It’s been a long time since we’ve done a “Wired for the Weekend” post but Beverly McClellan’s recent performance on The Voice is well worth posting. I couldn’t stand American Idol (e.g., the snark of the judges, the mean-spirited tone of the audition sections, the – mostly – bubble gum pop music etc.) but I’ve been enjoying The Voice because of singers like Beverly McClellan [and also Dia Frampton (Hapa!), Vicci Martinez, and Xenia Martinez (love the tone of her voice)].
McClellan’s recent performance was absolutely spectacular. Her voice, her stage presence, and even her quirky dance moves . . . loved it all. (For a way better analysis of McClellan and Martinez’s performances than I could offer, see Karen Tongson’s brilliant post “Hearing Queerly” at her Sound Studies Blog in which she asks us to take seriously “the sonic dynamism of lesbianism.”)
There are a couple of things I do have to get off my chest though. It’s too bad that Cee Lo and the homophobic Blake Shelton try to feminize and (hetero)sexualize McClellan but, of course, their normative perspectives and intentions matter not even a little bit with regard to McClellan’s performance. Since it is The Voice, maybe the judges are better off sticking to comments about the aural aspects of the performances because they don’t seem to get the visual at all. First of all, McClellan is not wearing a skirt. She’s wearing a kilt paired with a military jacket and she looks effing amazing. I feel like she’s channeling Marc Jacobs, actually. Second, does Shelton really think that calling McClellan hot is a compliment?! He can take his “compliment” and shove it. Uh-huh.
threadbared 
I loathe singing competitions but this woman is so worth watching – what a voice and presence. The judges on the other hand, major barf.
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