Chart-topping singer OMI performed live on NBC's "AMERICA'S GOT TALENT" and was off-key for most of the song.
It could have been for a number of reasons; 1) maybe the audio signal from his microphone was turned down, 2) maybe the volume in his earbud headphones was too low, or 3) maybe the audio effects on his microphone (like "Autotune") didn't kick in, exposing the TRUE nature of his voice which sounded thin and pitchy.
In any case, there he was...butchering his mega-hit "Cheerleader", dressed to impress with a bevy of sexy dancers and full-blown brightly-colored cartoon animations behind him.
After a huge introduction by AGT host NICK CANNON, the slim Jamaican impresario Omar Samuel Pasley (born 3 September 1986 , better known by his stage name OMI) failed to establish a commanding presence from the beginning. Instead he warbled the island-infused pop tune through a nasal whine, concentrating most of his performance energy on navigating his way through aisles in a dark theater while wearing shades.
This could be one indication that the artistry of Artist Development has suffered in the music industry in recent years, opting instead to focus on "getting them into the gym", finding dancers that can 'Catch dat wall" and which fashion designer to "shout-out" in their next song.
I'm sure you can think of at least ONE artist that falls into this category.
Watching a singer weave their heart, mind an soul into a vocal performance is a beautiful thing.
The AGT/OMI debacle would not have been so awful if other singers who were in the competition weren't amazing.
Take for instance, 13 year-old ALONDRA SANTOS.
It's understandable why the "Cheerleader" video is so popular, with it's perfectly-pitched "autotuned" vocals, non-threating lyrics of true love/devotion and really good-looking people on the beach having fun.
But lip-synching in a well-crafted, big budget music video is much different than the talent required to captivate a crowd at Radio City Music Hall. As an artist, the success in achieving this goal is directly in proportion with your ambitions.
Sorry NBC. Opening the AGT broadcast with the original VIDEO would have been a better move.
