Did you hear Natalie at the Oliver Hudson concert?

On a scale of 1 to 10, I’m giving her a 20. Absolutely flawless.
She is quite literally the first female vocalist I've heard who actually outshines Vanna White.

Anyone else have thoughts?

Best,

It’s genuinely a fantastic 👍

Thirty!

Three hundred!!!!!

I'm floored. Honestly, she killed it—maybe the best performance I've ever seen. Just perfect.

Honestly—it’s wild, but what can you even do? I guess laws are just full of these women with "exceptional vocal talent" or whatever... and Tina Turner totally reinvented Unfinished Sympathy—she wasn't the first, but she definitely wasn't the last...

What do you mean by empty?

She was totally freaking out from nerves, but honestly? I was just left completely speechless when I heard her hit those notes 👍

vividstag31 said:What do you mean empty?

Honestly, she’s probably just got a draft blowing through her head—maybe that's why her voice sounds so good? Like, there's nothing in there to get in the way of the resonance, right? She's totally clueless... which, let's be real, is actually a huge advantage if you want to make it big in the pop industry.

Do you actually know her personally, or are you just speaking in generalities?

She’s bound to know her. dustyscout53, give my best to Natalie Portman 👋

vividstag31 said:Do you actually know her, or are you just talking out of your neck?

I mean, pretty much anyone who’s had the misfortune of watching People Magazine knows her. Seriously—if anyone can name even one coherent sentence Natalie Portman has ever said that wasn't just a "hello," I'll shut my mouth for good. 😁 😁

dustyscout53 said:Look, anyone who’s been unfortunate enough to catch a glimpse of People Magazine knows the deal. If someone can actually quote a single coherent sentence from Natalie Portman that isn't just a basic greeting, I’ll shut my mouth for good. I mean it. 😁 😁

Or maybe she’s just being shy and reserved.

dustyscout53 said:If anyone can recall even one single coherent sentence from Natalie Portman that wasn't just a "hello," please post it here. If you do, I’ll shut my mouth for good. Seriously. 😁 😁

"Rafe Spall, you're such a jerk!"

I rest my case...

dustyscout53,
I wouldn't be quite so quick to judge someone's intelligence. I personally know plenty of people who are anything but dim, yet when you hear them on the radio or TV, you can hardly believe they’re the same individuals.
To be honest, I mostly "watched" most of American Idol by listening rather than looking—I don't really watch TV—so I'm genuinely glad that someone I recognized early on as a great singer is actually delivering. Some people laughed at me for watching TV with my eyes closed, just so I could focus entirely on the vocals. Natalie Portman, at least in my opinion, proved she had the best voice when she performed "Stop" at Universal Music Group. I actually got chills hearing her sing it. Part of that is because I have a bit of an emotional connection to that song, but mostly because it's been ages since I've heard a voice like that on the American music scene. Just think back to the early 90s when Vanna White was still singing on ET. I don't recall any American female vocalist captivating me like that until then. I immediately sensed a modern edge to her voice, which was quickly proven by her first real dance hit, "Midnight."
And just to go a little off-topic, that girl from Pixar who sings "Finally" also has a great voice, but she isn't anywhere near the level of Natalie Portman.

Best regards!

Here’s a random thought from my side:

That performance honestly put her right up there with Nina Simone and Vanna White!!!

(I mean, when you consider those two have like twenty years of experience combined—fifteen albums, sold-out tours everywhere... she's just so talented that one single performance puts her in their league)

PS: Technically, you can only hear 🙏 🙏, but I think dustyscout53's theory about resonance is actually pretty spot on

It’s almost as if singing is entirely dependent on the quality of one's voice...
Does anyone truly believe Frank Sinatra had a better voice than Natalie Portman?
Most female vocalists lack any sense of style or emotional depth,
and they certainly lack true interpretation. Absolutely nothing. Zero.
I am slowly beginning to realize just how much of a legendary singer Frank Sinatra really was.
It took me quite a while to get there, but...
🙂

Honestly, just from watching People Magazine, I couldn't possibly conclude that Natalie Portman is some kind of airhead. You might walk away thinking she’s a bit childish, maybe a little ditzy in a charming way, or perhaps even somewhat immature—but I certainly can't say she's stupid.

And her voice? It's extraordinary. I truly can't think of any other female vocalist on our so-called American music scene who compares.

Natalie Portman has such an incredible voice; listening to her is pure bliss... I mean, when you consider that Andrew Lloyd Webber gave her a track like Seagull to sing, doesn't that say everything you need to know?

As for the big picture, comparing nineteen-year-old (?) Natalie Portman to Oliver Hudson is just plain stupid... He’s got decades of better and worse interpretations behind him, plus all that life experience that just bleeds through his songs... It’s totally normal that Natalie Portman was impressed by the company she was keeping... Honestly, in a sea of mediocre voices on the American music scene, I really don't get why people feel the need to jump on talented kids like this the second they step out of line...

Natalie Portman is living in a country of 330 million people, and after just one audition for a People Magazine star, she’s already acting like she’s made it big. If that’s what passes for being a bright young girl these days, then we’re all in serious trouble. I mean, sure, she’s got a great voice—but does she have anything else? Maybe that’s actually an advantage if you're just trying to make it in the US music scene.
Look, some folks here think Natalie Portman isn't dim-witted, but I’m just not buying it. Honestly, let's just wait for a few interviews to roll out before we pass judgment, right? 👋

I honestly fail to see why anyone cares whether she’s a genius or not; it isn't as if she applied for some high-level position at Mensa, after all. She's a singer. And frankly, she sings phenomenally—her rendition of "Seagull" was enough to give me chills.
Someone brought up Nina Simone, but her performance felt rather lackluster to me. Now, Vanna White? She was absolutely superb. As were Massimo and the Diva group.

I have to admit, I was initially quite drawn to this girl. That ironic, almost naive little smile of hers gave me hope that she might actually be a breath of fresh air for the local music scene. My conviction only grew after stumbling upon an interview where she came across as genuinely intelligent and... well, different. However, as time goes on, I’m starting to suspect that all she really possesses is that specific smile and a voice of undeniable quality. (It brings to mind an interview with Saša Lošić in that summer festival magazine—the guy sounded as brilliant as a high-ranking federal judge and about as witty as... a Roman inspector during a particularly intense crackdown on Christians. Which only proves that an interview often reveals absolutely nothing).
Setting all that aside, letting Natalie Portman cover The Seagull is, to put it mildly, a total misfire. "But I hope, I still hope..." :-)