Judith Hill, "Heal the World" Singer
The only time I cried Tuesday during the Michael Jackson memorial was in the middle of it, when I went back to sleep after an awful night of tossing and turning and dreamed that I was crying, uncontrollably, that hiccupy, face-contorting, ugly kind of crying. It was unclear in the dream why I was crying, but I remember being surprised by my tears. And then I woke up and watched the rest of the memorial service, which I had recorded, dry-eyed.
There was something so chilling about mourning a man in the most public of ceremonies whose great tragedy was that he had never had a private life. Even in death, there wasn't any way for Michael Jackson to walk -- or be driven in a casket -- down the street unnoticed.
And the memorial service itself, while undoubtedly providing fans some kind of catharsis -- and entertainment, searing into our brains one last time this notion that Michael was the consummate entertainer -- felt strangely like an awards show and not a funeral, an awards show with a peculiar dress code: black clothing, sad faces, choked-back tears. (Except for Mariah, who, god bless her, adorned her mourning garb with a Farrah Fawcett-worthy hair flip, cleavage down to there, and sequins.) Everyone who eulogized Michael was so famous, captions identifying them to the general public were dispensed with by and large.
Perhaps that's why I found Judith Hill's performance of "Heal the World" towards the end of the service so moving. Hill, who's half-black and half-Japanese and whose parents met in a funk band in the '70s, was scheduled to be one of Michael's backup singers during his shows in London, and was, until yesterday, a complete unknown. Hours before Rolling Stone identified her, our friend Raymond, cofounder of URB magazine, Tweeted her identity and website (I don't know how he figured it out, he's just brillz that way).
Every time she sang the line "heal the world," I thought she might actually do it. There was joy tempering the pain, and unlike so many of the other performances of the day, hers didn't feel produced -- in the sense of "lights, camera, action" -- for an audience. Hill's rendition of the song Michael once said was the one he was most proud to have created wasn't transmitted through this thick static of celebrity, performance, apology, legacy-asserting, and possibly fake-tears. Which is why it almost brought me to real ones. And I think I might have cried if I knew what exactly I was crying for, unlike in my dream, where I cried and cried for no reason.
Would I be crying for him? Me? Those lost moments of childhood, jumping on my bed, singing every line that I could make out in Thriller, believing there was no greater happiness?
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Judith Hill is surely amazing and did the song proud...Having said that, I think she is like everyone else and trying to ride the coat tail of michael jackson by promoting herself to bigger stardom than what she would have been...she looks a little too happy to be doing interviews, and wanting the concert to go ahead etc etc Nice job, but find your own claim to fame.
You are very cynical. Since you don't have any talent of your own, you have to tear everybody else down. In the long run this way of thinking can turn you into a hater hater. If you are young, then work on yourself a little more. If you are old....well...I'm sorry but I'm afraid you will suffer from your own history of disappointments.
Judith Hill was amazing, but I resent the implication that the other performers were insincere. I never got the sense that anyone there was faking it. Their emotions--and mine--were very real as we all mourned a man who brought joy to our lives through his music and dance. To me, the memorial was classy and dignified and deeply moving.
Agreed.
I recall the countless people, myself included, pleasantly surprised that it was such a dignified and moving ceremony. I do not like Jermaine Jackson but when he sung "Smile" I could not help but cry.
I am an old cynic but found nothing to criticize about Michael Jackson's memorial.
In terms of showmanship, it was flawless and considering the perfectionist he was, he would have been proud.
Beautiful and powerful voice!
A star is born!
When Judith Hill sang Heal the World she made me think of how great it would have been if she and Michael Jackson could have sung together. She did Michael proud. We have to hear more of her singing from her heart. Judith Hill seemed to encourage the youngsters to join her with the soulful rendition and they all looked great.
It has been reported that she is half Black and half Japanese. Her experiences mixed with her heredity endowment have given us a beautiful young lady whose talents must be given a chance to grow and grow.
Judith Hill is super duper amazing and talented. She also sings backup for Katisse Buckingham. There aren't many people with voices that fill up your soul with joy, as much as Judith. Judith is a rarity and a gem, and definitely a gift from above (and I'm not a religious person). Her performance of "Heal the World" was beyond moving and I wish her all the success life has to offer. Her website is http://www.judithhillmusic.com/. One of my favorite songs she sings is called "Basket People" which is on youtube --> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j070_Gy9qcU GO JUDITH!!
Wow, you took the word right out of my mouth. Something spiritual about her that really got my attention. She sings and moves so effortlessly and she defines the song. Her bio says she has been a gypsy and wander, before that she was a child prodigy. I feel very optimistic about myself and others when I see and hear her perform. She is so true to her art it is frightening. Only other person that comes close to her in being honest to the art is Ellen Page.
I'm a 50 yrs old conservative civil engineer, and she touched me.
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