Celebrity Idol - America vs World

[Melathys]

so, my gf and I were discussing singers, and if there was an american idol type competition of successful singers, america vs the world, who would be in it. We decided on 10 male and 10 female vocalists, but we found our lists to be short...(and they had to be current, ie, as they could sing right now, which would mean whitney houston would be out)

Male:

US
Garth Brooks
Josh Groban http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfxqW9QwOSI
Ivan Moody(5 Finger Death Punch).. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBMT3OMEPwk mainly cause I'm a huge fan of the band, and we have to include possible performance strengths.

and thats about all we could think of that we would put on a world stage

World
Roy Kahn (Kamelot) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBh_gqghnKs
Chad Kroeger (Nickelback) though I'm not a big fan of the band (the gf is) even I have to admit the guy has a great rock voice.
um, yea, thats about all we had for this one, lol

Female:

US
Christina Aguilera (she's on a short list of popular american female singers I'd put in a world competition, but no doubt a very strong entry)
Norah Jones

World:
Simone Simons (Epica) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5em-w8UY ... re=related
Tarja Turunen http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00eE1NVoZSU
Charlotte Church http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Is0hXP5Vr08
Sharon den Adel (Within Temptation) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u9tL4Mgzjx0&feature=fvsr

Duet with two of the singers of my list, Simone Simons and Roy Kahn..they have a few, but I really like this one. (ugh, can't decide which to post, so I'll post both) one is released under Epica, the other under Kamelot.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsbTu92k-EU (simone's last note on this song drives me crazy)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-9zH-bk-Vw

So yea, who would you put in this list?


(this is an elaborate attempt to get familiar with more great vocalists, so post away...)

[Levantine]

Sia Furler would 100% be on my list for the world. Awesome Australian vocalist.

[Brekkie]

no whitney houston?

[Skye1013]

I actually like Katy Perry... so she'd be on my list. Muse is quite awesome as well (Matthew Bellamy on vocals.) Of course... I'd do something unusual and probably add "Weird" Al Yankovic, too. He's pretty much all parodies and polkas, but you have to admit, he's got an amazing vocal range.

[Melathys]

the op states that whitney houston would be out...have you heard her sing lately? sure, in her prime she'd be a top contender, but I'm talking right now, so no dead people, and no one who has gone to hell (ie, whitney houston) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5paCjsQi ... re=related

I actually agree with wierd al, now that I think of it. In all honesty, he's got to be one of the most talented singers out there, with all the styles he can do.

[mew]

I don't think you're ready for this jelly.

[Brekkie]

Rebbecca Black

FRIDAY FRIDAY FRIDAY OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH

[Darielle]

Rebbecca Black

FRIDAY FRIDAY FRIDAY OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH

Way to beat me to it.
Jerk.

In all seriousness, you could probably add Taylor Swift to the US side since she actually has a voice and talent.

[Fivelives]

All these country & western singers!

For the US (Male):
David Draiman (Disturbed) - it still boggles my mind how he can go from ultra-guttural to super-melodic nearly instantly.
Anthony Kiedis (Red Hot Chili Peppers) - there's never been an RHCP song on the radio, ever, where someone has to wonder "so, who's singing this?". Ever.
Ever.
Chris Daughtry (Daughtry/Absent Element) - I hesitate to add someone from American Idol, but Daughtry is the only person I ever really liked that got their start on the Idol stage.

US (Female):
Brittany Bindrim (I:Scintilla) - the only American female vocalist I really listen to, since I met Amy Lee and found out what a total BITCH she is. Either way, Brittany has an amazing vocal range.

World (Male):
Leonard Cohen (Self-titled) - one of, if not the, most successful bass singers in the history of music. It's hard for sopranos and basses to do solo work, and Cohen's success should speak for itself in that regard. He's an amazing balladeer, and I'm betting you've heard at least one song of his; if not the original, then one of the covers.
Gordon Downie (The Tragically Hip) - wow, I listen to a lot of Canadian music for some odd reason. No idea why.
Mes Aïeux (no real frontperson) - French Canadian folk band out of Quebec. Their songs are all in french, but if you listen to the songs, you might just be blown away by the singers. All of them are amazingly talented, both with vocals and instruments, and I could easily see any of them moving to different styles and being successful at it.

World (Female):
Cristina Scabbia (Lacuna Coil) - She melts me. If I could pick any one person in the world, alive or dead, to sing me to sleep and wake me up in the morning, it would be her.
Róisín Murphy (Moloko/self-titled) - Super-talented female Irish vocalist with a style that you have to hear to believe. It defies all classification. Look for her song "Ramalama (bang bang)" on last.fm or your favorite music site. I bet it'll be stuck in your head for days.
Sharon den Adel (Within Temptation) - just like Cohen made it as a bass, den Adel made it as a soprano (not a contralto or mezzo-soprano, but a true soprano). I don't see her being able to do more than her own style easily, or successfully, but what she does, she does very well.

Honorable mentions go to Gregory Charles (world male, canadian... AGAIN!), and Voltaire (US male - I'll see your Wierd Al and raise you Zombie Prostitute).

[Arnock]

For the world:

Roger Pontare
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s2vGBY7nXx8 (and the swedish version)

[Koatanga]

New Zealand's contribution, representing the World, from Christchurch, New Zealand, I present Haley Westenra:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vr6ajtA5 ... re=related

PS: Interesting choice of Gord Downie. Pretty much the Kevin Spacey of rock music

My fave Hip song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8Fi46BFAF0

[Fetzie]

Biffy Clyro (world-uk male group)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tm5PFIRdPfQ
Adele (world-uk female)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FiMK9e0h6YE

[Skye1013]

Picture Link
I don't think you're ready for this jelly.

Not to nitpick... but isn't that the Single Ladies vid, not Bootylicious?

[mew]

Picture Link
I don't think you're ready for this jelly.

Not to nitpick... but isn't that the Single Ladies vid, not Bootylicious?

Yeah It's more iconic of an image/video and I feel Bootylicious is under-appreciated, mixin and matchin all up in here.

[Skye1013]

Picture Link
I don't think you're ready for this jelly.

Not to nitpick... but isn't that the Single Ladies vid, not Bootylicious?

Yeah It's more iconic of an image/video and I feel Bootylicious is under-appreciated, mixin and matchin all up in here.

What? I don't think that's allowed in the AA... we're full of seriousness and reality.