Couldn't agree more. It's that soft, expression and emotion. Love it

Agreed. Hudson has a voice, that's it.

Love Heather I really like her tone. That's awesome you were able to go 5x and discover the contrast between Jennifer and Heather performances.

Yaaaassssss!!!!

I knew I couldn't be the only one who noticed!

No, I don't she has an accent because she from Islands so you pick up those hints in her pronunciation , but she is oh soooo different from their styles. She is a natural that is unique. You don't sing sing with Andre Boucilli if your not totally special. Spoke to her backstage and her spirit is a huge part of her delivery and performance!

ANNIE STORMBORN yesssss. yessss she does. I thought I was the only one who thought that... I Love Heather Headley

Me too!! I keep coming back to hear 0:34. She totally nailed in this performance.

+Stacy Unongo yes agreed. And she's even a better performer live, if that's possible.

Me too😩😩😩

Me too!!

don’t be mad she just wasn’t the original

Right? This is the best version!!!!

She's amazing! I saw her as the witch in into the woods and she was amazing

true

Girlfriend can belt it out too tho- check out her version of 'I Will Always Love You"

She is a belter

I agree with everything you say but Headleys approach is musical theatre platinum

+David George Thomas of course but the musical theater technique she uses vocally is almost opposite of what her character should/would use. It keeps her from sounding soulful, which is odd just in general because she's black but I digress.

+jaboy0978 I'm sorry but this comment bothers me....I mean I GET IT. But she is a Neo-Soul artist, she has a grammy for a GOSPEL Album. has the pipes to handle 8 shows a week, so how is her sound not Soulful? Soul is a feeling not a sound and blackness is not monolithic, if your a fan of the more SANGIN types (jhud, etc.) ok. but don't try to cut Queen Heather Headley Short nun.

+A.J. Thomson I get your comment as well but as I'm sure you know most prominent African American singers can display a set of vocal agility that has become almost the unofficial standard , as I'm sure you know (I.e. Sangin) It's just a little odd,to me, that she who takes on a much more technical approach has gained so much prominence not to take away from her good singing , all I'm saying is it's unusual. and for this character in particular that she's playing even more so, seeing as how the rest of the cast seems to be able to do the "church runs" it, which makes me wonder if she's fit for this role vocally. not to say she can't sang(although I've never heard it, and I'm a headley fan myself) she just doesn't in a role that almost seems to call for it.

Just want to add a different perspective. Just so you know, I'm a musical theatre actor and was on the first national tour of The Color Purple when Fantasia was Celie, among other actresses, and Angela Robinson was Shug. I also saw the original Broadway production. Anyway, I agree that Heather doesn't demonstrate the kind of vocal power we have grown to associate with soul singers, especially those who originate in the Black church, like Jennifer Hudson. However, she was much better suited for this role because her style of singing is actually a bit of a throwback to another era, which is what this show is. This scene is set in the 40's when "church runs" were not really even a thing. I would say Black singers have always incorporated vocal embellishments, but runs and riffs, at least as we know them today, really didn't come into prominence until the 80's, maybe the 70's. Can many of the singers in this show riff and run all over the place? Yes. They can also sing an aria and jazz because of their training. Heather's vocal interpretation is not only because of her technique, but also because of her understanding of how singers sang in that era. Although Shug grew up singing in church, she shouldn't sound like a church singer, whatever that sound was then, because she's been influenced by blues and jazz. She's listened to Bessie Smith and probably knows Dinah Washington and Sarah Vaughan. Also Shug is probably a good singer, but not a great singer. Her real talent is in the show she puts on. These are just my opinions. I love these kinds of conversations and would love to hear your thoughts.

Well Jennifer can't act. Heather is an amazing actress

+Josh MusicIsLife LOL @ jennifer can't act!!!!......i won't even dignify that with a proper reponse!!!.....

+troynellsantana she did a good job in Dreamgirls of course . But while in the color purple. She cared way more about her voice than really connecting in a scene.

+Josh MusicIsLife yea Jennifer Hudson is an ok actress. But I can guarantee if heather Headley originated the role she would have def got a Tony nod lol. And it's the same with wicked, there have been many actresses to take the role of elphaba and sing it way better than idina, but if yu never seen idina in wicked, then yu have missed something incomparable. That acting quality is what gets them there Tony. There in a musical so we kno they can sing, now it's just connecting to every scene and every word or every song. That's why Cynthia Erivo will win that Tony on Sunday

Have you seen both in the role Live? I think that's the only way to truly speak about who is better.