Back a couple of months ago, the hubby found a Youtube video of an a cappella (no instruments) group that he found to have quite amazing skill. He discovered they were the winners of a reality-show competition called “The Sing-Off.” He found out they were just about to start Season 3, so checked if it was broadcast on any of our cable channels. He found the two-hour show at 8 pm on Monday evenings on a US station that we get. So, we’ve been watching it. Last night was the final episode.
It is a unique talent show, in my opinion. We do usually watch America’s Got Talent because it showcases more than just singing talent. I have watched very little of American Idol (although we did follow two seasons of Canadian Idol), or X Factor. I just have so much trouble listening to the off-key presentations so as to make it unwatchable for me.
The Sing-Off is different. These groups are often college choir groups, so their talent level is usually well-established. There are times when they have pitch problems, but the competition is so fierce, the groups rarely allow themselves to make such mistakes. The first episode had 16 groups competing and eventually by elimination, came to the final two. The hubby and I would guess which groups would be eliminated by the end of the show. I think I was more accurate than he – not sure why, but it was fun to guess.
One group that was the second last to be eliminated was one from Howard University, and their name was Afro Blue. Howard University is located in Washington, DC and started as an African-American university. I can’t find confirmation of this on the internet, but I’m pretty sure I remember hearing that the fictional university from the Cosby Show – Hillman – was patterned after Howard. It would make sense since Phylicia Rashad, the actress who played Claire Huxtable, and her choreographer/actress sister, Debbie Allen, director of the spinoff series A Different World, are both graduates of Howard. The group Afro Blue was comprised of 5 women and 5 men, all African-American except one woman.
Wow! Could they sing! They sang in the jazz style and were fantastic. I thoroughly enjoyed every performance they gave. Each group were given a song they had to arrange into a 2-minute performance version with the available voices in their group. So, more than just singing and stage presence, these groups also had to have the ability to arrange music to suit their strengths. It was evident pretty early on which groups did not possess that skill. The hubby and I thought Afro Blue was by far the best in arranging.
However, the judges had problems with them in the early going. They kept saying the group was making things too sophisticated, and overthinking their arrangements. They said they were losing the audience. Not me! However, I guess these judges wanted “simple!” The group got lost for a while, not knowing how to please the judges and losing their identity. The judges then criticized them for that, which I thought was unfair. However, they pulled it together again and made it to the semi-final. I was disappointed to see them go. Their performances were so much fun, and just so effortless it was a real joy to watch them. With Afro Blue out of the running, I do think they chose the next best group for the recording contract and prize money.
The competition ended a week ago, so last night was a Christmas special. Now, they could have called it a “Holiday” special, or “Winter” special, but they called it a “Christmas” special. I was pretty sure I would be disappointed, but was hoping they would actually include “Christ” in their program. Jesus did not make an appearance, nor any homage to His birth. They had the usual winter songs that pass for Christmas songs these days – songs about Santa and the pagan fertility plant, mistletoe. And they had a couple of strange ones too. There was one I can’t remember now but thought it was a very odd choice for a Christmas show.
Another was Leonard Cohen’s song “Hallelujah.” I remember when it was first released and thought it really had nothing to do with “hallelujah” – “praise the Lord.” And in looking at the lyrics online, there is a disbelieving tone to it, and it’s really about romantic love gone wrong. What?!? What does that have to do with Jesus’ birth, or Christmas – even the secular way it is celebrated today? And yet, the judges and the performers were deeply moved by their presentation. I don’t get it. And it all made me very sad.
There is so much to celebrate this time of year – true love from a God Who has adopted us as His own. Such a fantastic gift given to us unworthy so we can live with Him forever. Wow! And yet, this makes society uncomfortable. Instead they turn this message into one about commercialism, winter, feeling good, and family. They even co-opted the Christian example of St. Nicholas and turned it into sap! As for me and my house…
Until next time, remember Who Christmas is really about…
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