Nikki Ross- How Great Thou Art [Audio Slide Show]

[heavenly848]

I actually thought this was really good. she was not all over the place. and she took her time with it. this was amazing

[dkpope8604]

You have to realize that this is her expression to the God that she serves!!!! This is how she expresses how much she loves and adores him. We are amaze by her gifting and her talent, but we don't know what is behind every riff, run, scat or trick that she does with her voice. As a singer, I can tell you that there is something that is behind each and everyone of them. Don't knock her expression, and folks won't do that to you too!!! Just sayin!!!

[jshpoetry]

I really appreciate Nikki Ross for her talented voice that was sent to her straight from God himself. My opinion about singers who do a lot of runs and scats is...I totally appreciate them. When a person can execute runs and scats in a manner of perfectionism that's just showing and proving just how talented of a true singer they are. That means they know their scales and just how to use them to transform a simple song into a masterpiece. Don't hate...you might be able to do runs one day too.

[ikom35]

I'm dead @ 1:52

[Trying2Rip]

I agree with what everybody is saying, but she does do alot of running and sometimes to much and that in her case makes the song longer and drawn outthan it should be. Nikki is very gifted in her own way but sometimes you can here competition in her voice if she has to sing next to or with someone...overall she is blessed with a gift.

[Clayton15sings]

Bless Nikki! Whoever speak against her is messing up. No matter if you like her style or not. She is blessing the name of the Lord. What you do to his children you have done likewise to him and he said it would be better for you to drown in the sea than speak against his children. If you can't say anything good keep your mouth shut. Praise God that she is working for God and not the devil. Ugh, ya'll people need to be slow to speak and gain some much needed wisdom

[skratchvocals]

@Clayton15sings great comment! When people do it on a piano or guitar everyone loves it but when a singer shows that same mastery of the voice critics say it's "too much". Who are we to say how another person should use THEIR gift. We are all different and there is room for all of us. Nikki isn't just a singer she's an incredible MUSICIAN!

[MadVocalz20]

It's funny how we can be critics about her singn and and about where's the message. Basically ur sayn it doesn't take all that to praise God. Have you (Critics) ever thought the reason she sings like that is because that's how she feels it and those who are Nikki followers would know she doesn't sing all her songs with alot of riffs and runs Some are just pure worship But I guess that wouldn't matter bcuz half of the ppl that are being critics are just religious they lack a relationship.

[titleclosings]

All I have to say is this rendition of the song performed by Nikki Ross...is just MADDDDDDDDDD and insane....what a performance....regardless of the other critics...this woman is beyond the words of GIFTED....but just DIVINELY FAVOURED!

[ilovemusic4529]

Now I do agree, that she may do a lot of tricks and what not, but there is no doubt that Nikki is anointed girl!!! I mean baby girl is SANGIN this song!!!!

[C312jr]

O.M.G I'm thinking after reading some of your comments. To anyone who know's a thing or two about music, Nikki Ross is by far one, if not the best vocal artist of all times this world has or will ever see. The control Nikki has over her voice is nothing but a true gift from GOD JESUS CHRIST. What's up Charmine... This ya boy from G.S.A lol.... Holla Suffolk...

[consuelodadancer]

Why even watch this if you don't like Nikki Ross? Is her name not in the title? Don't bashing and let this girl give her praise to The Almighty! When you come out with a CD, post it and let us critique your wonderful skills! The Devil does not rest...

[couturesixfour]

4:25...unhealthy vibration of the folds. to phonate in this manner can be very dangerous. have we not heard mcclurkin's testimony! education is vital!!!

[Sc0rpion]

I'm not the biggest Nikki fan but I did really like this.

[jaredluv]

love her and she is as down to earth as they come

[jaredluv]

shes great dont be upset cause "Yall" cant do runs like that...Be careful about talking bad about Gods instruments

[woodivick912]

i disagree w/ u couturesixfour and liftimyall b/c being n da gospel field everybody receives jesus there own way some people feel like dis type of singing takes it the song to anotha level and people buy dis type of singing look at kim burrell butwe all have our opinions

[hizchild23]

all I got to say is WOW!!!!!!!!! and he is surely great

[msr18924]

all i can say is that if you do riffs & runs do it in the anointing and let it not be manmade just so you can show off. But alot of times God's presence is in the place so much that you cant help but do riffs and runs to get that praise out..i cannot judge and say that she just doing it to do it..only God knows!

[lorenzohawkins]

i think this is one of my favorite nikki moments. its subtle for her but yet so powerful. i love this. very nice.

[MrXJB]

Who are we to judge?

[TheChristianJShow]

- I know Nikki can get annoying with her riffing but that Nikki and she loves and i do to i can listen to her all day..

[iknowdasright]

sometimes i feel like Nikki is just riffing and running for the sake of riffing and runing. It's a great voice, no doubt, but it gets to be annoying after you hear her sing two or three songs.

[couturesixfour]

@iknowdasright i completely agree. i've fallen out of love with her beyond her tricks. where is her message. i love that she is successful, but i would appreciate a straight song every now and then!! i pray she gets a great company to give her guidance. she is a wonderful talent. love her ministry overall, but she does need to take some of the business out of her performance sometimes!!

[liftimyall]

Say so.. I like her a singing a lot., but there is much too much riffs etc. She has such a great voice. Why would anyone like her think that they needed to riff and run everything. I sing and I do some AAT home when it gets too much for me and I don't do a lot I don't do it in public.

[BellePaix]

@couturesixfour Anyone who knows anything about music can totally appreciate her performance. Nikki Ross' ear is incredible and her "tricks" are incredible. She NEVER loses tonic, no matter how chromatic a scale she sings or how much she modulates. That's is an incredible skill and she definitely has a great anointing. If you want a straight line, listen to someone else, as I do when I want one. However, she is nonetheless anointed and far more talented than most singers recorded today.

[couturesixfour]

@BellePaix Anyone who knows the human voice would love her instrument. One who loves music sees that she is too busy...all the time! i love the strength of her folds, but we often lose the melody (WHICH IS ALWAYS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF A SONG) and that is where the message is. We all have our opinions. That is just my opinion of her. She pushes her chest register too far and she may see a reduced range in the future! She squalls and puts her chords through quite a bit!

[BellePaix]

@couturesixfour I don't ever feel like she loses the melody. And since when has gospel singing become the model of vocal health? A reduced range in the future? That's 95% of all gospel singers. The female voice should be peaking when one is in her 40's; especially a voice like hers. However, I seriously doubt that it will, as we've seen with all our favorite gospel voices. The mere fact that she can take chest, at the very least, a third above the passaggio is incredible and I love it!

[couturesixfour]

@BellePaix I would ponder whether you know what true melody is. She often breathes in the middle of words and this is a DIRECT sign of improper breathing and phrasing. Most voices do mature around this time, but it depends on how the voice has or hasn't been cared for. The ear who has never heard this song would struggle to retain the strength of the message.

[BellePaix]

@couturesixfour I'm sorry, but you are being critical about things that have NOTHING to do with this genre of music. There are only a few gospel singers that do not breathe in the middle of words and sing with proper phrasing. That's the nature of this genre. Also, both my masters degree(IU) and artist diploma(CCM) in voice performance prove I know at least a little about melody. Even I, a full-time classical singer, can let go and enjoy this singing. You want bel canto? Youtube Mariella Devia

[couturesixfour]

@BellePaix I am not expecting bel canto, no, but there are a great number of singers who do phrase well and who do have diaphragmatic control, even within this genre. These things DO have something to do with this genre. This is still music, it is still singing, and it is still ministry. Unless you know this song it would be very hard to recall its message through this delivery! People are more excited about the agility and lose the salt of the message!

[couturesixfour]

@BellePaix Oh she's great. I just listened to her. She had a great career with the Met. She doesn't sing in the States anymore. She still sounds well and I think she is mid 60s. Gospel singers can have a long life as well, if they are careful. All differences on this matter aside, what is your opinion overall on how the majority of gospel singers produce sound?

[BellePaix]

@couturesixfour produce sound. I won't have a microphone to amplify my voice over the orchestra and into the large hall. My body is my instrument. I don't know one gospel singer that would carry over an orchestra because the type of singing. Open throat, release of breath, freedom of voice, pure vowels...any of this ring a bell in gospel? No.lol And if it did, the sound would totally change. Therefore, I say leave it. Of course, I would love to hear beautiful phrasing, but I'll pop in Goerne.

[couturesixfour]

@BellePaix I concur. I was not being critical of her ministry, but I was saying what you just wrote out; just with less tact. I still think that there is better way for gospel singers to seek training and coaching. I do not believe that the classical style is THE style of singing, but I do feel that there is a line that we should draw when it comes to what we define as singing! Just a thought! How I love Kathleen and Reri!!

[BellePaix]

@couturesixfour :) I love them both as well. I've been corresponding with Reri lately, as I am writing about her life and career. She is really a sweet woman. I must say that classical may not be THE style of singing to some, but it is indeed the model of healthy singing; at least the bel canto school of thought.

[couturesixfour]

@BellePaix I love Reri, but I feel that Kathleen was the better actress. She didn't have Reri's top notes, but she is more enjoyable to me. Reri set the stage for her. Isn't she in Germany now? I agree that Bel Canto is healthy, but there are healthy approaches to singing other genres. I am musical theatre, jazz, choral, and some gosel...some! But I have developed a style, paired with proper rest that allows me to maintain my instrument!

[BellePaix]

@couturesixfour Kathleen was great, but Reri is known for her acting. The first thing anyone says is that she was a consummate actor. And I would agree. And Reri did have the top notes, fierce top notes. Are you speaking of Reri Grist? Please note her "Caro nome" and, especially, her Zerbinetta from Salzburg Festival. Her voice was also larger than Kathleen's.

[couturesixfour]

@BellePaix I will say that I've only seen a couple of clips of Reri Grist. I know she introduced Somewhere on Broadway and the clip that I first saw of her was as Zerbinetta. I have seen clips of her coaching and training! From my acting training and perspective and due to the fact that I have seen Kathy more, I love her sweetness better! Reri was the better singer...no doubt!! She also had better air than Kathleen, but I just love Kathy's tone!!!

[couturesixfour]

@BellePaix I also have a hard time convincing my friends who sing gospel to take care of their voices on a daily basis. Some of them eat the wrong foods, laugh and scream too much before performing, stretch their voices over material that doesn't fit their individual instrument, and they emulate singers that are more advanced and trained in areas such as ear development than they are! Some of them can't even explain to me how their diaphragm works and where it is actually located.

[BellePaix]

@couturesixfour Because it isn't a concern for most of them. They sing in mics and will scream until they can't scream any longer. They are not concerned about being heard in a hall over an orchestra for a period of 2-3hrs, 3-4x a week. They can opt out of high notes and create lines, as opposed to having to sing what the composer wrote regardless of how one may feel. It's a totally different field and less athletic. They use their throats to make sounds, whereas classical singers use our bodies

[couturesixfour]

@BellePaix True. I have friends who HATE singing from sheet music. Firstly, they don't read and they also don't like the monotony. They are truly lost without amplification and often leave performances without being able to talk! There are some things that I simply will not do vocally...SQUALLING is one of them!!

[BellePaix]

@couturesixfour I can't squall, my voice won't even do it. My voice is trained to operate when supported by breath, with an open throat. If your friends were singing healthily, they wouldn't be able to sing badly because the muscles have memory and to train them one way, then sing another is almost impossible. It takes time and if you're trying to train the muscles to sing squalling gospel while singing beautifully in the classical genre, you'll just end up with an amalgam of mess.

[couturesixfour]

@BellePaix I can't squall either. In musical theatre we still use technique. We support our notes on the air, that is those of us who know better!! When I approach a song I make sure that it fits my instrument and my spirit. I'm like Leontyne, I sing on my interest, not my capital. I don't sing at churches too much anymore. They say I'm too pretty and plain nowadays...and that's fine!!

[couturesixfour]

@couturesixfour I may be a bit critical because my BFA in Acting and years of vocal training have taught me that the message must be clear! All else is sounding brass. Don't get me wrong, I love a rift and a good accent here and there, but not at overkill and not at the expense of a healthy vibration! Does this genre allow us to treat our instruments any way we would like?

[BellePaix]

@couturesixfour That's exactly what this genre allows. I don't know any gospel singer that sings healthily. They all close the throat to make sounds, whether consistently or here and there, and the sounds are never fully supported. NEVER. I don't think the majority of gospel singers produce sound healthily. I'm a singing actor, not an actor who sings, and even the director asks me to do something crazy onstage--cartwheel or hang upside down--I have to figure out how to healthily/correctly

[liftimyall]

EXACTLY< EXACTLY! EXACTLY!!! Smooches to you for the truth.

[mrsperry19771]

sang Nikki, and play muscian.

[okebaram]

Is this a recent recording?

[Sanggurl17]

this was like 5 years back.

[okebaram]

Thanks. This is definitely not her 2008/2009 voice (her voice got heavier) lol

[Sanggurl17]

lol! You're welcome..

[xylem2007]

OMG...im happy they put this up....its amazing how she makes the song hers...i love nikki!

[karenclarkfan]

I love me sum Nikki Ross forealz!!! Nikki turns into Twinkie at 4:25-27 & 5:00 I cant believe that shes just an awesome vocalist Love Nikki.

[c4c2007]

I love this! very beautiful!......