Post by Bill on Dec 21, 2002 2:44:10 GMT -5
I've just recently been introduced to Josh Groban and sorry, but I'm just not hearing a voice that is THAT special, worthy of all the attention he's getting. Don't get me wrong - he has a very strong voice - he IS talented - but I've heard many performers in my life - and Josh is on par with a solid Broadway musical performer who can belt out a song but all in all is rather standard and predictable.
I think what's happening is that Josh has been very carefully packaged by David Foster, his management team and the music industry and is being sold to the public as the next big thing. The media is fuleing this and manufacturing a star and public - attracted to his curly locks and pleasant voice - are eating it up. I mean, how many vocalists of his type and his youth are out there right now. The music industry wants/needs ($) a Josh Groban type of star so there going to make one.
I've never been very vulnerable to that kind of marketing - at least in the formation of my opinions about whether a performer is a standout, a true star who offers something intangible that other performers don't.
Having read various bios of his on several sites (I really did want to give him the benefit of the doubt) there is precious little out there on his family that I can tell. I'm more than a little suspicious of this since there are several mentions that he attended some very expensive schools in LA when he was younger. Having lived in LA for years and been in that milieu myself, this leads me to suspect that he is likely a kid from a very wealthy family and that family money and position helped get him where he is. I don't believe his story is quite as simple as "being discovered". Not a problem in itself - but if this is the case then it should be public. There are too many struggling performers out there (and no, I'm not one of them so no sour grapes here) who are just, if not more, talented than Mr. Groban is.
The story we're being told by the media about Josh sounds awfully like those the old movie studios used to spin on stars they wanted the public to buy. Remember musician Kenny G? When he first hit the public's consciousness he was touted as brilliant and also the recipient of incredible good luck. That is, until people learned that he came from a family already prominent in the music industry. Big surprise. Now, while many still thinks he's a very good musician - they no longer see him as brilliant since they're too aware that his rise was manufactured.
Sorry to be so cynical and I certainly don't mean to offend the young man's fans or besmirch the level of talent he does have. I just wanted to express my opinon in saying that in my opinion, while Josh is a talented singer, he just isn't special enough to warrant being touted as brilliant because (again, in my opinion) he sounds like so many good singers but is being defined as brilliant less because of his level of talent but because of prepackaging and financial backing.
Someone should ask David Foster what % he gets of Josh's earnings?
