Finally got around to listening to the album "Elixer," and it's actually quite good.

It REALLY bugs me that the vocals are not so stellar, just OK. A great vocalist could really elevate the material - and the material's there too. Also great performances. I can imagine a great female vocalist/performer with charisma and expression really bringing some of those songs to life, like "All This Love," "Something U Already Know," "Elixer," "Here Eye Come"...

Why doesn't he give these songs to better singers? An established one might have had hits with a few of them.

Here's some singers, among many others, I thought he could have parceled out the songs to according to style of song: Janet Jackson, Norah Jones, Diana Krall, ..Sade?

Anyway, I'm just venting - I know the answer to my own question why it had to be Bria. I know, I know...

Sade is very 'in house' with her stuff. She doesn't really do other musician's songs, it's always her and her band.

And... I actually like Bria's voice and don't feel like it's that bad. I've heard far worse over the years, and truthfully, I think most of the Org has too. I think people just don't want to give her that credit because of all the drama and gossip bullshit they've heard about her over the years.

If that same voice belonged to someone else entirely and they sang those songs, you guys would be saying you loved them.

And this isn't coming from someone whose a Bria fan per se. I just don't have a horse in the race or any biases, coloring my perception of things.

Dren5 said:

I just don't have a horse in the race

Dren5 said:

Sade is very 'in house' with her stuff. She doesn't really do other musician's songs, it's always her and her band.

And... I actually like Bria's voice and don't feel like it's that bad. I've heard far worse over the years, and truthfully, I think most of the Org has too. I think people just don't want to give her that credit because of all the drama and gossip bullshit they've heard about her over the years.

If that same voice belonged to someone else entirely and they sang those songs, you guys would be saying you loved them.

And this isn't coming from someone whose a Bria fan per se. I just don't have a horse in the race or any biases, coloring my perception of things.

Huh? What drama and gossip bullshit? I didn't listen to Elixer 'til now b/c, exactly as you said, there have been such terrible female side projects (Mayte, Carmen - bad singers; Allo not my style) that I figured this wasn't worth my time either.

Bria's in tune, but she's definitely back-up singer or a pretty good American Idol contestant - not a star vocalist - which is a shame because the rest of the elements are there for great songs, some jazzy flavor, more interesting things could be done. It's very flat (I don't mean key) and hollow for me. And that's my honest assessment as a listener - nothing to do with who she is. I think Tamar is a better singer, and I know nothing about her either nor do I care. It's not about the people/girls - it's that I think it's a shame about the songs, because they're some of the better songs & slow jams P has composed in quite a while! Also really nice saucy lyrics that could be delivered with more expression.

And thanks for the info on Sade, Dren.

artist76 said:

Finally got around to listening to the album "Elixer," and it's actually quite good.

It REALLY bugs me that the vocals are not so stellar, just OK. A great vocalist could really elevate the material - and the material's there too. Also great performances. I can imagine a great female vocalist/performer with charisma and expression really bringing some of those songs to life, like "All This Love," "Something U Already Know," "Elixer," "Here Eye Come"...

Why doesn't he give these songs to better singers? An established one might have had hits with a few of them.

Here's some singers, among many others, I thought he could have parceled out the songs to according to style of song: Janet Jackson, Norah Jones, Diana Krall, ..Sade?

Anyway, I'm just venting - I know the answer to my own question why it had to be Bria. I know, I know...

I say instead of having Prince 3 tier singers sing oldies of other artists, let them sing songs from Elixer

i think her voice suits the material. i never once thought "oh, i wish she was a better singer".

her vocals are a nice fit to the tone and colour of the songs. nice album as well. there are a

few really good songs on there. as far as protege albums go, this is a keeper, imo.

Imagine if P & Jill Jones made up & He gave Her these songs...............

I agree, it's a good album. I was pleasantly surprised. Nice racy lyrics too.

I just don't think the singer is on par with the music, which is a testament to the quality of the music. You know when you watch one of those talent shows, the contestant sings a song, they sing pleasant enough, but they chose a great song that was beyond their talent. That's the feeling I get.

But it's OK. I'm still listening to it.

The greater question is, why doesn't Prince write songs for established singers anymore, ones who have their own careers? There used to be: Bangles, Celine Dion, Martika... He's a good songwriter. It's hard establishing an unknown nowadays, it's not like the early 80s anymore. But he could have hits with other artists who already have a fan base. He can write in many styles.

woogiebear said:

Imagine if P & Jill Jones made up & He gave Her these songs...............

mmmmmmm nice

She was the 1 protege he never fully incorporated into his current album scene,

Her 1987 album was good but it was totally disconnected to what Prince was doing in SOTT

I don't even consider GB

She should have had 2 album: 1 during the 1999-Purple Rain era ie G-Spot All Day All Night and the other during the ATWIAD -Parade era ie Mia Bocca

Because women who can sing better don’t need to sleep with Prince to get a record deal.

jpnyc said:

Because women who can sing better don’t need to sleep with Prince to get a record deal.

W W

jpnyc said:

Because women who can sing better don’t need to sleep with Prince to get a record deal.

OldFriends4Sale said:

artist76 said:

Finally got around to listening to the album "Elixer," and it's actually quite good.

It REALLY bugs me that the vocals are not so stellar, just OK. A great vocalist could really elevate the material - and the material's there too. Also great performances. I can imagine a great female vocalist/performer with charisma and expression really bringing some of those songs to life, like "All This Love," "Something U Already Know," "Elixer," "Here Eye Come"...

Why doesn't he give these songs to better singers? An established one might have had hits with a few of them.

Here's some singers, among many others, I thought he could have parceled out the songs to according to style of song: Janet Jackson, Norah Jones, Diana Krall, ..Sade?

Anyway, I'm just venting - I know the answer to my own question why it had to be Bria. I know, I know...

I say instead of having Prince 3 tier singers sing oldies of other artists, let them sing songs from Elixer

I would love to hear any of the current 3 singers sing these tracks. Some of the softer tracks I think would work best with Elisa's voice and the ones where Bria obviously struggled I would LOVE to hear Liv sing over.

i like bria, but there is something definately lacking in her vocals, it may something called soul which i prefer, and no i don't particularly enjoy sade, there is just character lacking in brias voice, like she didn't put effort into it.

I really enjoy most of Elixer, and I think Bria has a pleasant voice.

but Chante Moore would have murdered that material.

I actually don't mind Elixer at all, 2Nite is a crock of shit but the rest is alright.

So what is it that OP is asking... really. "Why couldn't Prince date someone else when he produced Elixer?" I mean, it's always been like this with Prince. "Why couldn't someone else sing songs on Jill Jones and Mayte's albums?" Such a shame

They all have something in common (other than the fact that they dated Prince). They may have blend average voice but they're all young, have sex appeal and relatively good looks. Obviously Prince has believed that's what it takes for an album to sell since Vanity 6.

Bree8016 said:

Chante Moore would have murdered that material.

I posted about Chante Moore on PM&M. She sounded so good with Prince on La, La, La, Means I Love You. Her voice blends in very well with Prince. She's a very talented lady.

artist76 said:

Finally got around to listening to the album "Elixer," and it's actually quite good.

It REALLY bugs me that the vocals are not so stellar, just OK. A great vocalist could really elevate the material - and the material's there too. Also great performances. I can imagine a great female vocalist/performer with charisma and expression really bringing some of those songs to life, like "All This Love," "Something U Already Know," "Elixer," "Here Eye Come"...

Why doesn't he give these songs to better singers? An established one might have had hits with a few of them.

Here's some singers, among many others, I thought he could have parceled out the songs to according to style of song: Janet Jackson, Norah Jones, Diana Krall, ..Sade?

Anyway, I'm just venting - I know the answer to my own question why it had to be Bria. I know, I know..

Are you serious?

HonestMan13 said:

artist76 said:

Finally got around to listening to the album "Elixer," and it's actually quite good.

It REALLY bugs me that the vocals are not so stellar, just OK. A great vocalist could really elevate the material - and the material's there too. Also great performances. I can imagine a great female vocalist/performer with charisma and expression really bringing some of those songs to life, like "All This Love," "Something U Already Know," "Elixer," "Here Eye Come"...

Why doesn't he give these songs to better singers? An established one might have had hits with a few of them.

Here's some singers, among many others, I thought he could have parceled out the songs to according to style of song: Janet Jackson, Norah Jones, Diana Krall, ..Sade?

Anyway, I'm just venting - I know the answer to my own question why it had to be Bria. I know, I know..

Are you serious?

You don't like Janet?

Chante Moore was a good suggestion too.

Also, I think George Michael would have been excellent on "Here Eye Come" - it'd be on a whole other level.

The one song Bria definitely did great on is "Another Boy"....that is so smooth and blissful to me.

Bree8016 said:

fantasticjoy said:

Bree8016 said:

I really enjoy most of Elixer, and I think Bria has a pleasant voice.

but Chante Moore would have murdered that material.

I think Chante Moore would have been perfect for the material. Somehow every time I listen to the Elixer cd I think of Chante.

Interesting because at the time of "Elixer"'s release, Bria had commented that someone told her she sounded like Chante Moore. (I think the comment was part of the Tavis Smiley interview).

Prince should have saved the title cut "Helicksher" 4 his own album LotusFlow3r or MPLSound. The live version is a "MasterPiece"...

KCOOLMUZIQ said:

Prince should have saved the title cut "Helicksher" 4 his own album LotusFlow3r or MPLSound. The live version is a "MasterPiece"...

He sang Elixer live??? I must...

artist76 said:

KCOOLMUZIQ said:

Prince should have saved the title cut "Helicksher" 4 his own album LotusFlow3r or MPLSound. The live version is a "MasterPiece"...

He sang Elixer live??? I must...

Montreux 2009