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Thread started 12/18/09 6:58pm

mimi2

Taylor Dayne-why was her stint as a top singer so brief?

Taylor Dayne has a HUGE voice and she has proven she can sing dance tracks and ballads. Just some stats:

- 1 #1 hit "Love Will Lead You Back"
-her first 7 singles were all top 10 hits
-her first 9 singles were all top 20 hits (#8 and #9 didn't reach top 10)

-her first album was 2X platinum-certified while her second album was 3X platinum-certified. her third album went gold.

she was on top of her game from 1987 to 1990. Her next album didn't come until 1993, and aside from her cover of "Can't Get Enough Of Your Love", her other songs barely charted. Since then, she has occasionally scored a top 10 dance hit, but she hasn't cracked the hot 100 since 1993.

I know she took time out to start a family, but that was after her singing career began to cool down. At her peak, she was up there with Whitney, Mariah and Celine.

So my question is, why do you think Taylor comes in 4th place in terms of success when compared to her fellow powerhouse-vocalists?

Sure she wasn't beautiful, but neither is Celine. Were her choices for singles crap after 1990? Why do you think Whitney, Mariah and Celine enjoyed longer stays at the top than Taylor?
[Edited 12/18/09 19:10pm]
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Reply #1 posted 12/18/09 7:18pm

ernestsewell

mimi2 said:

Sure she wasn't beautiful, but neither is Celine. Were her choices for singles crap after 1990? Why do you think Whitney, Mariah and Celine enjoyed longer stays at the top than Taylor?

Neither was that comment. no no no! She was beautiful then, and is now.

She released a CD last year, called Satisfied, which seems to sum up her feelings about herself, and her life. The lead single from that album, "Beautiful", reached #1 on the US Dance chart. The song was hot.

The is currently working on a Greatest Hits package, which is not just a compilation, but rather a full on remastered disk. It should be great given the big Rick Wake production sound of that time, of which she was a part of.

Let's not be dismissive in lieu of chart stats, cuz we all know the charts are bullshit anyway. How different history, opinions, and paychecks would have been had the charts just reflected the truth, not the popularity.
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Reply #2 posted 12/18/09 8:04pm

mimi2

ernestsewell said:

mimi2 said:

Sure she wasn't beautiful, but neither is Celine. Were her choices for singles crap after 1990? Why do you think Whitney, Mariah and Celine enjoyed longer stays at the top than Taylor?

Neither was that comment. no no no! She was beautiful then, and is now.

She released a CD last year, called Satisfied, which seems to sum up her feelings about herself, and her life. The lead single from that album, "Beautiful", reached #1 on the US Dance chart. The song was hot.

The is currently working on a Greatest Hits package, which is not just a compilation, but rather a full on remastered disk. It should be great given the big Rick Wake production sound of that time, of which she was a part of.

Let's not be dismissive in lieu of chart stats, cuz we all know the charts are bullshit anyway. How different history, opinions, and paychecks would have been had the charts just reflected the truth, not the popularity.



i think you misunderstood me. I'm not criticizing Taylor for her music or her looks. I was just saying in comparison to some other singers, Taylor is not known for her looks. I never said she was ugly lol People don't talk about Taylor as being "physically beautiful"; they talk about her for her voice and talent. smile and i never said it was a bad thing. I don't think singers should have to all look like supermodels.


and i'm not saying she wasn't successful-i was saying she stopped having mainstream success from 1993 to present. Maybe the implication in my post wasn't as clear as I thought, but I was implying that she should have lasted as long at the top as Mariah, Whitney and Celine, but for one reason or another, she didn't. I think it's a shame because few singers in the last 15 years have had as good a voice as Taylor.
[Edited 12/18/09 20:06pm]
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Reply #3 posted 12/18/09 8:08pm

ernestsewell

Anastecia is a damn near clone, and not because she's trying to be. It's just because she is. Idina Menzel reminds me of Taylor Dayne, as does the girl on GLEE on Fox (which reminds me of Idina Menzel).
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Reply #4 posted 12/18/09 10:54pm

thedoorkeeper

Her looks did improve when she got the nose job.
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Reply #5 posted 12/18/09 11:54pm

unique

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it's simple, a singer needs a song. with a good song you can be a shit singer and get away with it, but you can be a great singer with a shit song and no-one wants to hear it

people like britney spears use top writers and producers to make tracks, those type of artists are capable of pulling off a vocal with a bit of digital manipulation and they can pull off a decent video with the help of top video producers. that sells

it did take a while for pop music to get to that stage however, taylor dayne came along just before top writers and producers came together in that way, she is from a time where one hit wonders were still a regular occurrance. these days studios jump on one hit wonders and back them to have another forced hit
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Reply #6 posted 12/19/09 12:22am

johnart

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Her last two albums were just as solid than the early ones. I actually listen to them more than the early ones. It really is a shame she doesn't get more exposure these days.

I'm curious if she charted in adult contemporary. I've heard Beautiful a lot in stores. Also Ernest mentioned it charted on the dance charts. I think folk underestimate other charts. The top 100 is not all there is to success. There's many folk (Kristine W comes to mind) who should be bigger mainstream but are quite comfortable and successful in their niche and place regularly on other, more specific charts.
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Reply #7 posted 12/19/09 5:37am

Nick715

I'm a huge Taylor Dayne fan, but this happens in all genres.

Look at R&B with great singers like Miki Howard, Vesta Williams, Chante Moore, etc.

It's like for every one who makes it, 10 others won't.

My girl Taylor is still doing her thing though, she's still playing shows and making music. She is currently re-recording all her hits for a new greatest hits collection so she can own the masters. Fuck you Clive Davis!
The good thing is that she's throwing on some new songs as well.

Vocally she can still sing her old stuff, Miss Mariah cannot.
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Reply #8 posted 12/19/09 7:19am

johnart

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Nick715 said:

I'm a huge Taylor Dayne fan, but this happens in all genres.

Look at R&B with great singers like Miki Howard, Vesta Williams, Chante Moore, etc.

It's like for every one who makes it, 10 others won't.

My girl Taylor is still doing her thing though, she's still playing shows and making music. She is currently re-recording all her hits for a new greatest hits collection so she can own the masters. Fuck you Clive Davis!
The good thing is that she's throwing on some new songs as well.

Vocally she can still sing her old stuff, Miss Mariah cannot.


nod She has retained her vocal abilities.
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Reply #9 posted 12/19/09 7:24am

Nick715

New interview:

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Reply #10 posted 12/19/09 7:45am

Lammastide

avatar

unique said:

it's simple, a singer needs a song. with a good song you can be a shit singer and get away with it, but you can be a great singer with a shit song and no-one wants to hear it

people like britney spears use top writers and producers to make tracks, those type of artists are capable of pulling off a vocal with a bit of digital manipulation and they can pull off a decent video with the help of top video producers. that sells

it did take a while for pop music to get to that stage however, taylor dayne came along just before top writers and producers came together in that way, she is from a time where one hit wonders were still a regular occurrance. these days studios jump on one hit wonders and back them to have another forced hit

I never watched Taylor's career closely, but this is the general impression I have too.

Taylor had/has a great voice. And she's actually quite cute, I think. But ultimately, she was managed in such a way that her repertoire and overall image became marginal in the sexed up and youth/pop-obsessed '90s.

It's good to see she still has some audience, though.
[Edited 12/19/09 7:46am]
Ὅσον ζῇς φαίνου
μηδὲν ὅλως σὺ λυποῦ
πρὸς ὀλίγον ἐστὶ τὸ ζῆν
τὸ τέλος ὁ χρόνος ἀπαιτεῖ.”
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Reply #11 posted 12/19/09 7:58am

BklynBabe

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shit (and sex) sells over talent beatdeadhorse
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Reply #12 posted 12/21/09 10:50am

BlaqueKnight

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BklynBabe said:

shit (and sex) sells over talent beatdeadhorse



Sorry but that's not why. When Taylor dropped, there was a surplus of female singers in the market. There were lots of female groups burning up the charts, too. (EnVogue, etc.) BUT, in Taylor's case, that wasn't why either. She committed musical treachery. She dropped "Tell It To My Heart" which was big on R&B radio. Then, her next album was a pop/rock album and she made comments like "My record company made me do R&B on my first record. That was really not my thing; I'm a rocker at heart" rolleyes Her career flopped because she shat on her base. That's what happens when you abandon the people who put you where you are. I'm not saying she would have been huge, but her career certainly would have taken a different path otherwise.
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Reply #13 posted 12/21/09 11:03am

Wowugotit

I think Taylor Dayne is extremely talented. I have all of her albums. I think the reason her career cooled off was that there were major time gaps between her albums and shifting tastes in music.
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Reply #14 posted 12/21/09 11:06am

BlaqueKnight

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Wowugotit said:

I think Taylor Dayne is extremely talented. I have all of her albums. I think the reason her career cooled off was that there were major time gaps between her albums and shifting tastes in music.



Shifting tastes in music? Yeah, HERS.
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Reply #15 posted 12/21/09 11:24am

DesireeNevermi
nd

I've heard her music. She wasn't all that. Shelter was cool but all that other stuff yawn
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Reply #16 posted 12/21/09 7:16pm

mimi2

BlaqueKnight said:

BklynBabe said:

shit (and sex) sells over talent beatdeadhorse



Sorry but that's not why. When Taylor dropped, there was a surplus of female singers in the market. There were lots of female groups burning up the charts, too. (EnVogue, etc.) BUT, in Taylor's case, that wasn't why either. She committed musical treachery. She dropped "Tell It To My Heart" which was big on R&B radio. Then, her next album was a pop/rock album and she made comments like "My record company made me do R&B on my first record. That was really not my thing; I'm a rocker at heart" rolleyes Her career flopped because she shat on her base. That's what happens when you abandon the people who put you where you are. I'm not saying she would have been huge, but her career certainly would have taken a different path otherwise.


ok thanks for sharing that, since i was too young at the time to know about her comment lol


just wondering though-isn't this what happened with P!NK, except her change in musical taste ended up boosting her career more than anything? I remember P!NK started out with an r&b album, but from the 2nd album on she's had creative control and her rockish pop has really set her apart from the other female singers in her generation. I don't know if P!NK would be as successful today if she had stuck with the r&b that her label originally told her to do.

i wonder why it worked for P!NK and not Taylor?
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Reply #17 posted 12/21/09 8:26pm

johnart

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BlaqueKnight said:

BklynBabe said:

shit (and sex) sells over talent beatdeadhorse



Sorry but that's not why. When Taylor dropped, there was a surplus of female singers in the market. There were lots of female groups burning up the charts, too. (EnVogue, etc.) BUT, in Taylor's case, that wasn't why either. She committed musical treachery. She dropped "Tell It To My Heart" which was big on R&B radio. Then, her next album was a pop/rock album and she made comments like "My record company made me do R&B on my first record. That was really not my thing; I'm a rocker at heart" rolleyes Her career flopped because she shat on her base. That's what happens when you abandon the people who put you where you are. I'm not saying she would have been huge, but her career certainly would have taken a different path otherwise.


Pink did exactly the same and she's huge.
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Reply #18 posted 12/21/09 8:32pm

lastdecember

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The decade ended, and with the end of decades alot get lost, i always liked Taylor but lets not get carried away with her talent, she had some personal issues to that side tracked her. I mean EXPOSE were in the same boat, had tons of hits quick they were unstoppable but they were getting played by their managers and then had some issues though now are reunited. Richard Marx was one of the top male artists during the 1987-1994 time period and though people may not realize that he still records, he also has 13 number one hits, written and performed.

"We went where our music was appreciated, and that was everywhere but the USA, we knew we had fans, but there is only so much of the world you can play at once" Magne F
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Reply #19 posted 12/21/09 8:49pm

ThreadBare

johnart said:

BlaqueKnight said:




Sorry but that's not why. When Taylor dropped, there was a surplus of female singers in the market. There were lots of female groups burning up the charts, too. (EnVogue, etc.) BUT, in Taylor's case, that wasn't why either. She committed musical treachery. She dropped "Tell It To My Heart" which was big on R&B radio. Then, her next album was a pop/rock album and she made comments like "My record company made me do R&B on my first record. That was really not my thing; I'm a rocker at heart" rolleyes Her career flopped because she shat on her base. That's what happens when you abandon the people who put you where you are. I'm not saying she would have been huge, but her career certainly would have taken a different path otherwise.


Pink did exactly the same and she's huge.



Pink had a sizable scene to rebel against, though. She distanced herself from the pop princesses, almost became the anti-Britney while still managing to somehow land the same performance spots (like SNL) that Britney was getting. She also had some hits to make that transition a quick and stable one.
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Reply #20 posted 12/21/09 9:42pm

johnart

avatar

ThreadBare said:

johnart said:



Pink did exactly the same and she's huge.



Pink had a sizable scene to rebel against, though. She distanced herself from the pop princesses, almost became the anti-Britney while still managing to somehow land the same performance spots (like SNL) that Britney was getting. She also had some hits to make that transition a quick and stable one.


I guess.
I just never really thought of Taylor shitting on her base or abandoning the fanbase. I assumed it was her fanbase that still buy her records. I never thought of her as an R&B artist. I've always seen her as Pop, R&B influenced, sure, but Pop nonetheless.
[Edited 12/21/09 21:45pm]
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Reply #21 posted 12/21/09 9:44pm

lastdecember

avatar

ThreadBare said:

johnart said:



Pink did exactly the same and she's huge.



Pink had a sizable scene to rebel against, though. She distanced herself from the pop princesses, almost became the anti-Britney while still managing to somehow land the same performance spots (like SNL) that Britney was getting. She also had some hits to make that transition a quick and stable one.


And she now has sold it back, her new image is a clean cut, pop sweetheart, so whos real here?

"We went where our music was appreciated, and that was everywhere but the USA, we knew we had fans, but there is only so much of the world you can play at once" Magne F
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Reply #22 posted 12/22/09 4:22am

COMPUTERBLUE19
84

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Excellent posts on this.

She does have some vocal chops but in the era she blew up in, if the post above were any indication, to crap on your R&B fan base was a no no. She could have had the whole Teena Marie kind of following had she not veered away from what was her cash cow.
"Old man's gotta be the old man. Fish has got to be the fish."
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Reply #23 posted 12/22/09 9:12am

diamondpearl1

mimi2 said:

Taylor Dayne has a HUGE voice and she has proven she can sing dance tracks and ballads. Just some stats:

- 1 #1 hit "Love Will Lead You Back"
-her first 7 singles were all top 10 hits
-her first 9 singles were all top 20 hits (#8 and #9 didn't reach top 10)

-her first album was 2X platinum-certified while her second album was 3X platinum-certified. her third album went gold.

she was on top of her game from 1987 to 1990. Her next album didn't come until 1993, and aside from her cover of "Can't Get Enough Of Your Love", her other songs barely charted. Since then, she has occasionally scored a top 10 dance hit, but she hasn't cracked the hot 100 since 1993.

I know she took time out to start a family, but that was after her singing career began to cool down. At her peak, she was up there with Whitney, Mariah and Celine.

So my question is, why do you think Taylor comes in 4th place in terms of success when compared to her fellow powerhouse-vocalists?

Sure she wasn't beautiful, but neither is Celine. Were her choices for singles crap after 1990? Why do you think Whitney, Mariah and Celine enjoyed longer stays at the top than Taylor?
[Edited 12/18/09 19:10pm]


Well in 92' right around the time she had a movie 2 promote and her handlers figured she needed a publicity stunt,Whitney married Bobby Brown and the headline that read "Pop Princess Marries R&B Bad Boy" took her and everybody elses attention away fron the music 4 the next 17 years....

The day Mariah put out the remix 2 "Fantasy" with the honorable Ol' Dirty Bastard and the mother's of every Lauren, Laura, Julie, Katie, Lindsey, Emma in middle america still sang along and bought the album was the day she added another 15 years 2 her career flirting with rappers.....

Celine took up the audience Mariah left behind in 96' and became the voice of lonley secretaries, librarians, soccer mom's,and housewives all over the world that drink Cosmos, Daquiris, and White Wine Spritzer's 2 wash down the Valiums, Zolofts, and Xanax they pop watching the soaps, Dr. Phil and Oprah all day....
[Edited 12/22/09 9:30am]
[Edited 12/22/09 9:32am]
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Reply #24 posted 12/22/09 12:07pm

johnart

avatar

diamondpearl1 said:

mimi2 said:

Taylor Dayne has a HUGE voice and she has proven she can sing dance tracks and ballads. Just some stats:

- 1 #1 hit "Love Will Lead You Back"
-her first 7 singles were all top 10 hits
-her first 9 singles were all top 20 hits (#8 and #9 didn't reach top 10)

-her first album was 2X platinum-certified while her second album was 3X platinum-certified. her third album went gold.

she was on top of her game from 1987 to 1990. Her next album didn't come until 1993, and aside from her cover of "Can't Get Enough Of Your Love", her other songs barely charted. Since then, she has occasionally scored a top 10 dance hit, but she hasn't cracked the hot 100 since 1993.

I know she took time out to start a family, but that was after her singing career began to cool down. At her peak, she was up there with Whitney, Mariah and Celine.

So my question is, why do you think Taylor comes in 4th place in terms of success when compared to her fellow powerhouse-vocalists?

Sure she wasn't beautiful, but neither is Celine. Were her choices for singles crap after 1990? Why do you think Whitney, Mariah and Celine enjoyed longer stays at the top than Taylor?
[Edited 12/18/09 19:10pm]


Well in 92' right around the time she had a movie 2 promote and her handlers figured she needed a publicity stunt,Whitney married Bobby Brown and the headline that read "Pop Princess Marries R&B Bad Boy" took her and everybody elses attention away fron the music 4 the next 17 years....

The day Mariah put out the remix 2 "Fantasy" with the honorable Ol' Dirty Bastard and the mother's of every Lauren, Laura, Julie, Katie, Lindsey, Emma in middle america still sang along and bought the album was the day she added another 15 years 2 her career flirting with rappers.....

Celine took up the audience Mariah left behind in 96' and became the voice of lonley secretaries, librarians, soccer mom's,and housewives all over the world that drink Cosmos, Daquiris, and White Wine Spritzer's 2 wash down the Valiums, Zolofts, and Xanax they pop watching the soaps, Dr. Phil and Oprah all day....
[Edited 12/22/09 9:30am]
[Edited 12/22/09 9:32am]


OMFG spit
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Reply #25 posted 12/22/09 5:41pm

TonyVanDam

avatar

BlaqueKnight said:

BklynBabe said:

shit (and sex) sells over talent beatdeadhorse



Sorry but that's not why. When Taylor dropped, there was a surplus of female singers in the market. There were lots of female groups burning up the charts, too. (EnVogue, etc.) BUT, in Taylor's case, that wasn't why either. She committed musical treachery. She dropped "Tell It To My Heart" which was big on R&B radio. Then, her next album was a pop/rock album and she made comments like "My record company made me do R&B on my first record. That was really not my thing; I'm a rocker at heart" rolleyes Her career flopped because she shat on her base. That's what happens when you abandon the people who put you where you are. I'm not saying she would have been huge, but her career certainly would have taken a different path otherwise.


1. Just so you know, Tell It To My Heart is also a latin freestyle classic. So for anything, Taylor's 1st f***-up was giving up on THAT type of dance sound.

2. Taylor's 2nd f***-up was not reinventing her image very well (something that Madonna has done very well over the years).

Just saying.
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Reply #26 posted 12/22/09 5:43pm

TonyVanDam

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ernestsewell said:

Anastecia is a damn near clone, and not because she's trying to be. It's just because she is. Idina Menzel reminds me of Taylor Dayne, as does the girl on GLEE on Fox (which reminds me of Idina Menzel).


TWO WORDS: Teena Marie

THIS^ woman came along before Taylor Dayne & Anastesia.
wink
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Reply #27 posted 12/22/09 5:45pm

lastdecember

avatar

TonyVanDam said:

BlaqueKnight said:




Sorry but that's not why. When Taylor dropped, there was a surplus of female singers in the market. There were lots of female groups burning up the charts, too. (EnVogue, etc.) BUT, in Taylor's case, that wasn't why either. She committed musical treachery. She dropped "Tell It To My Heart" which was big on R&B radio. Then, her next album was a pop/rock album and she made comments like "My record company made me do R&B on my first record. That was really not my thing; I'm a rocker at heart" rolleyes Her career flopped because she shat on her base. That's what happens when you abandon the people who put you where you are. I'm not saying she would have been huge, but her career certainly would have taken a different path otherwise.


1. Just so you know, Tell It To My Heart is also a latin freestyle classic. So for anything, Taylor's 1st f***-up was giving up on THAT type of dance sound.

2. Taylor's 2nd f***-up was not reinventing her image very well (something that Madonna has done very well over the years).

Just saying.


That dance sound was primarily given up on by the makers themselves. I mean just look at Lisa Lisa and The Cult Jam's evolution. Album One Underground group, Album Two, Pop/Rb Group with a touch of old school and dance, Album 3 Dance, rb leaning towards hip hop, album 4 club anthem...leaning towards hip hop and rap, after that the suggestion to lose the cult jam.

"We went where our music was appreciated, and that was everywhere but the USA, we knew we had fans, but there is only so much of the world you can play at once" Magne F
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Reply #28 posted 12/22/09 8:08pm

johnart

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We can come up with a hundred different scenarios. Nothing will be more than a speculation.
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Reply #29 posted 12/23/09 6:37am

ThreadBare

lastdecember said:

ThreadBare said:




Pink had a sizable scene to rebel against, though. She distanced herself from the pop princesses, almost became the anti-Britney while still managing to somehow land the same performance spots (like SNL) that Britney was getting. She also had some hits to make that transition a quick and stable one.


And she now has sold it back, her new image is a clean cut, pop sweetheart, so whos real here?

Hey, I certainly never claimed any pop star's image was real... lol
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Forums > Music: Non-Prince > Taylor Dayne-why was her stint as a top singer so brief?