Frum female singer singing Secular songs

amother

Pewter

Wed, Aug 17 2016, 7:09 pm

Just saw a concert advertised that was a Jewish woman singing Celine Dion songs and other non Jewish songs and also Jewish hits. What is the point of this? Since the concert is for women only , why would she sing anything other than Jewish music. Why do you need to hear her sing Celine dion , there is no issur on a woman to hear another woman sing so better to hear it from Celine than someone else. To me the whole concept is just odd

amother

Vermilion

Wed, Aug 17 2016, 7:15 pm

Why not? Many people do covers. Why is it different for her to sing a Malky Giniger/Kineret/Chanale/Nechama Cohen song than to sing a Celine Dion song? There are some beautiful clean non Jewish songs. Besides for the fact that many Jewish songs are covers of non Jewish songs anyway.

Ema of 5

Wed, Aug 17 2016, 7:16 pm

amother wrote:

And to others it's not odd. It's called a cover, and artists do it all the time. They sing other people's songs. Personally, I am not a fan of her songs (her voice, the music, the words) but others are. So if they like it, why do you care? How someone else is entertained should not really matter to you.

NovelConcept

Wed, Aug 17 2016, 7:21 pm

I also agree that it sounds odd, but I admit that it sounds odd to me considering my current life standing.

I do know that many women have a pull towards non-Jewish music (and I am not saying whether it is okay to listen to it or not), but even with their taaves, they don't want to attend a non-Jewish, mixed venue. So I guess this would be a step up from attending a mixed concert where the singer would not be dressed tznuisly to boot...

When in the right frame, I guess I can understand the concept. As with many things in life, what is for one "down" can be for another "up."

amother

Pewter

Wed, Aug 17 2016, 7:46 pm

I understand the concept of a cover. However, if the person has a talent in the frum world, usually she sticks to our frum themes and don't sing songs like the power of love, my heart will go on , because you loved me... But I do hear what you all are saying

amother

Vermilion

Wed, Aug 17 2016, 7:50 pm

amother wrote:

Love is a very frum theme. Shir hashirim, rayim ahuvim, the love between a husband and wife, between Hashem and us...

What's not frum about the power of love???

NovelConcept

Wed, Aug 17 2016, 7:50 pm

I think the yetzor hara is very strong in the areas where people are talented. Ideally, we'd like to say that our singers stick our themes, and hear only Jewish music, and that writers read only Jewish works, etc, but the yetzor hara is so very strong, and I think that there is a tremendous pull to always learn more, hear more, see more about whatever it is that a person is passionate about.

Anyone that can solely stick to Jewish themes and works in their field of talent, in my eyes, is a true gibor.

NovelConcept

Wed, Aug 17 2016, 7:57 pm

amother: it's not a wrong concept per say, and I am not familiar what that particular song, but I just googled the lyrics and here is a snippet of what I found:

I hold on to your body
And feel each move you make
Your voice is warm and tender
A love that I could not forsake

Can you imagine a ten-year-old Jewish girl walking around singing such a song? A mother in front of her children? How about man even just THINKING it walking down the street?

In general, certain concepts are kept under wraps. Yes, love is powerful -- though in this case, with the emphasis on the BODY, I would call it LUST -- and should be appreciated, but do Jewish people need to go around constantly singing it? Thinking it?

Love is holy. Love is magnificent, and love comes in many shades.

Do we need to focus only on the bodily love that is often the focus of non-Jewish songs? You tell me.

sequoia

Thu, Aug 18 2016, 5:59 pm

The idea of women-only venues is fast gaining traction in the wider world. From female subway cars in Tokyo to Iliza Shlesinger's "Girls Night In" shows, events or locations where women can be themselves without the presence of men are becoming more popular.

So, who would come to such a concert? Any woman who wants to enjoy a fun night out in an exclusively female environment. Not just frum women.

Amarante

Thu, Aug 18 2016, 8:13 pm

Not sure why someone wouldn't want to hear a talented performer interpret a song. Generally, a really good cover version doesn't mimic the original. For example, Barbra Streisand's interpretation of Happy Days Are Here Again couldn't be further from the original frenetically happy version.

Hallelujah which is a song written and first performed by Leonard Cohen has been covered by so many artists there is even a book about all the interpretations and why it resonates with so many.

I would assume a frum singer is going to select secular songs that are beautiful but not obscene. I am not that familiar with Celine Dion but I think she would have many songs which are not vulgar by even the most censorious standards.

Also, it is unlikely that many frum women would even have the opportunity to hear Celine or other pop star for obvious reasons so an evening of both Jewish and secular music would be the best way to combine two cultures.

singleagain

Mon, Aug 22 2016, 6:38 pm

NovelConcept wrote:

you posted only a snippet.. we cannot judge a song, based on four lines.

try googling, the title of song and "meaning" or "interpretation" many songs are not meant to be taken literally, especially when you listen to it as a whole