American Idol Season 11: Jessica Sanchez

It is hard to believe that it has been a month since we had to say goodbye to Whitney Houston. While she may no longer be with us, her memory continues to live on in the world. As a way of paying their respects to the woman who inspired them to use their voices, many singers in the entertainment industry have taken to covering Whitney's classics in their performances.

This week, during American Idol's Whitney Houston and Stevie Wonder tribute night, one aspiring young diva dared to tackle Whitney's signature song, "I Will Always Love You". While it is a risky maneuver to sing this great beast of a ballad, Jessica Sanchez managed to rise to the occasion with a beautifully effortless rendition that was as close to perfection as one can get. Jessica's performance prompted the judges to praise her for delivering the best vocals of the season and declare her as 'the one' to beat in the competition. If this is just the beginning for the sweet sixteen-year old singer (who is just as stunning on a studio recording as she is in her live performances), then I cannot wait to see what she has in store next!

All hail Princess Jessica.

Grammy Awards 2012: The Moments

Adele performing the Record and Song of the Year, "Rolling in the Deep" at the 2012 Grammy Awards.

As host LL Cool J said at the opening of the 54th Annual Grammy Awards, the night was about something truly universal and healing - music. Devastated by the passing of Whitney Houston (to whom this year's ceremony is dedicated to), the music community paid their respects to the late, great vocalist by letting the beat go on. The music-makers celebrated this past year by recognizing the achievements of their fellow artists and by creating some of the finest and most memorable Grammy moments in the show's history. These were some of my favourite moments...

• Alicia Keys and Bonnie Raitt's cool cover of "Sunday Kind Of Love" by Etta James, in honour of the late Matriarch of R&B and Soul.
• The Regal Reba McEntire introducing Jason Aldean and Kelly Clarkson's "Don't You Wanna Stay", one of my favourite Country duets of 2012.
• The Beach Boys set by Maroon 5 and Foster the Kids, with a special appearance by the band itself! "Good Vibrations" was especially groovy and showed that the Beach Boys, who are celebrating their 50th anniversary this year, are timeless entertainers.
• Stevie Wonder. Need I say more?
• Folk duo The Civil Wars singing a snippet of the entrancing "Barton Hollow," their Grammy award winning song from their Grammy Award winning album.
• Tony Bennett, who received his first Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album accolade of his career for Duets II (which contains his sensational, award-winning collaboration with the late Amy Winehouse, "Body and Soul"), sang his duet with Carrie Underwood, "It Had To Be You".
• Jennifer Hudson's emotionally-charged rendition of "I Will Always Love You" was a stunning tribute to Whitney Houston (and surely brought tears to the eyes of all those who adored her).
• QUEEN ADELE. The vocal powerhouse deliver a rousing rendition of "Rolling in the Deep" (the fact that she can go through vocal surgery and sound that stellar is amazing!) which was followed by a standing ovation from the audience. She also dominated the night with a clean sweep of Grammy Awards, earning a grand total of six trophies in the categories of Best Short Form Music Video (for "Rolling in the Deep"), Best Pop Vocal Album (for 21), Best Pop Solo Performance (for "Someone Like You"), Song of the Year and Record of the Year (for "Rolling in the Deep"), and the prestigious Album of the Year for 21! With her six awards, she matched Beyonce's record of most wins by a female artist in one night. Truly, there is no one more worthy of all the acclaim than the talented and sensational Adele.
• Sir Paul McCartney (along with Bruce Springsteen and Dave Grohl in the band) closing the show with Golden Slumbers / Carry That Weight / The End. That Beatles medley is perhaps one of the most beautiful pieces of music ever created, and it was such a pure joy to hear it performed on the Grammy stage. This powerful moment was a reminder of how good songs can be cherished for many years to come.

"In the end, the love you make is equal to the love you take."

The Greatest Whitney Of All

Whitney Houston (1963-2012)
Image from delingcity

"We all die. The goal isn't to live forever, the goal is to create something that will." - Whitney Houston
My goodness. It seems like just yesterday when I was writing about Etta James's passing. I can't believe that we're saying goodbye to yet another music legend - the remarkable Whitney Houston.

Whitney Houston is regarded by many as one of the greatest singers of our time. Since the 1980s, she has released multiple hits, from her first #1 record in 1985, "Saving All My Love for You" to her latest single, "I Look to You". Even more, Whitney is esteemed as an artist who has touched millions of lives. Her songs resonate with people and inspire them to fall in love with music, to become music makers, and to follow their dreams, no matter what. In the wake of her death, I've heard many stories from her fans about how Whitney has had an tremendous influence on them. "I Wanna Dance With Somebody" brings back fond high school memories. "I Will Always Love You" moves many to tears and encourages many aspiring singers to pursue careers in music. "When You Believe", her duet with Mariah Carey, was an unforgettable moment for fans of the two superstars.

Along with "I Have Nothing", which I consider to be one of the most powerful and passionate vocal performances of all time, I'd like to remember Whitney by "The Greatest Love Of All". This song contains an important lesson I wish everyone could hear: "Love yourself for who you are". There was something very human about Whitney. Like any person, she faced her share of challenges in life, but she worked hard to overcome the obstacles in her path. Whitney is an example of resilience and strength, and a symbol of empowerment to women who want to achieve greatness in their lives.

It is with great sadness and heavy hearts that we bid farewell to the iconic Whitney Houston.
May you find the peace you deserve.

We will always love you, Whitney.