What is talent?

[Ironically Ironic]

After Aaliyah won that r&b thing, I went to ask my sis for her Aaliyah One in A Million cd and I was jammin on the one.  And I was like Aaliyah is so talented.  Her voice isnt the best but her cd was rockin.  But then I looked in the book and I saw

Producer: Timbaland
Writer: Missy Elliot
Vocal Producer: Missy Elliot

I went through all those songs and Aaliyah didnt do anythin with this cd. She wasnt even executive producer.  Its like she came in the studio and som1 said heres the beat, heres the lyrics, and this is how you sing it. 

So what I am trying to say is that is it fair that if som1 gets bad reviews that they are less talented than som1 with good revies.  Some artist get diff producers for their album who do like 2 songs each, but they write their own songs and think of the melody.  They dont get one producer like Timbaland, Neptunes, or Rodney Jerkins to produce their album.

So is it fair that just because an artist get bad producers to make their album, does that make them less talented. 

I was just wondering that after reading that r&b diva poll that Aaliyah won when she was in actuality an ok singer but good dancer but didnt basically do any of her songs.   Aaliyah not the only one but there is others like that.

[kellydicted]

Someone who is talented either has this amazing god given gift or uses whatever ability they have to achieve success – resourcefulness...more or less, this is a really subjective question

[freeek04]

Aaliyah probably worked WITH those people. They were all close friends of hers, she probably had a bit of say in it and worked with them to get it all together, but let them get the props for it.

As for my opinion on talent, it's very strange. I think Britney Spears is genius, but the reason is basically because she knows what songs to use, she knows what sounds good on her and she knows how to manipulate her image and the media to her favour. I give her props for at least being able to carry her career on past the whole "i won't have sex til' i'm married business", somehow she got around it and no one notices now.

I think there are also brilliant singers. Mariah, Deborah Cox, Patti LaBelle and Whitney (at least a few years ago, Whitney's lost her voice entirely) are shining examples of fabulous voices.

It's all relative to what your credentials are. I think anyone who can carry on a career more than 5 years successfully in this industry is either pretty talented or has a few good rappers' records to be featured on. But that's another argument for another time ;).

[bluenote]

Hector said:

Someone who is talented either has this amazing god given gift or uses whatever ability they have to achieve success – resourcefulness...more or less, this is a really subjective question

Perfect answer.

[irice22]

Hector said:

has this amazing god given gift

I believe that is talent.

uses whatever ability they have to achieve success – resourcefulness...more or less, this is a really subjective question

And I believe that is skill.

[msanoja]

irice22 summed it up for me.

[Purple Dreams]

Hollyweird said:

irice22 summed it up for me.

[Bob]

freeek04 said:

It's all relative to what your credentials are. I think anyone who can carry on a career more than 5 years successfully in this industry is either pretty talented...

Very good indication of talent, I think-- if you're around for 10 years with at least a fair degree of success, you must be talented. I can't think of anyone who's lasted that long that doesn't have talent-- and I lay money that if there are any examples, they're people who are very very smart, which is a talent too, just not a musical one.

[Night Senses]

I really don't get into the politics of it all, but if you can entertain me genuinely, you're alright with me. Talent is in the eye of the beholder. Like Hector said, it's very subjective. There are people you just can't deny, though. But you could have serious discussions about others, based on certain viewpoints.

It's very subjective.

[automyskin89]

Talent is someone who can actually sing live unlike a lot of people today. It's also someone that can hit notes, who's song aren't like blah, songs that show off a person's vocal ability.

[Devil Marlena Nylund]

!~NRG~! said:

Talent is someone who can actually sing live unlike a lot of people today. It's also someone that can hit notes, who's song aren't like blah, songs that show off a person's vocal ability.

So talent is only for singers? Nobody else in music can have what you consider to be talent?

[msanoja]

!~NRG~! said:

Talent is someone who can actually sing live unlike a lot of people today.  It's also someone that can hit notes, who's song aren't like blah, songs that show off a person's vocal ability.

okaaaaaaay