Breathing technique is a large part of singing, especially with Seth Riggs, who's speech level singing applies breathing techniques which allow you to hold long notes, to sing with the ease one would speak with, etc... Michael isn't struggling with his breathing or unable to breath correctly while singing. If anyone know's how to properly conserve his breath, it's Michael.
Michael still has as much capability as he did when he was a young man, in fact, he has more. His range improved going in to the 90s by 4 half steps. Like J5 says, what Michael is doing is stylization. One doesn't have to like his style. At times I think it would have been better for him to have sung a verse more softly or what have you. But I also know it isn't done because he is unable to sing more softlly or more clearly. He has the range, absolutely. You hear him hit highter, clear notes on songs like "Speechless" and "The Lost Children". On "History" he goes from singing high and clear in "Earth Song" with the "Ohhhhoohooohhooh" to the climax where he sings it with a very intense growl and grit in his voice. But don't think he couldn't sing that with a high, clear voice. He could. He does in songs like "Childhood" and "Smile", etc...
My Dad said to me one day "Michael's a rock singer!", lol. He said it because Michael is extremely veratile and he is able to move from singing in an R&B, jazz, ballad style to singing in a hard edged, rock n' roll, metalic style.
I AGREE with you.
My 2 cents in this - he is absolutelly no running out of voice. On Whatever Happens he wanted to sound that way. I can explain this very simple - in our days with the technology of recording and mixing, the singer can stop and take a rest in the middle of the song, near the end, after few verses, etc etc how many times he/she wishes then continue till the end. The song will be remade piece by piece afterwards. I know Michael is not doing it like this, but if he feels that he is out of breath be sure he would do the song in parts, becuase he is a perfectionist.
For example, I watched Madonna recording vocals for Ray of light ( an interesting documentary from that time ) She sung few verses, even few words then stopped, then sung again, then stopped, etc till the song was done. Those little pieces were put together at final.
I do have somewhere - need to search for it - an early Earth Song version, sung quite differently from the album version. Actually I love that version more. At the end when we know his voice gets harsh and lil' graspy, in the older version was cristal clear, and the melody different, something very extatic, even hipnotic ....Those were one of the highest notes he ever hit. Scary.
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