You've got to love this guy. His desire to share his music and culture means that there is no stage that is too big or too small for him to perform upon. His lack of a "diva" attitude is so endearing.
The song combination here is with two of my favorites and ones that to my limited ability, I find myself singing along.
The song "S.O.S. (d'un Terrien en détresse)" is originally from a French-Canadian musical called 'Starmania' from the 1970s and is considered one of the most difficult French songs to perform. Dimash is from Kazakhstan. He appears here in the fifth season of Hunan Television's "I Am A Singer" competition. "I Am A Singer" is an annual Chinese music competition between famous and established professional singers. The audience phones in to determine the winner after each episode.
At 22 years old, Dimash was the youngest participant in the show's history and competed against these professional and top-selling Chinese singers as a 'wildcard' competitor. The competition consisted of fourteen rounds, lasted almost 4 months, and competitors are eliminated throughout the season. Every performance is live, and no lip-syncing or auto-tune is permitted. Pure unadulterated vocal ability only. (Dimash's mother later said that he hoped to reach at least the middle stage of the competition.)
This was the very first episode of the competition, and Dimash had to go first because he was considered the weakest, given that he was completely unknown to the audience. After this performance, he became a superstar in China overnight. His Chinese competitors called him their "little imported brother." The other already well-known contestants were in absolute awe of him and joked that they might as well go home. Dimash won the first two episodes! He also won the sixth for his rendition of "Adagio," a song made famous by Lara Fabian.
First place overall went to the famous Chinese Sandy. Sandy's first album came out before Dimash was even born. Dimash took second place overall; however, he lost by a very narrow margin. Although Dimash did not win the show, he immediately became a beloved star in China.
As part of the contest, all contestants/performers are required to perform one original song they have composed. Dimash sang "Unforgettable Day," a song he wrote when he was still in his teens - it's a love song. He sang in both the original Kazakh and in Chinese even though he did not speak Chinese at the time and had to have a translator with him throughout the competition.
Here is the order of Dimash's performances for The Singer 2017. The contest lasts 14 weeks, but Dimash has only thirteen performances because he had already made it into the semi-finals by week eleven.
1. S.O.S. (French)
2. Opera 2 (Russian)
3. The Show Must Go On (English)
4. Autumn Strong (Mandarin)
5. Uptown Funk (English)
6. Adagio (English)
7. Daididau (Kazakh)
8. Daybreak (Mandarin)
9. All By Myself (English)
10. Unforgettable Day (Mandarin/Kazakh)
11. Bye week - He had already made it into the semis
12. Confessa/Diva Dance (Mandarin/Italian/Alien) (Semi-finals)
13. Michael Jackson Tribute Medley (English) (Finals)
14. Give Me Love (Makhabbat ber maghan) (Kazakh)
The last performance was part of the 2017 Biennial Concert and not the competition. It was broadcast live and is an original song written for Dimash.
Lyrics of S.O.S :
Why do I live? Why do I die?
Why do I laugh? Why do I cry?
Here is the S.O.S.
Of an earthling in distress
My feet were never on the ground
I'd much rather be a bird
I don't fit my skin
I'd like to see the world upside down
What if it's more beautiful
As seen from above, above
I always seemed to confuse life
With some kind of comic strip
I'm so eager to get metamorphosed
I can feel something
Drawing me, drawing me
Drawing me way up high
At the universe's lottery
I didn't get winning numbers
I don't fit my skin
I don't wanna be a machine
All work and no sleep
Why do I live? Why do I die?
Why do I laugh? Why do I cry?
I think I'm picking up
Waves from another world
My feet were never on the ground
I'd much rather be a bird
I don't fit my skin
I'd like to see the world upside down
I'd much rather be a bird
Back to sleep, dear child...
Stranger is remarkably simple, it has two hooks, one constantly repeated, to drive the song. However, this is where producer Igor Krutoy, continued his collaboration with Dimash. The arrangement for the song musically is incredible, the support on the instruments to his voice is amazing, and let us not forget that long last note!
Lyrics of Stranger:
New ground far as I can see
New ground underneath my feet
Stranger in a stranger's land
New chance to know who I am
If I have the strength to begin again
Somewhere in my heart in ancient times I wandered
Through these valleys I have climbed among these hills
Faces from a past, I'm haunted by their memories
Lives and loves I've lost I feel them in me still
New ground far as I can see
New ground underneath my feet
Stranger in a stranger's land
New chance to know who I am
If I have the strength to begin again
New ground far as I can see
New ground underneath my feet
Stranger in a stranger's land
New chance to know who I am
If I have the strength to begin-
New ground far as I can see
New ground underneath my feet
Stranger in a stranger's land
New chance to know who I am
If I have the strength to begin again
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