Elliott Yamin

Elliott Yamin, shy and sincere

Summer 2002 saw the beginning of a new popular TV show American Idol, which is aimed at finding new talents in the US. Each time the judges together with the viewers choose the best, but the last season, the fifth one, turned out to be the most exciting especially when it came to only three participants left. A twenty-eight year old Elliott Yamin was among them. With a very slight difference in votes he became the third-place finalist. Always shy and without megalomania unlike the other participants of the program Elliott has managed to maintain his inclination to R&B and inspired by his teachers and numerous fans has eagerly pursued a music career. This year his eponymous debut album has been released after quite a long preparation to occupy number three on charts and become the best-selling debut album of a solo artist of all times. Record Elliott Yamin has a lot to offer: soft soul ballads, danceable R&B compositions all refined with the singer's unforgettable vocals. On each track one can feel certain emotions as there is no doubt that Yamin' paramount feature is sencerity.

Elliott Yamin is an album to appeal to anyone

The general tendency of the competition that has made Elliott Yamin famous is to breed pop-singers, and he has to face it including a couple of pop tunes into the album. Yet there is enough of dirty R&B beat that is sure to appeal to everybody fond of creative work of Justin Timberlake, Usher and suchlike. On the other hand, lyrically the record is absolutely innocence and at some points might even seem too simple. Yet more complicated texts would have probably hidden the singer's openness and passion he displays on every single track no matter of what genre. The opener Movin' On was first released as a promo single to intrigue the audience. It pleases with a catchy rhythm and Elliott's quality singing, infecting the listeners with his mood. Wait For You is a slower love composition performed against a great drum background, and a beautiful ballad You Are The One amazes with both a splendid piano accompaniment and Yamin giving full swing to his vocals. The singer claims his maturity and manliness on I'm The Man and another reserved song Traiwreck surprises with smart lyrics. Soulfulness of track Take My Breath Away and depth of thought aroused by it is sure to appeal even to the most sophisticated listeners. The album's finale is a full version of a piano ballad A Song For You that received the highest estimates when Elliott performed it at the programme.

Initially different from the others

Despite Elliott Yamin's being on the American stage for a short time many predict his starry future. This opinion is not groundless. In order to understand what kind of person Elliott is one should know his personal story. To start with, not everybody knows that Yamin is ninety per cent deaf in his right ear and this has never prevented him from being fond of music and taking it up as his primary occupation. Besides, at the age of sixteen the young man was diagnosed with Type I diabetes. At least in the sphere of music industry the artist like that is initially different from the others and has to overcome a great deal of obsticles before he is acknowledged. This battle of life has seasoned Elliott stronger than anything else, and the result of the competition is the best prove of it. He has learned to be firm while carrying his point and is hardly ever going to be influenced by the mainstream in future. On the contrary, the debut album witnesses of a tremendous potential of the singer and most probably, as soon as he has gained enough experience and grown as a professional, he will find himself far ahead of many peers. Hopefully, it will happen sooner than we may even expect.