14 DAY TRIAL // Ever since Sony released the first single off Michael Jackson’s upcoming album, “Michael,” speculation never ceased that it might not be him singing on it. The Michael Jackson Estate has just put an end to the rumors.
E! Online reports that the Estate has appointed several experts to take a look at a cappella samples from “Breaking News,” the recently released song that has caused so much fuss for claims that Sony used an MJ impersonator to record it.
The conclusion is not surprising, albeit completely unconvincing for fans and even Jackson family members: the person singing on “Breaking News” is Michael and the entire “Michael” album is genuine.
“Sony-owned Epic Records, at the behest of John McClain and John Branca, executors of Jackson’s estate, hired a number of forensic music experts to test that assertion [that the vocals weren’t Michael’s],” E! writes.
“The scientists analyzed a cappella vocals for ‘Breaking News’ and compared the wave forms and other technical features of M.J.’s voice to a cappella vocals from other songs he’s done and declared the vocals were the real deal,” the same media outlet says.
And the label is not the only one to bitterly deny claims that an impersonator was used for the song and, most likely, for greater part of the album as well, since some of his former collaborators are also speaking out.
Producer Teddy Riley, who produced Michael’s albums “Dangerous,” “HIStory” and “Invincible,” vouches for the authenticity of the song, saying there’s no doubt in his mind that the voice on “Breaking News” is Michael’s.
“When I heard these songs, my heart cried hearing Michael again in good spirits. The vocals sounded very polished, very on key and processed. I have no doubts that these are Michael’s vocals,” Riley says in a statement.
Former manager Frank DiLeo seconds that, saying he spoke to Michael repeatedly when he was recording the songs that will now be on the “Michael” album and knows for a fact he was “having a great time” with it.
“I spoke to Michael by telephone at [longtime Jackson friends Frank and Eddie] Cascios’ home studio several times while he was recording with them, and he was excited and enthused by the music and the experience,” DiLeo says.
Moreover, he’s convinced fans will see that too, once they listen to the rest of the tracks on “Michael.” The album is out on December 14, so fans don’t really have a long wait ahead of them to see for themselves whether that is actually accurate.