karmel (NY):
"Ye gods, Rachel, that's a hell of a voice you've got there! This is fantastic - totally your own version of it, and fully committed and thought-out.
If we ever get a chance to work together, I'll try to stop you from overusing some of those tricks and scoops, but in the meantime, you just keep singing, you're great!"
Morgan Karr (CA):
"It's almost too easy for you! I should make you do it up a third! Great great sound and interpretation, well done, Morgan. Nice to meet ya!"
Mykal Kilgore (NY):
"Go go go, Mykal! Beautiful music being made here! (You don't have to act so hard, you've got it!)"
Hector Flores Komatsu (MEXICO - spanish half):
"Hector, muchas gracias! I'm very honored by this, and the translation sounds great!
Your singing is lovely, but be careful when you're doing the "pop" riffs that you really finish them and that they're really in tune –
when you just sing the tune straight on, it sounds awesome, but when you get all Beyoncé, you sometimes drift away from the pitch.
Keep working on it, you're fantastic, and I LOVE the Spanish version!"
Blaine Krauss (FL):
"Gorgeous voice and lovely interpretation. (Careful, don't "fall back" on using the appoggiatura as a riff too often –
there were a couple too many times when I wished you would just hit the note.) Beautiful work."
Liz Lieber (NY):
"Wow, Liz, really great and unique – a little sloppy, but I like the style, and I very much appreciate the way you bring the text to life. Good work!"
Ashley Fox Linton (CA):
"Very nicely done, Ashley! The girls will be so excited to hear it! The ending is very well executed, but not my thing.
If I had anything constructive to offer, it would be that you would do well to get the Disney Princess out of your belt –
there's a pinched sound that comes in when you start really hitting the Cs and Ds, and it's nowhere near as round and gorgeous as the rest of your instrument.
It's not a big adjustment, I don't think, just some thinking about placement, but I think it will make a big difference. See you soon!"
Maria Logan (PA):
"Really nice work, Maria! Watch that you don't fall into "musical theater" traps – your voice is very interesting and unique,
and when you push it into that hard vibrato, it just sort of sounds like everyone else.
But when you sing cleanly and easily, it's a very special sound, and you make very smart and fresh choices. Keep going!"
Gabriel Lopez (NY):
"Quite an amazing instrument, Gabriel! And you don't even sound seasick! So much fun hearing you really dig into this, great work."
Meredith Lustig (CO):
Jesus Christ, Meredith, what a sound! Gorgeous, round, warm, beautifully controlled – I don't know what this "Juilliard" place is,
but if all the singers there are like you, it must be quite a school!
Kelsey Macke (TX):
"Fantastic job, Kelsey. Beautifully modulated and layered, and a very special and interesting voice. Brava."
Claire Manship (NC):
"Beautiful voice, Claire! A couple of pitches that were, um, not what I wrote, but I'll deal. Great work!"
Erin Martinez (AR):
"Great job, Erin! Fantastic unusual versatile voice, and good timing!"
Jesse Nager (The Broadway Boys) (NY):
"MY MIND IS BLOWN! I AM THUNDERSTRUCK! BRAVI TUTTI!"
Andrea Nevil (NY):
"Yay I finally get to hear you sing! Great sound, Andrea, and fantastic timing! Say hi to Robbie!"
Kristen Olson (NJ):
"Yay Kristen! I was wondering when someone would get around to multi-tracking something! Beautiful work, even without the backup vocals."
Alexander Sage Oyen (NY):
"Really great work, Alex."
Zachary Piser (CA):
"Zachary, a really good performance; nicely balanced between style and clarity! "
Laura Poyner (UK):
"Great stuff, Laura! Well done."
Coty Ross (TX):
"So nicely done, Coty, so mature and smart and really nicely placed in your voice. Yay!"
Jonas Saari (FINLAND):
"Man, I love the sound of your voice! Great work, Jonas!"
Monet Julia Sabel (NY):
"Beautiful voice, Monet, and so innately likable and charming.
Watch out for your vibrato – the second you start spinning the note, you're showing me the voice instead of telling me the story;
there's certainly plenty of opportunity in this song to do that, but be careful about it, I think you're using it a little indiscriminately.
(It's a gorgeous sound, but that's part of the problem.)
Think less about holding on to the notes and more about what any given line is supposed to say. But boy, you make great music!"
Brian Scharfenberg (OH):
"Lovely acting, Brian. I was thrown at first by how laconic you sounded, but it built beautifully, and your voice is really solid. Good work."
Peter Schmid (GERMANY):
"Great work, Peter, and particularly given that it's not your primary language! Very nicely done – gorgeous voice, beautiful phrasing, and powerful delivery."
Clara Scott (ONTARIO):
"Yay Clara! A lot of great ideas here, very nicely executed.
I have a general sense that you're working too hard, pushing, not trusting the material as much as you should,
but you've got a great set of skills and it's exciting hearing you invent and discover!"
Meghan Shanahan (IL):
"Hey lady I like you! Great energy and personality, and really fun phrasing – well done!"
Lynn Shore (CA):
"Holy shit, dude, where did you come from? What a sound! Fantastic!" and "@lynnshore: Totally made my night!"
Josh Daniel Smith (LA):
"Really lovely, Josh, great sound and nice interpretation. Louisiana represent!"
Carrie St. Louis (CA):
"Yes, Caroline St. Louis, in it to win it!"
Kate Steinberg (IL):
"Great voice, Kate! A real pleasure to meet you and hear you on this stuff – a very fresh take.
Keep all your phrases strong – beware the occasional flat phrasing, the line that doesn't quite "pop" – you're very special!"
Brett Stoelker (NY):
"Nicely sung, Brett, with some very strong choices – take care that you stay interesting!
Don't let yourself off the hook – invest something personal, something important into every phrase. Great voice – looking forward to hearing more from you!"
Josh Tolle (OH):
"Fantastic style, Josh, and great instrument! Great work."
Angela Travino (NY):
"Beautiful job, Angela! Keep an ear on your vibrato – it should be an interpretive tool that you control,
and it sounds a little automatic at this point. But very nice work here!"
Alex Unger (ONTARIO):
"That's Alex Unger, bringing it home for Canada! Great voice, Alex, really nice work here."
Jaron Vesely (NY):
"Great voice and delivery, Jaron! Looking forward to hearing you do your own stuff!"
Gabriel Violett (NY):
"Great job, Gabriel! A couple of dodgy pitches here and there that I suspect you didn't learn carefully enough,
but so musical and so natural and well-done! Great to meet you!"
Laura Williams (IL):
"Fantastic sound and beautiful interpretation, Laura! Chicago represent!"
Penelope Yates (CA):
"Oh, Peen. There's a bunch of stuff I could pick on, and you could too, I'm sure, but you sound so great and you sing this so beautifully,
and ... oh well, what can I tell you, I'm a fan. Keep singing."
Yaniv Zarif (NY):
"This is great, Yaniv! Some wonderful music being made here!"