How do these non-native singers who sing in English sound to native speakers?

[Bernard]

How bad accent do the artists below have?

Biting Elbows – Control (Russia) https://youtu.be/oIAND8Zwo-Y?t=10

Survive Said The Prophet - Right and Left (Japan) https://youtu.be/_B6Pg5Ri7oQ?t=6

Therr Maitz - Make It Last (Russia) https://youtu.be/HL8ODq9NTsU?t=29

Tesla Boy – Compromise (Russia) https://youtu.be/iMXUmm_xBR0?t=32

 

[PeterCW]

The first one sounded quite clear with an obvious east European accent. The singer had either learned English from an American source was was trying, unsuccessfully, to sound like an American.

The Japanese act had very clear English with a slightly American flavour.

The other two were both indistinct and may have been singing the words phonetically without any understanding.

 

[probus]

The first three were clear and easy to understand. I didn't detect much if any non-native pronunciation. The fourth was hard to understand but I suspect the difficulty is more due to poor quality recording than to accent.

 

[Bernard]

The first one sounded quite clear with an obvious east European accent. The singer had either learned English from an American source was was trying, unsuccessfully, to sound like an American.

The Japanese act had very clear English with a slightly American flavour.

The other two were both indistinct and may have been singing the words phonetically without any understanding.

So, can someone of the four be considered by a native listener as 'listenable'?

 

[probus]

A non-native accent is no reason to disparage or disqualify a piece of music in my opinion. To take just one of many possible examples, Edith Piaf occasionally sang in English. Her English had a strong French accent, but her music was nonetheless marvellous for that.

 

[Bernard]

A non-native accent is no reason to disparage or disqualify a piece of music in my opinion. To take just one of many possible examples, Edith Piaf occasionally sang in English. Her English had a strong French accent, but her music was nonetheless marvellous for that.

As a non-native singer in English myself, I'm happy to read the above, but I'm really not sure that every native listener has the same level of tolerance.

Edith Piaf was, may I say, a genius. Her artistry, I think, compensated any inconveniences for 'native ears' that would may happen as a result of her accent. But less unique artists are a bit different, I guess.

What about an accent of this Soviet singer of 80-es:

Alla Pugatcheva - Through The Eyes Of A Child https://youtu.be/hBn_x6sUgVE?t=18

 

[probus]

That was a lovely piece of music, Bernard, although the singer's accent made it a bit hard for me to follow the lyrics.

Returning the favour, here is one of my favorites. I can't recall or find, offhand, the name of the backup singer, but I think her slight accent does not detract at all from her beautiful singing.

https://youtu.be/KU3Soe1LXsQ

 

[Bernard]

A beautiful song! I heard a couple of songs of Natalie Merchant in mid 90-ies. Those were more like indie rock. But this is a lovely folk song!

A backup singer is Karen Peris (née McCullough). She sounds amazingly innocent and honest. And I've just found her band on Youtube. Fortunately, she is still active and her voice has remained almost the same.

https://youtu.be/_RT5tZtCAD0?t=70

P.S What accent does she have?

 

[probus]

P.S What accent does she have?

I can't identify her accent, nor even be quite certain it's a non-native accent. All I can say with certainty is that to me there seems something ever-so-slightly off in her pronunciation. Maybe other users can identify it.

 

[probus]

Follow-up: Research indicates that Karen Peris is originally from the area around Lancaster, Pennsylvania. There are a lot of Amish people there who speak Pennsylvania Dutch in addition to English. I hadn't previously been aware that the English there has a very slight but unique accent.

 

[jutfrank]

None of those singers in post #1 have what I'd describe as a 'bad accent'. When you say 'bad accent' I imagine you're referring to their pronunciation anyway, not their accents. All four of them have very good pronunciation.

I also love Karen Peris' voice, by the way. She doesn't use that accent in her normal spoken voice—it's put on for the songs. I guess that she's trying to sound slightly Irish, to add to the folky, Celtic sound of the music. I don't know.

 

[Bernard]

None of those singers in post #1 have what I'd describe as a 'bad accent'. When you say 'bad accent' I imagine you're referring to their pronunciation anyway, not their accents. All four of them have very good pronunciation.

But you hear that they all have an accent of a foreigner, don't you? If you do, does it distract you to some degree from a song itself? Doesn't a singer with an accent of a foreigner appear as some obstacle between a message and a listener?

 

[GoesStation]

I've met Amish people who speak English with a distinct German accent because their first language is Pennsylvania Dutch, a German dialect. I don't think non-Amish people around Lancaster do that.

 

[Bernard]

The first one sounded quite clear with an obvious east European accent. The singer had either learned English from an American source was was trying, unsuccessfully, to sound like an American.

The Japanese act had very clear English with a slightly American flavour.

The other two were both indistinct and may have been singing the words phonetically without any understanding.

Does the fact that the last two singers in post #1 are 'indistinct and may have been singing the words phonetically without any understanding' make you feel uncomfortable when listening them?

 

[Tdol]

Not really- it's singing, not conversation.

 

[GoesStation]

I can't identify her accent, nor even be quite certain it's a non-native accent. All I can say with certainty is that to me there seems something ever-so-slightly off in her pronunciation. Maybe other users can identify it.

She does not sound like a native speaker to me, but I can't identify her accent.

 

[Bernard]

So it seems that English-speaking persons don’t mind a foreign accent in singing so much. (Maybe Mr. PeterCW has a different feeling, but, alas, he doesn’t answer.)

https://youtu.be/0rmOg4_8wD0?t=73

This is a tribute band from Moscow that covers songs of ‘Chicago’. And I’ve read the following comment on their Facebook page from their American fan:

«I have been following them for at least a year and am continually amazed at how they reproduce these songs note for note. Every nuance is there and they always sound incredible.

The only criticism I have is that some of their vocalists sound like they are singing phonetically and that their English is limited or non existent but they are Russians so not a real big deal! Glad that you enjoy them!»

That fan expressed a criticism very similar to what PeterCW wrote regarding the singers in the post #1.

 

[jutfrank]

But you hear that they all have an accent of a foreigner, don't you?

I have a very acute ear for detecting accents but I wouldn't have identified that the singer of Biting Elbows was a non-native speaker.

If you do, does it distract you to some degree from a song itself?

No. It adds to it. Unless of course the accent is distracting in itself in some way.

Doesn't a singer with an accent of a foreigner appear as some obstacle between a message and a listener?

No. I don't really know what you mean. Does it to you? Could you explain how that is?

 

[jutfrank]

She does not sound like a native speaker to me, but I can't identify her accent.

Karen Peris is a native speaker. It's just that she has a rather unusual delivery in her singing voice.

 

[probus]

Opera (which, by the way I detest) has a long tradition of singers mouthing syllables with no understanding of what they mean. It doesn't seem to be a problem.