L.A. Times’ Pop & Hiss spoke to folk icon Joan Baez recently and it turns out she has a bit of a love/hate relationship with American Idol. “It’s sort of funny … but you really can’t stop watching it once you start,” she said.
Although Baez is impressed by the vocal abilities of the show’s performers, she doesn’t think their constant exhibition of a big vocal range always gives the best performance. “What fascinates me is that they all do it. I couldn’t do it if my life depended on it. I couldn’t have done when I was younger. I appreciate it, but they don’t learn when to use it and when not to — they’re just trying to out-melisma each other.”
She also doesn’t think the show sets a good example. “[A.I.] encourages the idea that you can get anything you want if you sing the right song at the right time; that the world will open for you,” she said. “It’s hazardous suddenly to be thrown into the spotlight like that. It was hazardous for me, and at that time it was a much slower process.”