Music Potpourri Game Night

​Okay, this is sort of a version of “Name That Tune,” but more a Name That Singer.  A while back, I was scrolling through the TV on-screen guide and saw that there was a special already on that had been made several years back featuring a successful pop singer.  I’m not a huge fan, but like some of her songs, and was curious to see her in concert. 
 
I caught a bunch of it, it was enjoyable, and then, at the end, she explained that her early training was actually in classical music.  And so -- she sang an aria.  And did very nicely.  Definitely not what you expected from her, given the direction and style of her pop career.
 
So I recorded the audio of it, and thought I’d embed it here and let people guess first who it is, before then giving the answer and posting the video so that you can see I’m not a-lying.

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​Okay, that’s the audio of the aria. 

No, it’s not Metropolitan Opera level, but not shabby.  Especially for someone who hasn’t been singing opera daily and training her voice and keeping it in shape.
 
Do you have your votes in and registered?  The polls close soon.  Sorry, we don't have any "I Voted" stickers to give out.  It's just the honor of participating.

I am also putting in a bit of filler here, as you've no doubt noticed (fine, more​ than "a bit" of filler), so that your eyes won't accidentally glance over and see the answer by mistake.

Also, I’ll give you a moment to change your vote, in case you’re wavering between a few people.
 
Fine, voting is now officially closed.

​Votes are locked in.
 
That singer was –
 
-- Jewel.
 
Yes, Jewel.  Who is best known for her sweet, sort of folky style of singing.  Who even yodels at one point during the concert.  I think she does a pretty impressive job.

And just in full disclosure, here is the video of Jewel singing that aria as proof I wasn't trying to snooker anyone by sneaking in audio of someone else --
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As I said, I’m not a huge fan, but I’ve liked a few songs, and I’ve also liked some of the off-beat things she’s done.  Like going on the Undercover Boss:  Celebrity Edition show, in disguise to find aspiring singers she could support.  And going to a karaoke bar in disguise and stunning the crowd.  

​Also, a few years back, I posted a series of videos I tracked down of a wonderful TV special I’d seen 30 years ago, only aired once, maybe twice (for reasons I can’t explain) on TBS of a concert version of The Wizard of Oz with a truly all-star rock star/pop celebrity cast – lead by a young girl I’d never heard of, who hadn’t yet released her first album, who blew away the audience.  It was Jewel.
 
(By the way, if you’d like to see that Wizard of Oz series, you can find it here, with links to all the videos in the 7-part series.  And when I say it was an all-star cast, with this young unknown in the lead, that’s not hyperbole – since, for starters, it included Roger Daltrey, Jackson Browne,  Nathan Lane, Joel Grey, Phoebe Snow, Ronnie Specter, Dr. John, and more.)
 
So, I’ve particularly admired some of the out-of-the-ordinary things she’s dove into.
 
What I also did, as I said, was record a video off the TV screen of the Jewel explaining her training background and singing the aria, so you can see the proof.  And then, I let the video continue since she ends the concert (though there’s an encore of sorts afterwards that I've left out) with a nod to that Wizard of Oz production by singing a lovely version of “Over the Rainbow.” 
 
Here that all is --