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View Full Version : Does Willa speak other languages fluently?

MissInnocent
Jun 27th, 2004, 02:19 PM
I was just wondering since she studied opera and sang a bit of French in "Santa Baby" if she is fluent in anything but English.
Aline
Jun 27th, 2004, 03:17 PM
If I may say something, Willa doesn't speak any French in "Santa Baby" - I'm French and I swear I don't understand a single word she says in the "French" part beside "merci" (means "thanks"). I have also checked lyrics sites and none of what they write makes any sense. Maybe Willa does know a little French, but probably not much.

Opera is usually in Italian, so maybe she knows a bit of it.

However, I suspect Willa to be kinda fluent in Spanish. Just from the way she speaks the names of the guys in "Santa Baby," how she said Jesus and Jose - Spanish-speaking people have a special way of the J and she got it right.

But hey, Willa's a really smart girl (I read once that she had a pretty impressive IQ) so maybe she does know more foreign languages that we know.
MrsShaneWest
Jun 27th, 2004, 05:33 PM
yeah ive heard her sing opera in italian...im italian and i can tell you her pronounciation was very good! :D
Sunshinechick
Jun 27th, 2004, 06:09 PM
yeah ive heard her sing opera in italian...im italian and i can tell you her pronounciation was very good! :D you have?! Where?!
Aline
Jun 27th, 2004, 06:28 PM
you have?! Where?!
VH1 interview back in November. That was really impressive and so good! You wish more singers had opera training!!!
Sunshinechick
Jun 27th, 2004, 07:57 PM
VH1 interview back in November. That was really impressive and so good! You wish more singers had opera training!!! oh I didn't know... I gotta look for that!
MissInnocent
Jun 28th, 2004, 03:45 PM
Aline, I am not fluent in Spanish though I did study it in school and I can say the names she said the same way she did so I wouldn't say she is fluent just for that reason. Also, just cause she may have learned the arias she had to sing doesn't mean she knows the entire language. That's why I was asking if she IS fluent in any.

MrsShaneWest, can you translate the aria she sang during the vh1 interview?

Also, though many arias are in Italian I remember reading somewhere that she said her fave aria was a french one.
Aline
Jun 28th, 2004, 03:58 PM
Aline, I am not fluent in Spanish though I did study it in school and I can say the names she said the same way she did so I wouldn't say she is fluent just for that reason. Also, just cause she may have learned the arias she had to sing doesn't mean she knows the entire language. That's why I was asking if she IS fluent in any.

MrsShaneWest, can you translate the aria she sang during the vh1 interview?

Also, though many arias are in Italian I remember reading somewhere that she said her fave aria was a french one.
I know pronouncing a name correctly doesn't mean a thing. That was just a thought, so I may be wrong.

I'm feeling proud she said she liked French :D though I know it's a hard language to learn for foreign people.
KikaRika
Jun 28th, 2004, 08:40 PM
Yeah I study opera, singing in foreign languages...can be fun, but when you're stressed it can be very NOT fun. I love when a singer has some actual classic background though. It's very admirable.
Aline
Jun 29th, 2004, 02:55 PM
You can download the video of Willa's interview, where she sings opera, here

Regular link (for all web browsers):
http://s2.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=E637C00CA4EA6FC20E3F7A86B518371C

Right-click and save target as

Link expries in 7 days
MissInnocent
Jun 29th, 2004, 04:14 PM
Willa isn't the only artist to have studied opera. Pat Benatar (kick ass rock singer and good with blues songs too. Would love to hear her do opera), Geore Tate of the metal band Queensryche (and you can totally tell! Rob Halford of Judas Priest described Queensryche as sounding like "A heavy metal opera"), and the singer of 3rd Eye Blind (don't recall his name just remember reading it though. I personally don't like that band or that guy's voice.) There's probably others too I'm sure.
ÄLAJYN
Jul 1st, 2004, 06:29 AM
hmm...
KikaRika
Jul 1st, 2004, 01:36 PM
Willa isn't the only artist to have studied opera. Pat Benatar (kick ass rock singer and good with blues songs too. Would love to hear her do opera), Geore Tate of the metal band Queensryche (and you can totally tell! Rob Halford of Judas Priest described Queensryche as sounding like "A heavy metal opera"), and the singer of 3rd Eye Blind (don't recall his name just remember reading it though. I personally don't like that band or that guy's voice.) There's probably others too I'm sure.
Yes but these days, it's so uncommon. All these half ass singers coming out and making it big, they have no real appreciation for the music, just the media attention and the stardom, it's sad.
MissInnocent
Jul 1st, 2004, 05:49 PM
^^^ true... I also remembered earlier that I heard Sheryl Crow was trained in opera but I'm not sure if that's true or not. You can't tell by her singing. That's what gets me about the singer of Third Eye Blind and (no one attack me) but a LOT of Willa's songs...

Anyone watch Days of Our Lives when Chloe was on there... girl can sing the hell out of an aria but singing pop music she SUCKED I'm sorry but it's true. Some trained opera voices just aren't meant for singing rock or pop. Also, you don't nes. have to be a singer to appreciate music.
MrsShaneWest
Jul 2nd, 2004, 11:52 AM
i think i heard Amy Lee for Evanescence studied opera too..is that right?

btw here's the lyrics to the aria Willa sang on VH1:

italian
"Nel cor più non mi sento
brillar la gioventù
Cagion del mio tormento
amor sei colpa tu."

english (literally but not really cause thats some OLD italian! lol)
"No longer do I feel
youth blazing in my heart
The cause of my torment,
my love, is you."
MissInnocent
Jul 2nd, 2004, 12:02 PM
I don't know about Amy but I'd not be surprised cause her singing style is freaky. I mean that in a good way lol.
Foxie7Ash
Jul 3rd, 2004, 11:16 AM
She took Spanish in high school, and knows a little German, just sang the Italian.
Don't Walk Away
Jul 3rd, 2004, 08:46 PM
She sounded good :D

But, I did want to say, that just because someone sings in a different language than their native tongue, that doesn't mean they know that language, nor comprehend it.
KikaRika
Jul 4th, 2004, 11:21 PM
She sounded good :D

But, I did want to say, that just because someone sings in a different language than their native tongue, that doesn't mean they know that language, nor comprehend it.
<---can't barely speak any other language than English...and can barely speak that.

I totally second that! Lmao I just memorize the words then my teacher is like "But what does it mean?"
me: err....