When Can One Be Called A Singer?

I always tell my friends that being a singer and being a performer are two completely different things. Anyone who can carry a tune can be a singer but not every singer can be a performer. A performer is someone who has the complete package. The voice, the presence, the theatricality.

But then I wondered, when can one be called a singer?

You see, I try to listen to everything but of course I have my preferred genres when it comes to music. There are different styles and different techniques to grab the audiences attention. But will the singer be good enough to give justice to the song?

When songs are written, the songwriter shares a story. A piece of them is embedded into the music. It could be the lyrics to verbally express things they could not say out loud or maybe it's in the melody to make the listener feel the emotion they want to convey.

The job of the singer is to give life to the song. Give it meaning. Give it soul.

Some singers don't do that and sadly, some songwriters write for the money and not for the music. They write because they are paid to do so not because it's what they want to share with the world. It's the same with singers who sing songs just because it is what's expected from them.

I have no respect for singers like that. Some singers belt out songs just because it is within their vocal range or they are trying to fit in with the latest trend but their voices, high and loud as they may sound, are empty. They don't know how to feel the song. They don't know how to capture the emotion that was infused with the lyrics and the melody of the song.

Personally, I would move that these singers be stoned to death but social convention dictates that, that would be wrong.

I won't name names because my perception of things are slightly different from most people. That being said, I am not generalizing all singers. There are some who can belt but still give justice to the song but unfortunately there are some who don't. When I see these singers perform on stage (and some of them can barely hold a tune), I ask myself what their fans see in them for them to be loved so much when in fact there are people who are 10 times more talented than them whose talents are ignored because they would not bow down to social construct.

When the time comes that all our timeless diva's are gone, what will happen to the music industry? Will we be left with nothing but electronic dance music and autotune or will there be those who will rise to be the new divas of that generation?