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Church singer with 'next-level' range covers Adele and wows audiences on 'The Voice'

Atlanta-based Asher HaVon hit rich lows and incredible highs with his rendition of "Set Fire To The Rain."

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Asher HaVon singing "Set Fire To The Rain"

Back in December of 2023, Adele told The Hollywood Reporter that she wasn’t fond of other people covering her songs since they cannot relate to them on the same level.

“I don’t mind it when they do, but I’m just saying they’re never going to be able to emote it,” she said.

But had she heard Asher HaVon’s rendition of her power ballad “Set Fire To Rain,” she might be singing a different tune.

The Alabama-based singer, minus a high-profile gig involving Barack Obama, was more accustomed to performing at church than on a massive stage.

Still, HaVon wowed judges on “The Voice” during his blind audition—beginning with rich, earthy tones that effortlessly soared to goosebump-inducing high notes.

"Asher, what an incredible voice you have," Reba McEntire said afterwards. "Your range, your power, I couldn't wait to turn around and see what you look like."

John Legend, though he didn’t turn his chair for HaVon, seconded McEntire’s opinion, saying “it went in so many different places and your voice has so many different pockets that are very cool."

Take a listen below:

Feeling chills? You’re not alone. Check out what other viewers had to say:

“Right out of the gate Asher sounded amazing and he just got better and better. Crazy vocal, range,and runs.”

“He took that steadying breath and out came this legit sound, deep and sonorous. It was a little surprising. I thought he'd be a high tenor. He showed the low but also got some squall, falsetto, and grit in there. Well done, man!”

“After the Intro I didn't expect such a huge range. Asher nailed it!!! Great Performance.”

“This had me smiling from start to finish. This is probably the best rendition I have heard of this song and his voice is astronomical.”

“Absolutely gorgeous version of the song. Asher totally made that song his own!”

“This man is vocally exceptional. His voice was soulful and powerful. And the song choice further supported his voice.”

It might be true that no one can relate to a song the exact same way the creator of the song does. But we can infuse our own emotions and interpretations into those works, creating something fresh and new. It’s definitely one of the more magical aspects of the human condition.


This article originally appeared on 3.26.24

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Kelly Clarkson surprised unsuspecting lunch-goers with a gorgeous a capella flashmob

Can you imagine sitting at lunch and suddenly having Kelly Clarkson singing in front of you?

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Kelly Clarkson brought her powerhouse voice to an outdoor dining area in Los Angeles.

Kelly Clarkson surprised unsuspecting lunch-goers with an impromptu performance of a song from her new album with the help of some friends.

The singer and talk show host started walking toward an outdoor dining area in Los Angeles, and soon other voices began joining her in harmony. Her beautiful, powerhouse vocals quickly drew the attention of the diners, who were surely stunned to see that it was actually Kelly Clarkson singing in front of them.

The song, "Favorite Kind of High," wasn't one most people would have recognized immediately, as it's from Clarkson's new album, "Chemistry," which was released in June 2023. That didn't matter, though, because Kelly Clarkson could sing the phone book and make it sound Grammy-worthy. And the group of singers who sang with her sounded amazing, too. What a treat.

The pop star shared a video of the pop-up performance in a Facebook reel:

Music adds so much joy to our lives, and getting an impromptu serenade like this one would surely make almost anyone's day.

"This is EVERYTHING…Keep filling spaces with your beautiful voice/s, smiles, joy and positivity! I hope you continue to give these joyful moments & spiritual uplifting EVERYWHERE…EVERYONE NEEDS THIS," wrote one commenter.

"Awesome!! How cool would that be to have Kelly Clarkson singing to you while at lunch & had no idea it was gonna happen!!" wrote another. "So cool!!"

A commenter who shared that she's "83 1/2 years old" told Clarkson to "Keep on singing and filling the world with beauty"—sage advice we can all appreciate.

Many people also asked Clarkson where she got her dress, which is a long-sleeved, ankle-length green wrap dress with pink flower details.

Can we formally request that every artist promote their new songs and albums this way? Random, unannounced public performances are a win for everyone.

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Outrage over Trumpian 'Julius Caesar' is exactly what Shakespeare tried to warn us about.

Shakespeare's 'Julius Caesar' carries an important message about democracy, perhaps more relevant than ever before.

"NYC Play Appears to Depict Assassination of Trump," read the headline of a June 11 Fox News article.

You've probably heard of the provocateur behind this show. His name: William Shakespeare. The play in question: "Julius Caesar," a 17th-century classic.

This particular performance was put on by New York's Public Theater, and as many productions of "Julius Caesar" tend to do, gave it a modern setting — showing just how wonderfully timeless Shakespeare can be. That is, togas were replaced with suits and a certain Roman emperor was replaced with a brash, blond-haired billionaire/president.

In response, hordes of angry people took to social media, chastising the show's sponsors for promoting such a distasteful and harmful display. Within hours, Delta and Bank of America had both issued statements distancing themselves from the production.

In response, Public Theater artistic director Oskar Eustis took the stage with a message for the performance's critics.

The message of the show, Eustis explained before Monday's performance, is that violence is not the answer when it comes to enacting political change.

"Anybody who watches this play tonight — and I am sorry there is going to be a couple of spoiler alerts here — will know that neither Shakespeare nor the Public Theater could possibly advocate violence as a solution to political problems."

"This play warns what happens when you try to preserve democracy by non-democratic means, and again, spoiler alert, it doesn't end up too good," Eustis told the crowd.

Eustis also directly addressed the people who were moved to anger, protest, and boycott the performance, reminding them of the context of the play's central message:

"One of the dangers of that is the danger of a large crowd of people, manipulated by their emotions, taken over by leaders who urge them to do things that not only against their interest, but destroy the very institutions that are there to serve and protect them.

This warning is a warning that's in this show, and we're really happy to be playing that story tonight."

These types of modern productions of "Julius Caesar" are pretty common — regardless of who is in office.

A few years back, The Acting Company put on a production of "Julius Caesar" starring a Barack-Obama-like version of the show's titular character.

While there may or may not have been a handful of people upset by the production, most seemed to understand that the play was not an endorsement of political violence against President Obama — just as this newest version isn't an endorsement of violence against President Donald Trump.

Just as Eustis warned: Let's all take care to avoid joining the "large crowd of people, manipulated by their emotions, taken over by leaders who urge them to do things that not only against their interest, but destroy the very institutions that are there to serve and protect them."

The theater, which even Trump has called "a safe and special place," is for all of us, regardless of our politics.

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Björk explains how DJing and sexism work to critics who don't understand either.

Icelandic singer Björk is an artist who refuses to be put in a box.

From her music (a blend of trip-hop, jazz, electronica, and ... just about everything else) to her style and stage presence, which are unapologetically, 100%, pure Björk-ian.

You may know her from this swan dress appearance at the Academy Awards. Photo by Lucy Nicholson/AFP/Getty Images.

The latest act in Björk's career-long mission of breaking the mold is a series of DJ sets she's been doing at clubs and festivals around the U.S.

Lets talk about what exactly a DJ set is.

It's a not-so-little-known secret that musicians love music, and not just their own. They're constantly collecting influences, inspirations, and insights in the music they listen to and admire every day. A DJ set is when an artist plays some of their favorite music for an audience instead of performing it. They can play selections from their own work, but the night usually consists of a personalized mix of other songs from musicians they admire. It's an act of musical appreciation for everyone involved, but it's not a concert.

DJ sets are a pretty common part of the club and music festival scenes, and usually everyone present knows what to expect. They've been hosted by artists of all genres, from Animal Collective to Talib Kweli.

In December 2016, Björk was surprised by some of the reviews she received after a DJ set she hosted in Houston.

In a Facebook post, Björk opened up about the sexist double standard that she felt led to the criticism of her act that night, explaining that while most of the artists "played mostly other peoples music," only she seemed to get dinged for not playing her own music.

She wrote:

"Some media could not get their head around that i was not 'performing' and 'hiding' behind desks . and my male counterparts not . and i think this is sexism . which at the end of this tumultuous year is something im not going to let slide : because we all deserve maximum changes in this revolutionary energy we are currently in the midst of"

dear little miss media!!!! happy winter solstice !!!as you know the majority of my career i havent moaned about...

Posted by Björk on Wednesday, December 21, 2016

In the post, Björk lamented the fact that women in music are often limited to superficial topics, and experimentation outside of that is criticized.

"Women in music are allowed to be singer songwriters singing about their boyfriends," wrote Björk. "If they change the subject matter to atoms , galaxies , activism , nerdy math beat editing, or anything else ... journalists feel there is just something missing."

Photo by Malte Kristiansen/AFP/Getty Images.

Björk also noted that male artists are, in many ways, allowed to jump around in subject and experiment with their art more freely. "If [female artists] dont cut our chest open and bleed about the men and children in our lives we are cheating our audience," Björk explained.

"Eat your bechtel test heart out."

There are endless other examples of sexism in the music industry. As more artists like Björk come forward with their stories, the faster we can fix things.

From the lack of female representation at music festivals to Madonna and Björk herself having to constantly explain that, yes, they produce their own music to the truly horrifying and ongoing lawsuit between Kesha and the producer she alleges raped her.

Recognizing and appreciating the ability of female artists to branch out and experiment might seem like a small battle, but it's a big step in respecting who they are as artists and people — which could have far-reaching effects on the industry.

"Lets make 2017 the year where we fully make the transformation !!!" wrote Björk, clearly excited at the possibility. "The right to variety for all the girls out there !!!"

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