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    Melanie Amaro Goes Totally ’90s on First Single

    Melanie's singleMelanie Amaro is the girl who won "The X Factor" last year, in case the hoopla this week about all the shocking "X Factor" cast changes made you temporarily forget about her. But these days she apparently has the XC Factor. ("XC" is the Roman numeral for "90," fellow dorks.) Yes, Melanie may have sang mostly ballads during her run on the show, but on her new single--a '90s-retro, Hi-NRG, Hi-BPM cover of Aretha Franklin's "Respect"--she's definitely picking up the pace. And now I'm wondering if she was right to stick with ballads before.

    Yes, I always wanted Melanie to branch out and try more uptempo tunes on "The X Factor"...but now that she's gone the full-on '90s clubby/remixy route, I'm not really feeling it.

    Have a listen here:

    Sure, this song would be fabulous if it were a C+C Music Factory/Crystal Waters mashup being performed on Downtown Julie Brown's "Club MTV" back  in 1990. (Wubba wubba wubba!)  Or maybe if it were being lip-synched by "RuPaul's Drag Race" contestants. But for an "X Factor" contestant? Um, I'm not so sure. It just sounds a little dated, and it seems like an especially odd first outing for Melanie considering that the one thing about her that originally earned America's R-E-S-P-E-C-T (and America's votes)--her great singing voice-- is a bit buried in this technotronic mix. It's also weird that her first single would be a cover song, as opposed to an original written just for her.

    But hey, maybe Melanie's fans will think "Respect" is retro in a cool way (the '90s are coming back, or so I hear). And maybe the song will grow on me after I see Melanie perform it in her big Pepsi Super Bowl commercial airing this Sunday. Here's a teaser of that ad, which also stars Elton John and the '90s-tastic Flavor Flav (and looks like it's supposed to take place in the 1490s, I think):

    What do you think of Melanie's new song? Is this the right direction for her? Or is this just another bad business decision on Simon Cowell's part?

    Related links:

    Abdul, Scherzinger, Jones all leaving "The X Factor"

    Steve Jones announces firing on Twitter

    More on "The X Factor"

    Follow me on Twitter

     
    • Pedro  •  Branford, Connecticut  •  2 months ago
      Awesome voice wrong choice of song
    • KIONNA  •  3 months ago
      whack song, with a voice like hers, they couldve came up with an original song that really showcased who she really was. this is garbage and we all know no one can sing it like ms. franklin, but this 90's pop #$%$ was awful. if they dont work on some real music, shes gonna flop like the rest of the good artists!
    • Bo  •  Jacksonville, Florida  •  3 months ago
      I just saw that Astro is going to be on the show "Person of Interest" next week. How is this punk #$%$ kid an actor now?
    • Jermaine C  •  Las Vegas, Nevada  •  3 months ago
      Hated It!!!!!!!!!!!!
    • I'mcorrect  •  Phoenix, Arizona  •  3 months ago
      For sure this will be a huge club hit and make some $$$$$ but it's not really a top40 radio hit.
      It should help her begin to build a fan base though
      • Jeremy 3 months ago
        Respect is too dated to be used in such a way as this :/
    • Tampa Yankee  •  Tampa, Florida  •  3 months ago
      I have an accent, oh, no I don't, oh yes I do, oh no I don't. I'm so confused. Who am I? 5 million dollars sweetheart, now go get a therapy and a speech instructor to show you how to keep the "accent" going, without slipping up into your English speaking voice which is real, and her accent is as phoney as she is.
    • Chung  •  Chicago, Illinois  •  3 months ago
      She can always go back to ballads, but it is difficult to do the reverse. Is there anyway Adele could ever sing an up-tempo song? I think a club anthem like this has a better chance at appealing to a broader group of listeners and help increase her fan base. She has a huge voice, which cannot be dismissed even in a dance song like this. Remember who wrote and produced Mariah Carey first up tempo hit "Emotions", David Cole and Robert Clivillés aka C+C Music Factory.
    • David Ray  •  Waverly, Ohio  •  3 months ago
      nope!
    • JarrodS  •  Baton Rouge, Louisiana  •  3 months ago
      Her vocals are superb, but the arrangement of the song is awful. If they did a more soulful version of the song it would have fit her voice better. #$%$ is Simon Cowell doing?
    • JS  •  3 months ago
      That chick's chest is just busting out all over the place.
      • MeandHe 3 months ago
        I'd be willing to put money on she's the next Weight Watcher's spokesperson.
    • big red  •  Tucker, Georgia  •  3 months ago
      They couldn't get her an original song? It's not even a current-sounding remix. Very disappointing. But then again,I wanted Josh to win. She's coming across a bit arrogant in the promo spot.
    • B  •  Oxon Hill, Maryland  •  3 months ago
      I would let Melanie bounce that big booty on my face!
    • Walter Linebarger  •  St Peter, Minnesota  •  3 months ago
      Isn't this just a promo for the Pepsi ad, per say, and not really her first studio single?? I think so... anyway Melanie can do no wrong with me, and I love any "respect" I can get these days anyway!
      • jet b 3 months ago
        EXACTLY!!! A PEPSI COMMERCIAL!!!!!!!!!!!
    • doug  •  Wallingford, Connecticut  •  3 months ago
      This girl can sing she doesn't need all that techno #$%$ that hides all the bad voices making records today like Brittney, Katy Perry, Black Eyed Peas, and the list goes on
    • Bo  •  Jacksonville, Florida  •  3 months ago
      More Garbage from Simon Cowell. Another overproduced pile of crap. Such a good singer, too bad she has to perform this crap.
    • Gloria  •  3 months ago
      This song doesn't do Melanie's voice justice. I really hope they give her better material to work with on her album. She is my favorite contestant from the season and I want to see her do well, she deserves to.
    • Sandy  •  Randallstown, Maryland  •  3 months ago
      Melanie has a fantastic voice, but I don't like the song period. I hated it when Aretha sang it and I hate it now.
    • A Yahoo! User  •  Shelton, Connecticut  •  3 months ago
      Just hoping she isn't making the same mistake as Cher did with her "Do You Believe"???
    • EricS  •  Sacramento, California  •  3 months ago
      I like the original better and I personally wouldn't buy this version :(
    • b  •  Coram, New York  •  3 months ago
      ick. where is abba now that we need them?