I AM IN LOVE WITH RACHEL TUCKER. I truly believe she has the best voice out of all of the Elphabas. She brings such an amazing performance every night and really loves what she does. She's incredible.
I went to see wicked for ny 3rd time on Thursday and Rachel was my 3rd Elphie and she was hands down the best I have EVER heard, live or on you tube. You should hear the power that comes from her
For me, it's the growl on the last note that does it... she's just ...so incredible! Her voice is out of this world, clearly, but it's the little bits she puts in that really make her Elphaba. You can see them in the performances, her expression, how effortless she makes it all look, and in Defying Gravity, it's the (very in character, and very difficult) growl... I am in awe.
I saw this 2 days ago! I knew this song by the original cast but I wasn't disappointed at all by this cast! Rachel Tucker left me speechless! She has such a powerful voice!
This audio may not be the best recording ever, however it is a really good indication as to just how well trained these two wonderful actresses are, their diction is spot on and so clear. Rachel has some really beautiful vocal tones and Louise is just wonderful to :D They must do a soundtrack with these two.....they are the best. :D
Wow that was a shrill STOP from Louise! Serves me right for listening on headphones loudly ;) Rachel astounding as always - going for my 6th time of seeing her on Friday and I cannot wait, she simply gets better and better.
Wow this was AMAZIN, so upset i didnt go 2 this performanc but she is capabl of doin anotha 1 like this & i will keep going until she does,scrap that cos then i'd only get 2 go once 1ng to see Wicked in 2 weeks, will b my 4th time and i cant wait. I fell in love(not literalyno wat i mean) with Rachel Tucker wen she was in I'd Do Anything and now she is my IDOL, so i am going to keep on cing Wicked with her and Louise Dearman in it until they quit cos no 1 will eva b as good as those 2 r together
I LOVE HER! SHE IS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING! I love the way she sings it and her voice, it really captures the character! My favourite part is the second note of "Meee down" because it is just so powerful and ahhhhhh I love her!!!
thank you so much for posting!! she is incredible. would you happen to have No One Mourns the Wicked from this performance and would you be willing to upload and/or trade? Thanks!
this is incredible! I totally agree with you on the idina comment though, saw her back in 2007 (something like that) on the west end and it was phenomenal but nothing like the recording, and I hate to say that because I try to stick by her as much as possible! But there has been some incredible Elphaba's since....I really can't wait for Willemijn Verkaik to come to London, possibly the most impressive Elphie's i've heard! Idina will always have a special place for me though!
@MattLeighBiddulph I did. My mum and sister started at me like I was a right freak. But who doesn't give Wicked (and their laptops) a standing ovation?
I love Rachel Tucker, and her portrayal Elphba- all the riffs in her voice give me shivers. BUT this is by no means the best performance ever. I saw her last summer and have listened to various recordings and she can sing so much better. All Elphy's seem to damage their voice by going for it on the big notes. I just hope Rachel Tucker doesn't do this, because she is soo amazing. Check out the latest west end live version. :)
i saw rachel tucker and chloe taylor (since louise wasn't there) and they were brilliant i want to see it again but apparently rachel is leaving on december 10 this year :(
@unshallowifyable does it matter? i wanted to create the feeling with the purple and green lighting effect during the lift moment and this was the closest i could find.
One mistake Rachel did make - there should be a pause after "we've got to bring her" before the Witch gives the final cry of the song but she often came in too soon and so the effect of the pause was lost. A real shame as her battle-cry like growl was intense!
dialect is why. im in varsity choir, a prestigious one at that (literally ranked among the top in state and was invited to sing overseas at the vatican last year) , and even still we have to fight hard sometimes to keep our texas accent and vowels (ahh, eeyeh, eye, oh, youu) out of our songs. proper singing vowels come naturally to the british
@coley29gner Idinas voice is great... on the SOUNDTRACK. She was never even NEAR this good LIVE, please find me an audio of Idina singing to this standard - i would LOVE to be proved wrong.
I would have agreed with you about two weeks ago but Idina actually has some good recordings on TH-cam (some even to this standard) for example Idina Menzel Defying Gravity 11/25/06 I STILL ABSOLUTELY ADORE RACHEL TUCKER THOUGH!!
is there sheet music I can find, or some other way to get the harmonies from the chorus? Please reply if you know guys, cos I'm performing this with a friend, and we have some harmonies, but not as good as the ones here... anyone?
@DavidDoubleyoo ahhh Dianne was my first Glinda and I love her! :) she's such a sweet lady. I don't mean to say Idina isn't good, i'd love for someone to link me to a performance where she sings well. There's good and bad with every performer though. Cassidy Jansen was my first Elphaba and she was amazing the night I saw her, but the youtube videos do her absolutely no justice. I do admit that she's one of the lesser vocal Elphies but she's the best actress I've seen in the role.
Close-minded people: "Idina is the best! She was the original!" Would you trade in your iPhone for the original cell phone?. If you simply like Idina's performance better, then I won't challenge that. It's an opinion. But I find it pointless to mention Idina being the original, as it has nothing to do with the quality of her performance. I personally think there have been MANY Elphies who were better than Idina. Rachel Tucker is my personal favourite, though you are entitled to disagree.
I absolutely love Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth but the best? I don't think so. Yes, they're both EXTREMELY talented and wonderful women, however, they formed the characters of Elphaba and Galinda. So, many of the actresses who have played Elphaba and Galinda after Idina and Kristin have made their character their own, which makes them seem better because they add more to it. Idina and Kristin are legends; and legends aren't always the best.
Honestly, there have been SO MANY Elphabas who have played the part SO MUCH BETTER than Idina.... vocally and acting wise..... I mean seriously, I dont understand how she can be someones favorite!!! I honestly dont think she is that good....
@unidan82 fair enough :) it doesn't really matter, no, it's just me trying to be picky and pedantic, really. Though nothing can ever truly capture Defying Gravity, it does come quite close tbf :)
@titanicwicked picky much? after over 300 shows, i think she's entitled to change it up every so often. Also, you have to factor in that she's Northern Irish and has to think a lot more about her pronounciation than others.
Lol peeps I have seen the show 3 time over 3 years and yes Rachel and Louise are good but sorry Kristen chenoweth and Idina menzel are the best ever my regret in life in not seeing them play the roles They where born to play I play the cd every day in my car going to work on my I phone all the time Rachel and Louise are good but Idina and Kristen are the best in the world
@DavidDoubleyoo Agreed. Also I think because people know the Idina soundtrack off by heart they forget that she was no way near as good as that live - i've heard some truly horrendous recordings of Idina in Wicked. Actually.... I've never heard a GOOD recording of Idina. - have people seen the Tony Award performance. - BAD.
well how would you knoww? if you not seen them cause vids on youtube aint the same thing and clearly dont no much a musicals cause rachels voice is 10000000X BETTER THAN IDINA and thats a fact!
For me Idina is Maureen, not Elphie. My brother is home and would kill me for saying this. Willemijn and Lisa Brescia are my fav Elphies. Rachel is just....she's my Oprah haha yeah.
@titanicwicked why don't you show us how it's done then?! untrained choir soloist.. hmmm, if she really sounded like that how come SHES ELPHABA IN THE WEST END (and the best ever may I add)
Their voices together are absolute perfection. The "I hope you're happy in the ENNNNNNNNND" 😍😍😍
These two are my favourite pair !!
This is still one of my favourite ever recordings of Rachel's Defying Gravity. Just incredible to listen to!
I AM IN LOVE WITH RACHEL TUCKER. I truly believe she has the best voice out of all of the Elphabas. She brings such an amazing performance every night and really loves what she does. She's incredible.
I went to see wicked for ny 3rd time on Thursday and Rachel was my 3rd Elphie and she was hands down the best I have EVER heard, live or on you tube. You should hear the power that comes from her
For me, it's the growl on the last note that does it... she's just ...so incredible! Her voice is out of this world, clearly, but it's the little bits she puts in that really make her Elphaba. You can see them in the performances, her expression, how effortless she makes it all look, and in Defying Gravity, it's the (very in character, and very difficult) growl... I am in awe.
wow...i was there, too. on this day. it was fantastic! the best musical , i have ever seen.
the best pairing ever
Kiera Jessica Marchant agreed! They were magic :)
I LOVE THIS ELPHIE! Her voice is perfect to play Elphie. :D
I've almost cried at the ending. They are both enormously amazing !!!
I've seen Rachel Tucker and Louise Dearman in Wicked twice now..I'm slightly addicted to them.
This really is the best Defying Gravity EVER!
I saw this 2 days ago! I knew this song by the original cast but I wasn't disappointed at all by this cast! Rachel Tucker left me speechless! She has such a powerful voice!
This audio may not be the best recording ever, however it is a really good indication as to just how well trained these two wonderful actresses are, their diction is spot on and so clear. Rachel has some really beautiful vocal tones and Louise is just wonderful to :D They must do a soundtrack with these two.....they are the best. :D
Going to see rachel and louise for 3rd time june 18th, CANNOT WAIT amazing pair
That rif from 6.56 to 6.58 is amazing.... can't stop repeating it
I'm quite obsessed with this audio! It's fantastic! Her voice is so powerful!
Wow that was a shrill STOP from Louise! Serves me right for listening on headphones loudly ;)
Rachel astounding as always - going for my 6th time of seeing her on Friday and I cannot wait, she simply gets better and better.
The sound of her "Ahh" was just perfect
I saw her in 'Wicked' a couple of days ago: I was crying by the end, she is just astounding.
Wow this was AMAZIN, so upset i didnt go 2 this performanc but she is capabl of doin anotha 1 like this & i will keep going until she does,scrap that cos then i'd only get 2 go once 1ng to see Wicked in 2 weeks, will b my 4th time and i cant wait. I fell in love(not literalyno wat i mean) with Rachel Tucker wen she was in I'd Do Anything and now she is my IDOL, so i am going to keep on cing Wicked with her and Louise Dearman in it until they quit cos no 1 will eva b as good as those 2 r together
I LOVE HER! SHE IS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING! I love the way she sings it and her voice, it really captures the character!
My favourite part is the second note of "Meee down" because it is just so powerful and ahhhhhh I love her!!!
Wow! What an amazing duo =D Such amazing vocals too from Rachel! Excited to see Louise take on the role!
I went to see this recently and it was supposed to be Rachael Tucker playing Elphaba but instead it was Nikki Davis-Jones. SHE WAS AMAZING!!!
AMAZING
easily the greatest elphaba ever, in my opinion!
#TEAMTUCKER
#TEAMTUCKMAN
i love you rachel!
Rachel and Louise FTW!!!!!
I never heard the songs until I saw Rachel Tucker perform. She gave me chills! Idina is good, but I love Tucker.
Rachel's British accent is brilliant but there's still this tiny little hint of a roll on her 'r's sometimes - I love it :)
they really, so badly need to make a london cast recording before louise leaves! these two are just... amazing.
Louise's 'stop' scream! WOAH
Amazing tandem!!! :)
WOW Rachel is on form! As good as her final performance!
thank you so much for posting!! she is incredible. would you happen to have No One Mourns the Wicked from this performance and would you be willing to upload and/or trade? Thanks!
this is incredible! I totally agree with you on the idina comment though, saw her back in 2007 (something like that) on the west end and it was phenomenal but nothing like the recording, and I hate to say that because I try to stick by her as much as possible! But there has been some incredible Elphaba's since....I really can't wait for Willemijn Verkaik to come to London, possibly the most impressive Elphie's i've heard! Idina will always have a special place for me though!
This is fucking good.
@MattLeighBiddulph
I did. My mum and sister started at me like I was a right freak. But who doesn't give Wicked (and their laptops) a standing ovation?
I love Rachel Tucker, and her portrayal Elphba- all the riffs in her voice give me shivers. BUT this is by no means the best performance ever. I saw her last summer and have listened to various recordings and she can sing so much better. All Elphy's seem to damage their voice by going for it on the big notes. I just hope Rachel Tucker doesn't do this, because she is soo amazing. Check out the latest west end live version. :)
Amazing, and she did a Kerry Ellis growl right near the end
one of my all time favourite songs ever. 1. Defying Gravity - Wicked . 2. Anthem - Chess. 3 bet you cant guess lol ;)
@Greggzz1 thank you! :) I love it too, i keep putting it on Repeat in my car :)
@NoGoodDeedWilliDo11
the whole song gave me and my friend chills for the whole of the interval!
I'm not sure if I got the chills because I'm cold or because of those riffs... English Shoshana Bean, ftw!
i saw rachel tucker and chloe taylor (since louise wasn't there) and they were brilliant
i want to see it again but apparently rachel is leaving on december 10 this year :(
@IAmMissBorrisJohnson I know!!! This is the most talented girl I've ever heard!!!
@Davidaiow Me too. I forked out £205 for 3 tickets this month. Well worth it though. I wouldn't ever miss the opportunity to go again :-)
@unshallowifyable does it matter? i wanted to create the feeling with the purple and green lighting effect during the lift moment and this was the closest i could find.
One mistake Rachel did make - there should be a pause after "we've got to bring her" before the Witch gives the final cry of the song but she often came in too soon and so the effect of the pause was lost. A real shame as her battle-cry like growl was intense!
@xJuBee I saw her two days ago too :) Oh my days she was just spine tingling...
saw this last year wanted to see it again but then found out rachels leaving on the 27th of october and doubt i'll get tickets in time so:(
@TEHEmmie Rachel has now confirmed she is staying into 2012 so you may get to see her
LOL! I had an American moment. I was like "4/02/11?!?, That hasnt happened yet!!" Duh...its Feb 2...
Personally, I think Rachel delivers the powerful notes a lot better. :3 Gives me shivers!
@harrywitherspoon45
thank you!!! - i definitely thought so :)
.... so far anyway haha
dialect is why. im in varsity choir, a prestigious one at that (literally ranked among the top in state and was invited to sing overseas at the vatican last year) , and even still we have to fight hard sometimes to keep our texas accent and vowels (ahh, eeyeh, eye, oh, youu) out of our songs. proper singing vowels come naturally to the british
can you tell me what this is recorded with ?
It's a Rachel DG (and a STUNNING one at that!) with a picture of SJB? Really? Could you not just have used one of her programme pictures? :P
@coley29gner Idinas voice is great... on the SOUNDTRACK. She was never even NEAR this good LIVE, please find me an audio of Idina singing to this standard - i would LOVE to be proved wrong.
I would have agreed with you about two weeks ago but Idina actually has some good recordings on TH-cam (some even to this standard) for example Idina Menzel Defying Gravity 11/25/06 I STILL ABSOLUTELY ADORE RACHEL TUCKER THOUGH!!
'Dorothy dislikes this'
is there sheet music I can find, or some other way to get the harmonies from the chorus?
Please reply if you know guys, cos I'm performing this with a friend, and we have some harmonies, but not as good as the ones here... anyone?
@paloma4444 :) thank you, it does sound like an over-exaggeration doesn't it hehe
This is amazing. But my favourite is the recent Australian Jemma Rix!
@DavidDoubleyoo ahhh Dianne was my first Glinda and I love her! :) she's such a sweet lady. I don't mean to say Idina isn't good, i'd love for someone to link me to a performance where she sings well. There's good and bad with every performer though. Cassidy Jansen was my first Elphaba and she was amazing the night I saw her, but the youtube videos do her absolutely no justice. I do admit that she's one of the lesser vocal Elphies but she's the best actress I've seen in the role.
@MrDefyinggravity1 Love ;)
Rachel Tucker makes Elphaba!
@TEHEmmie Rachel has just extended until 2012 :) Louise is leaving though, I recommend seeing her x
@Selftime2007 not something I've heard,
this is perfect in my opinion and should not be changed in ANY way
@kevisaurus She is Irish actually.
@DavidDoubleyoo i know.... i commented on it. i don't get what your reply is in response to? lol
@unidan82 afuckingmen!!!!
Close-minded people: "Idina is the best! She was the original!" Would you trade in your iPhone for the original cell phone?. If you simply like Idina's performance better, then I won't challenge that. It's an opinion. But I find it pointless to mention Idina being the original, as it has nothing to do with the quality of her performance. I personally think there have been MANY Elphies who were better than Idina. Rachel Tucker is my personal favourite, though you are entitled to disagree.
I absolutely love Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth but the best? I don't think so. Yes, they're both EXTREMELY talented and wonderful women, however, they formed the characters of Elphaba and Galinda. So, many of the actresses who have played Elphaba and Galinda after Idina and Kristin have made their character their own, which makes them seem better because they add more to it. Idina and Kristin are legends; and legends aren't always the best.
they got the best harmonies together.
Nope, he last Defying Gravity was insane , listen to it, she riffs the fuck out of it, she was ill and also pregnant at the time
Honestly, there have been SO MANY Elphabas who have played the part SO MUCH BETTER than Idina.... vocally and acting wise..... I mean seriously, I dont understand how she can be someones favorite!!! I honestly dont think she is that good....
@NoGoodDeedWilliDo11 same for me!
@titanicwicked Can you be more specific as I have no clue what you're talking about?
@unidan82 fair enough :) it doesn't really matter, no, it's just me trying to be picky and pedantic, really. Though nothing can ever truly capture Defying Gravity, it does come quite close tbf :)
@titanicwicked picky much? after over 300 shows, i think she's entitled to change it up every so often.
Also, you have to factor in that she's Northern Irish and has to think a lot more about her pronounciation than others.
2:20 to skip intro :)
Saw them last night To be onest I think Rachel is better that Idina!!
Lol peeps I have seen the show 3 time over 3 years and yes Rachel and Louise are good but sorry Kristen chenoweth and Idina menzel are the best ever my regret in life in not seeing them play the roles They where born to play I play the cd every day in my car going to work on my I phone all the time Rachel and Louise are good but Idina and Kristen are the best in the world
@DavidDoubleyoo Agreed. Also I think because people know the Idina soundtrack off by heart they forget that she was no way near as good as that live - i've heard some truly horrendous recordings of Idina in Wicked. Actually.... I've never heard a GOOD recording of Idina. - have people seen the Tony Award performance. - BAD.
@NoGoodDeedWilliDo11 same thing
@unidan82 haha witty i mean camera
I'm sure the MD would have pulled her up on it if it was a problem...
@unidan82 You won't be proved Wrong! Fact!
@xxEllee completely disagree.
1. Willemijn Verkaik (best eveeeeeerr!)
2. Rachel Tucker (great voice!)
37. Idina Menzel (so freakin' overrated)
well how would you knoww? if you not seen them cause vids on youtube aint the same thing and clearly dont no much a musicals cause rachels voice is 10000000X BETTER THAN IDINA and thats a fact!
@klaaaaaine Jemma Rix is one of my favourites too, but Rachel just beats her
I came here because people said Rachel Tucker was better than Kerry Ellis. She's good but Kerry is still better!
6:57. WHAT THE HECK.
For me Idina is Maureen, not Elphie. My brother is home and would kill me for saying this. Willemijn and Lisa Brescia are my fav Elphies. Rachel is just....she's my Oprah haha yeah.
Eh, best part was the ending.. other than that.. sounds like every other Elphaba, including the one in NYC! Miss Alexia who was totally unique!
Rachel Tucker was brilliant. Way better than the overrated Idina Menzel. Favorite Elphaba is still Willemijn Verkaik for me! ;)
She rushed it a bit. A little too fast paced for my liking.
@LeilaisCRAZY12 you're joking right? - there was so much bad tuning in that performance it made me gasp and hold my mouth in cringe. hideodeous.
@titanicwicked why don't you show us how it's done then?!
untrained choir soloist.. hmmm, if she really sounded like that how come SHES ELPHABA IN THE WEST END (and the best ever may I add)
@LeilaisCRAZY12 Because she is an amazing actress! She's a shockingly bad singer at times.