An Awakening

to Gift a World

Part 4

A Night Few Will Forget

...certainly none who were there!

Click Button

An aside clip

In late 2021 or early 2022, the British segment of the global "Got Talent" franchise invited Loren to audition for their 15th show in the series. Loren politely declined, understandably, given past experiences. Asking her a second time, they explained that Simon Cowell, the creator of the franchise and someone Loren was very familiar with, would also be a judge on the show. He had loved the movie, "The Greatest Showman", and "Never Enough" was his favorite song in the film, but he had no clue that the actress was not the actual singer. Loren accepted the offer, and in so doing, would face not only her longstanding fear, but also the same judge who had sent her home in her 2008 audition for "American Idol", telling her 'maybe she could get a job singing on a cruise line,' Her TV appearance on the first night of auditions for "Britain's Got Talent", which aired on Saturday, April 16, 2022, was a moment that will live in the minds and hearts of Millions, and certainly Loren's. The Palladium is a historical, multi-tiered theater in London's West End district, which is their "Broadway". Seating roughly 2,300 attendees, the tiers are so vertically stacked that, when viewed through a camera behind the performer, they appear to be almost on top of the stage...not a venue for a timid performer!

Before viewing the clips, there are a few key points to note. The actual audition took place sometime in January or February, allowing time to add the apropos background music, some audience shots, some slow-motion, and several close-ups of Loren after the performance. Again, only the Christmas/New Year's holidays had separated the Bocelli performance (above) and the closed-live audition, yet the contrast is hard to believe. Song lovers everywhere surely must be grateful that she found the courage to take this huge step and confront her demons, as we'll call them. There's much to say about the performance itself afterward, but it is important to note that this audition was not about demonstrating vocal perfection, but about overcoming the fear of stepping into the light and giving a real-life identity to this now-iconic song. The additional clip is provided only because of the extra moments backstage that are shown. The nerves are clearly evident in the early portion of both clips, continuing into the song's opening verse, but she recovers nicely each time and soon begins to soar, as all the pent-up emotions seem to explode out of her. There had been a lifetime of taking a half-step forward, followed by a half-step back, always putting it off, and settling for guest roles on someone else's stage. But not this time! It was longer in coming than she, or anyone who'd followed her, would have wanted, but that only made this decisive moment all the more special. I'll include a brief insert after my comments, regarding my own experience of seeing this performance.

Some readers will have skipped directly to this Part 4 segment, particularly reaction video fans, and I understand that. But it saddens me at the same time that you'll lack the full appreciation of what these moments meant to both her and those who've followed her. I hope that, after reading and watching this portion, you'll want to know the entire story.

A Meaningful Prelude

...and So It Begins

Click Button

(*In the extra clip, she looks out at the vertically stacked full attendance, realizing what she's about to face.)

Thanks Britain's Got Talent

Click Button

Thanks TalentKingHD

It's typical of her to minimize the reason for the "whoo!" that was heard, saying she was a little bit nervous, when she was likely feeling as if a herd of wild horses was about to stampede inside her. She entered the stage with poise, but her nervousness was immediately evident in both her voice and body language as she stood. When the judges reacted to the fact that she was the voice of "Never Enough", you could see the rush of emotion in her face. I always enjoy the candid shots of people in the audience...the now-informed guy leaning forward in anticipation, the Asian girl, whose expression conveyed everything, and the woman in front of her, who is moved to tears. Those in the audience who already knew of her must have had chill bumps already, knowing what they were about to hear. Loren was trying so hard to control her nerves before the music started, constantly shifting her step (Remember the exchange with Michael Buble?). It was a frightening moment for her, and it showed in the shakiness of her voice during the opening verse, even coming off the note at one point. But notice how she collected herself at each time, ready for the next note. She doesn't take long to gather herself; the vocal flip was impressive, and from that point on, it wasn't nerves affecting her vocals any longer...it was her powerful vocals pushing the nerves aside, as if they were an uninvited guest no longer allowed onstage. It was a completely uninhibited display of pure raw emotion expressed to a live audience instead of a camera, and it just kept building with each new line of verse. The audience rose to a standing ovation before she even got to the main chorus. Despite it not being her usual flawless delivery, it didn't matter...it was more than enough. Any technical aspects that were left in the warmup room were more than offset by the sheer power and emotional impact of what everyone was witnessing. The riffs and runs took us up, down, and sideways, and the final crescendo was even graced with a cry. It literally hit the audience like a series of shock waves that not only penetrated but surrounded and enveloped. It was impossible to describe! The close-up shot of Loren's face afterward showed the rush of emotion before the camera cut away too quickly to show Simon's applause. When it returned to Loren, looking out and up at everyone still standing and applauding, "A Million Dreams" (from the film) playing in the background, it was a bit like the actual scene in the movie. Some had known how special this song was to her, and now everyone could clearly see, in her face, what this moment meant. She had faced her fear and boldly taken back what was rightfully hers. "Never Enough" was her song, and that would be cemented even more firmly in the near future. The judges searched for words to describe what they had seen and heard, and Loren's jaw dropped with Simon's confession. I still wonder at what point he became aware that he had sent her home fourteen years earlier, during the 2008 "American Idol" auditions, telling the teenager that 'maybe she could sing on a cruise line.' The tabloids and media went about their usual half-informed mission to stoke controversy and misconception. But Loren would treat it just as always has, by staying above it all, and simply doing what she does...sing and write songs.

When the audition first aired, I had no access to British TV and was so busy wrapping things up in preparation for returning to New Mexico that I didn't see anything that was trending online. A few weeks later, in New Mexico, I was in my room, about to enjoy dinner. The hot food couldn't offset the chill of Santa Fe's 7000 ft elevation, so I got up to close the window while my laptop was connecting to YouTube. As I walked back to the table, I saw the thumbnail on the screen. The image looked familiar, but it didn't register until I sat down and saw the title. I was thoroughly confused by what I was seeing. I had attributed the absence of any live performances to the pandemic and assumed the interim song releases and music videos were just preludes to upcoming tour appearances or another TV special. It took me a moment to gain perspective on what I was seeing. But my confusion didn't end there...why was she on a talent show again? That question was soon answered, but not the questions about the stark contrast in her demeanor and appearance here, versus the person I had seen in those last few music videos. She had presented a different look in each of them. Here, she had the same curly hair, but slender seemed to describe her better than "slim," thinking back to "Til I Found You" six months earlier. Maybe it was the five-inch heels or the nervousness that contributed to that impression. I suddenly felt I had not been foolish in reaching out, and that everything I had sensed about her anxiety had been real. The fact that she was so nervous made me nervous, and the emotions and anticipation seen in the close-ups of the audience closely mimicked my own. I suddenly became aware that I hadn't taken a breath in over a minute. I can honestly say that part of me was afraid for her, while another part was expecting something grand. I've already described her performance in the section above, so this is simply about my reaction. It literally blew me away, the nervous start, the gathering, the build-up, and the finish, everything about it! Seriously...picture me sitting there, dinner getting cold, a grown man with goosebumps on both arms and legs, chills running up my spine, and tears falling off my face and into my food. The rush to my head and face happens still, when I revisit that moment, as I'm doing right now. It's still rare for me to watch this performance and not experience much the same reaction.. To think that someone can affect you that way with no movie script or story buildup, no dramatized and visually enhanced film scene, no cast support, and no sound editing, but simply with a live voice and live expression...it's a gift few possess, even if the song is powerful to start with. On the one hand, it was like seeing her for the first time; on the other hand, it was like I was watching my own daughter or granddaughter. I can only imagine how proud her mom, dad, and sisters must've felt. I'll leave it there, except to say I've seen this clip more times than I can count, and I've watched countless reaction videos. Some of the best reactions and reviews come from just avid music listeners, some from genuinely savvy vocal coaches, and some, of course, from the "vocal experts" who often seem more interested in impressing you with their knowledge. I'm frequently amazed by what flies right past a lot of reviewers and reactors. But in this case, most seemed to know this was something special...beyond music and singing. As for technique, vocal skill, and control...they will return in abundance for virtually every performance you will see and hear from this point on. So, vocal experts...please join us, and continue to enlighten us regarding details, but temper the ego a bit, please. :)

* Two sad and similar events occurred during the pandemic period. Loren lost her grandmother, and I lost my sister. She would create a heart-touching song and a music video in memory, and I would send it to my brother-in-law, knowing how deeply it would touch him. At some point in late 2021 or early 2022, I attempted to reach out a second time, still unaware of her tour appearances with Bocelli. In the spring of 2022, I returned to New Mexico, and during the two-hour wait for the train from Albuquerque to Santa Fe, I thought of reaching out again, but didn't... I had intruded enough. Little did I know, there was no longer a reason to do so!

In the fall and winter of 2021-22, this story and my own began to intertwine again, only in a much different way. I was working with a functional breathing platform and its influence across the entire spectrum, meaning physical, physiological, behavioral, and cognitive, as they relate to the autonomic nervous system and respiration. The program in Santa Fe, which would resume in spring, involved similar observations but used a different platform. Two issues that often came to light were anxiety and perception of one's self. I had become curious about the role both had played thus far in Loren's journey, but particularly at this point. Most of us have seen or known someone who displayed a gap between their image of themself and who they actually were, and that disparity can land anywhere on the "under-over" scale, if you know what I mean. When I watched Loren on The Voice in 2012, I had come away with the feeling that there was some disparity. Of course, I was completely blind to what she had faced within the industry up to that point, so I was only seeing part of the picture. It wasn't as if she had no clue who she really was; rather, to my eyes, she seemed to doubt herself, as if asking ... " Am I just not good enough?" Or perhaps those pressures that I was blind to were causing her to think ... " I'm just not cut out for this!" Regardless, when we're told how, who, or what we are or aren't enough times, by enough people, then we start buying into it. Her shift toward songwriting during the pandemic period would serve more than one purpose. It resulted in a run of impressive songs, but more importantly, it let her express her inner self in lyrics that seemed to shed some long-held negative thoughts and feelings, and she clearly seemed all the better for it. That riddance was at the core of "Miss Myself," and could also be noted in the lyrics for "Perfect," ..." No one's got the answers, I should know better than to keep on keep on listening." Any disparity in self-image that might have existed before didn't appear to exist now. She seemed to know exactly who she was and what she had to offer. It seemed more about just nerves and anxiety, about how she would be perceived by an audience if the nerves couldn't be controlled. I'm reminded of the comment I made about secretly replacing the camera with live viewers. I mean, the issue seems absurd, doesn't it? Given her appearances thus far and the artists she has performed with, it's hard to imagine her doubting herself, yet we see it all the time. I think of Sia's anxiety before every live appearance. So yes, anxiety can definitely mess with your mind, regardless of whether it's chronic or acute. Loren's guest performances with Andrea Bocelli's "Believe" U.S. tour were unknown to me at the time. If you've not seen them, you can watch their performance of "Canta Della Terra" at Madison Square Garden in December 2021, shown in the clip below. I include it here to emphasize the date, being just three months before the performance that you will watch afterward. I can't avoid asking myself ... " If she could overcome the apprehension of singing in operatic voice, before knowledgeable listeners, alongside Andrea Bocelli...no less, what could be more daunting than that?" It's wonderful that she's allowed to move between operatic head voice and a high belt at several points...not to mention that amazing high, drawn-out, verse and end note near the finish! If I had seen this at the time, I'm certain I would never have reached out to her...it would've seemed foolish. Yet, when I watched her take the stage for our main event to come next, the contrast was so great that I was glad I had. I had simply offered some words of encouragement and a couple of suggestions that she use what she already had and knew. I've no idea if they were ever seen, but a comment she made to a vocal coach, months later, suggested that perhaps they had been.

00

The reason that many readers will jump straight to this time period is simply because this is where the "obvious" begins to appear, and it happens rather quickly, relative to all that has come before. So, I'll try not to slow the pace unnecessarily, but a great many details and several events contribute to a full understanding and appreciation of what takes place during the next few years. Moreover, I will often allude to the real beauty lying within the transformation we're about to witness, and that is the fact that, despite who she becomes as a performer, she will remain much the same as a person, meaning that she continues to be a humble and gracious being who cares about others and isn't afraid to show that part of herself. Let's return to London and Britain's Got Talent, 2022, to enjoy watching this story unfold together.

Click Button

Thanks to Legendary Concerts

Link to "Britain's Got Talent"

What a difference four months can make! It is now June 2, 2022, and we are about to watch Loren in her live semi-final round on Britain's Got Talent. Although her audition of "Never Enough had aired on April 16, it had actually taken place earlier, thus she had several months to return home and prepare for this moment. She selected Lauren Daigle's "You Say" for this performance. I'll save the observations and comments for after, but I think what you see and hear in this video will pretty much speak for itself.,

As for My Reaction...

If you watched Loren's audition from six weeks ago, then you can clearly see that her presence and demeanor are different here. Gone are the crippling nerves and anxiety, replaced with poise and confidence. Not to say that she isn't still nervous, of course, as well she should be. My work has often focused on that subject, and I've personally faced it many times at big competitions in the decade prior to the pandemic. Most will agree that if you aren't nervous, then you aren't ready to perform. For Loren, the nerves and emotions are now actually becoming an asset, like some form of projected aura or valence state that connects with the audience in some symbiotic fashion. It's something people have difficulty describing, yet you see it in their faces and body language. Examples: a frozen expression with mouth agape, a side-to-side nodding of the head, or a hand to the heart gesture. This causal effect goes beyond just appreciation. It resembles the storyteller who draws energy and inspiration from the expressions on the faces of those listening, which in turn draws them more into the story. Loren performs in such a way that much of her expressiveness appears authentic and spontaneous, even some of the body gestures, while others are naturally rehearsed. I'll point out some of these in more detail later on. Whatever the case, her stage presence leaves you wondering how she could have ever doubted herself. A clearly evident example of that interaction is when Loren drops her arms and head in resignation, and you see Amanda Holden's head tilt immediately. I would guess many others with a good view did the same. It's funny that as I wrote that just now, I immediately thought of the scene in The Greatest Showman where Barnum's youngest daughter is watching from the balcony with binoculars, alongside her sister and Mom, all transfixed on every detail.

Vocally, she covers a lot of territory technique-wise. The depth and fullness of her low notes are so impressive. It's not Toni Braxton's low, but it always has such a nice tone and fullness. It's very evident in "Never Enough" at the beginning. Here, it's the power and resonance of her "mids" that really stand out, and her ability to carry her chest voice up and into her mixed voice makes it so full. Even in her upper register, her vibrato and fullness are still present, where so many others start to thin out. And then we come to the topic of breath control. Phenomenal is the only way to describe it, but then I could say the same about her voice control, often described by other artists as impeccable. Her shifts in register are so seamless, and the strength and precision of her falsetto at the end of this song left me thinking she had really taken this song to another level. The ability to push the power and then dial it back takes such control; however, it may well be her tone that sticks in the minds of many. Something I always anticipate is seeing how many times she surprises me during a song, meaning I'm never sure where she'll go with the next note or phrase, especially with a very familiar song. This performance won the public vote that night and sent her to the finals two days later, where a couple of subplots arose.

A Goal Realized

How do you get people who are walking the streets, standing in kitchens, or driving cars, to suddenly start singing your song? Well, you could go the traditional route by writing it, practicing it, performing it at a local pub, perhaps including it during an opening gig for another artist, and if you're confident enough to invest the money, book a recording session and hope it pays off. Or you could return home from an audition, write a song, practice it for a few months, return to your audition site, and perform it live for 6.5 million TV viewers and a few thousand live attendees in a packed theater venue. I still have trouble wrapping my head around that, but it's the only account I've seen, thus far, of the song performed by Loren in the finals of Britain's Got Talent. Choosing to sing her original song, "The Last Thing I'll Ever Need," was a bold move, but maybe not as risky in her mind as it was in the minds of others.

Link to Britain's Got Talent

By starting so high with head voice and falsetto, it was a pretty safe bet that she would stretch the upper limits at some point. She dropped down into her upper middle range and let us feel that amazing resonance carried into the upper register. I'm sure there was anticipation of an extended belt at some point, after what we had heard in the semi-finals, although I doubt many expected the one that she delivered, and certainly not the climactic burst that followed. Yikes! The sustained belt at G#5 sat everyone up a bit straighter, but the explosive G6 note that followed felt as if it lifted them off their seat. It wasn't just the power and fullness that was brought to those notes; it was the explosion of emotion that accompanied it, joined by similar expressiveness elsewhere in the song. Amanda Holden appeared entranced during one close-up shot. During a working rehearsal, Loren even voiced a concern about that high note to BGT vocal coach Annabelle Williams, despite acknowledging that it was the version she wanted to try. Obviously, she rose to the occasion spectacularly.

Loren didn't win this competition, and more than a few theories emerged as to why. I won't bother commenting on the more absurd ones, but I'll share my thoughts on a few. First, many were correct in saying that aside from a few awkward moments early in her audition, once she unleashed herself, every song had been more like a mini concert than a talent show performance. This, of course, only fueled the acceptance of all the misconstrued information that was being spread. By the time the finals arrived, the seeds of false innuendos that had been planted by the tabloids and press had taken root in the minds of many, and I felt that her chance of winning was doomed at that point. Think what you will, but virtually every contestant who performs on a global talent show has had some professional exposure, in the form of paid gigs, regardless of how much of a "newbie" they're portrayed as being. Loren was unknown to so many at that point that it's not really credible to say she didn't belong on that stage. As for record deal conspiracies, you merely have to listen to her interviews or glance at her history to know that she wasn't chasing a record deal. Quite the opposite, in fact, she wanted to produce her own records and videos, and is currently doing just that. Earlier, I mentioned that choosing to sing her original song in the finals wasn't such a huge risk in her mind, the reason being that performing her own song on this stage was her dream come true, a goal that may have been more important to her than winning the competition. Regardless, the music world is all the richer by her having made that choice.

A Touching Tribute

In early 2023, Loren and Ashley Monroe collaborated to create "I Hear Your Voice", a song reflecting the memories and sense of longing that both felt after losing close family members. Loren had lost her beloved grandmother, and Ashley had lost her father to cancer when she was a teenager. Ashley helped Loren shape the song, and producer Michel Heyaca assisted with the co-writing. I won't assume, but I suspect that this song had been forming in Loren's mind for some time. It was released in April of 2023 as part of her EP with the same name. The EP and the song's music video represented milestones in Loren's career as she assumed her identity as a songwriter and stand-alone performer. I'm including two video links; one is a live performance on TV's Good Day New York, for those in a rush. The other is the unique and stylish official music video, but if you've recently lost someone dear, just know that it could elicit some strong emotions.

Official Music Video

Live on Good Day New York TV

Click Button

Click Button

I'll quickly comment on the live TV appearance by saying it was a shining example of Loren's talent and her poise and grace when being interviewed. The amazed host was right to point out that it was 9 a.m. and that auto-tuning was never used on their set. There is a bit of exchange after the song that you may enjoy listening to.

The music video is high quality and very unique, with the artist as art within the art itself, before shifting to a more conventional format. The interplay of lyrics, emotions, and visual memories is carried out beautifully and with powerful effect. Loren uses family members throughout the video. The woman entering and listening to the recording is her sister, Brennan, I believe, which makes for an interesting scene when she studies Loren in the still life pose. The vocals are an impressive display of how Loren's voice just gets better and better as her confidence grows. The high note at the climax has so much volume and resonance at that level. This song was written not only in memory of those Loren and Ashley had lost, but for everyone dealing with loss and grief. I've already mentioned that I lost my sister around the same time that Loren lost Nana, and this song hit me pretty hard when I heard it; so much so that I chose to wait a bit before sharing it with my brother-in-law because I knew how it would affect him.

Classic Joins Class

Thanks to YouTube/Anthony Ong

Click Button

Between May and December of 2023, Loren appeared on David Foster's Hitman Tour in Asia and Andrea Bocelli's European Tour. The performance below is from the Singapore Hitman Tour show on August 8, featuring Loren's duet with the legendary Peabo Bryson. For those who are a generation or two removed, the Grammy, Oscar, and Golden Globe-winning song, "A Whole New World," which replaced Whitney Houston's "I Will Always Love You" as the #1 song in March of 1993, can be heard here. It showcases Peabo's acclaimed, stylish voice, which has produced 21 albums (five of which are gold), including duets with Natalie Cole, Roberta Flack, and others. His breathing pattern and voice would later be affected by a heart attack, but his nuanced tone is still there, which does not go unappreciated by Loren, nor his contribution to music. As impressive as they are here, Loren's vocals and striking stage presence take a back seat to her genuine show of affection and respect for Peabo. Her almost embarrassed reaction to his praise is reminiscent of how she responded to Michael Bublé's compliments during their duet recording session, which seems so long ago. Loren's emotional reaction upon hearing Peabo's voice on the opening verse needs no explanation.

Through The Ceiling

In May 2023, NBC revealed plans for a spinoff of America's Got Talent, with the judges selecting acts from the past decade to compete in a team format. AGT Fantasy League was formally announced in September, and Simon Cowell had selected Loren to be on his team. The show's January 1, 2024, premiere would air on NBC and Peacock and was announced on November 15, 2023, which roughly coincided with the taping of auditions before a closed live audience. The conversation between Simon and Loren in the backstory portion of the video (below) may have been taped after the actual song choice was made, but, regardless, that decision was obviously made months before the November auditions. In the taping of that backstory, you see her happily agree with Simon's suggestion to level up the song, but I wonder what really went through her mind at the actual moment ... "Is he kidding?" By the way, it's just my personal observation, but her appearance and demeanor during that patio scene in the backstory caught me by surprise. During her response to Simon's confession of having been starstruck during BGT 2022, she literally appeared and sounded as if she were someone different...in the best sense. Following the release of her "Late Bloomer" EP and her audition for London's BGT, we saw her intimate reveal at Joe's Pub in New York, and her tearful performance of "Rainbow." It had confirmed what many of us had sensed, but couldn't explain. Both the Ep and BGT were pivot points in her life, leading to the person we are seeing here, although blossomed might describe her better at this point, given what is likely still to come before she has fully bloomed.

There were nuances seen in some performances of "Never Enough" while touring in 2023, as well as her own personal appearances, which suggested she was constantly workshopping the song. I don't know when she actually began revising the song to fit this all-too-brief audition format, but it would shock the audience, the judges, and the music world in general. More importantly, she introduced herself to her home nation and left many wondering how anyone this talented could have ever gone unnoticed. The ceiling had been shattered, and talent shows would no longer matter, other than offering a stage to show everyone what was to come. This is AGT's full clip with the backstory.

Click Button

YouTube / AGT Fantasy League

Obviously thrilled by this occasion, she remains so humble when asked to tell everyone who she is. The backstory is well-crafted, and her watching herself perform the actual demo session for the film must have brought everything full circle during this taping. The nerves are evident in the shots of her awaiting the stage call, and I can't imagine anything more nerve-wracking than beginning in a cappella format, but what a treat ... not only to hear, but to see from a backstage perspective that made this feel like the movie scene in real life. The voice control during the a cappella and into the soft piano intro was flawless, with just the right amount of breathiness and richness on the low notes. The skip in verse and early ramp up took many by surprise, ratcheting up the intensity level sooner than usual. The audience close-ups provide a wonderful sense of what was being felt by everyone at the time. It was such a magnificent setting, as if the film scene had come to life on an even grander stage. The glistening perspiration on Loren only amplified the extraordinary outpouring of voice and emotion that everyone was witnessing. The runs and nuances from before were still there, but intensified. The drumbeats after " ...towers of gold are still too little" seemed even more glorious silhouetted against the stage backdrop. Then we came to the part no one ever imagined. She sustained " ...enough" with a chest-driven G5 in the original key with massive vibrato, then modulated to carry the song a whole step up to C major and leaped straight to an A5 on "...for me" in full chest voice, complete with a quick downward run at the end. The second " ...for me" returned to A5 but pushed higher to Bb5, and was followed by three sustained "enough"s at Bb5, the second one containing a short run with a cry, the last one being the most emphatic...each in chest-dominant mixed voice with resonance, power, and fullness few are capable of approaching, let alone controlling and shaping. She finished with a seamless upward slide to C6. Spectacular is the only way to describe it. This had to feel special to her, but differently compared to the live PBS debut or the BGT audition. It was a moment fully hers, even with Simon's mentoring, and it was a solid reinforcement to having reclaimed her song, leaving no doubt in anyone's mind.

" ...a masterclass!"

An Endearing Moment

Following all the post-BGT interviews, appearances, and engagements, Loren performed on January 31, 2023, at Joe's Pub in New York, a time-honored home for musicians and singers to connect intimately with a knowledgeable audience. The night would prove more intimate than Loren would have liked. I've written earlier about how I'm endeared to someone who rises above unfairness and struggle, but as we've seen, sometimes we have to rise above ourselves. Here, Loren wanted to thank the audience for allowing her to perform her original music and share a meaningful closing song. If this is of no interest to you, then neither is this story's central theme likely to be, but of course, you're free to skip around as you choose. A sincere nod to Haine (Ellen Haines) on keyboard for her compassion.

Click Here

Loren Allred / YouTube

I will borrow Simon's comment regarding this performance to use as a heading simply because that's exactly what it was. Loren crafted her version of "Over the Rainbow" to pay homage to Judy Garland's original and Israel Kamakawiwo'ole's adaptation, while adding her own elements to create her own version. She produced a great video on the making of the official music video, allowing us to glimpse her perfectionist work ethic, which is humorously seen as a challenge for some of her associates at times. To address those who label this as a stylized cover of "Iz's" version, I'll just suggest that a bit of research will help shed light on that misconception. During the first ten years of my fifty years in the islands, I lived in the small community of Makaha, as did Israel, thus I'm very familiar with his music, and I love that it's been used in movies. Loren was proud to honor his beautiful version by including some of the styling and melody, but the two versions differ greatly beyond that, as I'm sure anyone will find if both are listened to closely. The challenge was to create her version without sacrificing the song's identity, and I would say she not only managed that, but did so masterfully. I just wish AGT had allowed time for a longer version.

Click Here

YouTube / AGT Fantasy League

A darkened set with flickering stars in the background, the dark dress with the sparkles, and the audience with the wavering lights, provide Loren's soft and delicate opening all it needs to create a dream-like atmosphere for this song. Choosing staccato over legato, with subtle tempo changes, seemed to make it all the more personal, and with her gestures and expressiveness, you almost feel she's addressing you directly, but with song rather than speech. Several things that seized my attention seemed to fly right past most of the "experts", despite their praise. First, there was a wonderful ability to move back and forth between open and closed vocal folds, pushing and pulling back the volume with amazing control, so that it was never too little or too much. Secondly, listen again to the phrase ... " high above the chimney tops, that's where you'll find me." Note the short breath that was taken after "where" (at 1:04). Now note the next breath you see her take, which is at the end of " ...somewhere over the rainbow" (at 1:23). That's a nineteen-second full belt without a breath. With Loren's bridge between Soprano and Mezzo Soprano, she made it sound as if it's all chest-driven by her ability to carry so much chest up to mix with her head voice, creating so much power and resonance. Next is an amazing oversight by so many reviewers and reactors. During the phrase, "...the dreams that you dream of," there's a slow upward run on "the", followed by a seamless up-down-up run through at least five notes on "dreams"...but with a vocal flip (to falsetto) executed right in the middle! I'm neither a singer nor a vocal coach, but I'm a savvy-enough listener to hear something like that. I was glad to see the cameraman catch one attendee who knew what she was hearing. Lastly, the contrast between the soft notes, the powerful belt, and then back to the soft ending was performed with such precision and control, but I only recall seeing that mentioned once or twice in all the reviews. Not to lose sight of our main theme, both of these performances on AGT are an incredible contrast to what viewers had seen only two years earlier on BGT, not just in vocal abilities, but in the artist as a person.

Sugoi Desu! One For The Ages

In December 2023, Loren was a guest performer at the Game Awards in Los Angeles. Her appearance was linked to an official trailer for the upcoming release of Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth, in which she sang the theme song, "No Promises" to Keep. After the premiere of AGT: Fantasy League the following month, she was invited to appear on Japan's highly rated The First Take in March to perform "No Promises to Keep" with Nobuo Uematsu, the composer. The First Take strives to create a live performance, using no enhancements and allowing only one take. That skillful performance is here, should you want to see it. Newly aware of Loren's stunning upgrade to "Never Enough" on AGT, The First Take arranged for an additional appearance to perform a full version of her song. Obviously, The First Take studio cannot accommodate an entire orchestra, so the orchestral recording was used. Loren's long-awaited "Never Enough" official music video had just been released a week or so earlier, and she chose that orchestral arrangement for this performance. Here she alters the apex point in a nicely creative fashion. I'll let this performance speak for itself. I will only say that, for me, this may well be the definitive live performance of "Never Enough" delivered to this point, and perhaps forever. The real shame is that it wasn't performed in front of a stadium audience with multiple jumbotrons and multiple zoom lens cameras surrounding her. Can you imagine anything remotely similar to this being delivered to the Palladium audience for her 2022 BGT audition in London, and what the response would have been like? In 2024, I provided a motivational session of various clips within this story for a pro athlete on his way to a big event, and ended it by sending this clip to his phone as he boarded his plane. Victorious for the first time, his story was to have segued into this one, but unfortunately, that plan was dropped. I do, however, often refer one-time viewers to this performance of "Never Enough", as well as forwarding the link to others I feel would enjoy it.

Click Button

YouTube / The First Take

An Artistic Culmination

This highly anticipated, long-awaited, official music video of "Never Enough" was actually released a week before The First Take releases, but I wanted to keep the live performance timeline intact. Filmed at The Mallows Estate on Long Island, I immediately wondered if Loren had visited this site, as either a guest or a performer, during her rise in the music world while living in Brooklyn. What a beautiful choice for a site, and a great piece of production work. As for the Loren we see here, words can't fully address the contrast that is so vividly seen in these images. As for the song, aside from the interpretation of the lyrics, it's as if we're treated to what "Never Enough" has meant to her personally, and perhaps a notion of who she has found within herself and finally set free. Let's watch the video before commenting on it further.

( Stay tuned )

Click Button

YouTube / Loren Allred

It would be hard not to be impressed with the artistry and quality of this video. Moreover, knowing what a perfectionist she is, I can only imagine the number of takes and the amount of editing that were involved. It's a stunning piece of work, and an emphatic stamp on her claim to this song for the rest of time.

We hear the change in orchestration right from the start, opting for a classic tone that complements her vocals throughout, with no intrusions. Once again, I'm puzzled by the lack of notice paid to her exquisite run that we hear early in the song. It's so apropos that it occurs on the word " ...echo" (at 0:42 seconds), making the word literally come to life. I've slowed it down to half-speed, and I'm still not sure about the number of notes she hit, but I would estimate five at least, and it was seamless. Unlike the vocal flip during the run in "Over The Rainbow, " the notable feature here is how she pulls back the volume as the run moves down the scale...it's so subtle yet stands out so beautifully. How do coaches and reactors not hear it? Next is the run she always gives us on her tour de force third belt of " ...for me," but this may be the best we've heard. The styling is flawless throughout and blends so well with the orchestration and the beautiful imagery. She stays in B major throughout the song, and the apex at " ...for me" is a Bb5 with so much resonance owing to her full chest-mix without any falsetto. She sustains that emotional impact till the end, and the orchestration lets her voice convey that by remaining at just the right level, before handing it off to her for the vocal-only ending. Again, I come back to the amazing contrast, visibly and audibly, from just two years ago.

A Blend of Cultures

Click Button

YouTube / Salim Sulaiman Music,

Salim and Suliaman Merchant, as part of Project Bhoomi 2024, collaborated with Loren to produce this unique song that acts as a bridge between eastern and western cultures, in this case, western pop and Rajasthani folk music. This video is so cool, and the Merchant brothers are dressed to the nines. As much as Loren's full high chest notes add, it's the rich tone and resonance of her lower notes that are so compatible with this arrangement. As for her presence, she commands the viewers' focused attention from the moment she turns around. Between the outfit, the necklace, the earrings, and her presence, it's impossible to take your eyes off of each movement, nor miss a single word. I don't know if there is a clearer example of the transformation that has taken place over the past few years, but I know the success that the growth has brought her will only continue to increase, along with her global audience. You only need to look at the audience reactions and read comments to get a sense of how many she has touched.

*No AI-generated content