Which musicians do you think are true prodigies?

[Anonymous]

This post should have started with a definition of prodigy - which is not limited to youth. Otherwise, why do we use 'child prodigy' which would be redundant. None of the adjective forms are limited to children either. Prodigy is someone demonstrating very great ability usually, but not always, in youth. It's is something extraordinary.

https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/prodigy
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prodigy


Did you know?
Is a prodigy a genius or a monster - or both? Nowadays, it's the talent that shines through, but back in the 15th century the word's meaning was more strongly influenced by that of its Latin ancestor, prodigium, meaning "omen" or "monster." Back then, a prodigy could be any strange or weird thing that might be an omen of things to come. Even in modern English, the word sometimes refers to an extraordinary deed or accomplishment. P.G. Wodehouse used that sense when he described how a character named Pongo Twistleton was "performing prodigies with the [billiard] cue."

[Anonymous]

Sara MacLaughlin actually received her contract at a very early age. I don't define prodigy as a strong talent. You have to have something more than simply high talent which many do - from Mick to Whitney. Prodigy is someone like Pricne who played every instrument. He couldn't actually read music. He had no formal musical training nor knowledge - he didn't understand how music theory worked. He played by ear and was able to make music with all instruments from a young age. It's not about PP suggesting his music wasn't important until later until later age - it's that he was doing it at all from such an early age! Another prodigy would be Lang Lang who played exceptionally from an early age. I took a master class from him and I would say he is a genius in the sense that he knew how to express music in a way that goes above interpretation and formal training. For me, a prodigy is someone not just gifted but possesses something beyond explanation. A great voice is a great gift. A prodigy has more.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don’t you dare compare goddess Mariah to Taylor swift. Nobody mentioned Whitney Houston. No voice can top hers

Whitney is a prodigy but this question is not about who has the best voice. It is about who displayed exceptional musical talent at a very young age. Everyone is so heated to say their person is the best like, they all lose to Mozart! He was composing at age 4 and his music has lasted for centuries!

This isn't 'who is the best child prodigy' just, which musicians were true prodigies. I think Whitney does qualify as her voice was fantastic even as a young kid.

Prince and Stevie are my “Mozarts”.

This. All of this. Real musicians who did it all. Played every instrument, wrote every song.

Stevie Wonder was a child prodigy. Prince doesn't fit that term, since he was in his twenties when he started contributing meaningfully to music. Not even my beloved Freddie Mercury fits into the category of child prodigy.

Please don’t conflate ability and talent with : getting “discovered” and getting a record contract. Perhaps you could explain what you mean by “contributing meaningfully to music”?

Prince reportedly wrote his first song at 7. He got his first record contract at 19 — for an album on which he played 27 instruments, sang, and wrote, produced, and arranged all of the songs, which strongly suggests that he must have been doing something meaningful musically, at a very adept level, way before he turned 19.

I’ll add, too, that New Orleans jazz isn’t my area of interest, but like Jon Batiste, Wynton Marsalis — and arguably more than one of his brothers, there are probably multiple prodigies that we’re not mentioning because their styles of music don’t get wider attention. Joey Alexander, the jazz pianist, is definitely an example of this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This post should have started with a definition of prodigy - which is not limited to youth. Otherwise, why do we use 'child prodigy' which would be redundant. None of the adjective forms are limited to children either. Prodigy is someone demonstrating very great ability usually, but not always, in youth. It's is something extraordinary.

https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/prodigy
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prodigy


Did you know?
Is a prodigy a genius or a monster - or both? Nowadays, it's the talent that shines through, but back in the 15th century the word's meaning was more strongly influenced by that of its Latin ancestor, prodigium, meaning "omen" or "monster." Back then, a prodigy could be any strange or weird thing that might be an omen of things to come. Even in modern English, the word sometimes refers to an extraordinary deed or accomplishment. P.G. Wodehouse used that sense when he described how a character named Pongo Twistleton was "performing prodigies with the [billiard] cue."

A prodigy is a child or younger person, always - that they have prodigious talent amongst their peers is what defines them
Prodigy: definition
a person, especially a young one, endowed with exceptional qualities or abilities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don’t you dare compare goddess Mariah to Taylor swift. Nobody mentioned Whitney Houston. No voice can top hers

Whitney is a prodigy but this question is not about who has the best voice. It is about who displayed exceptional musical talent at a very young age. Everyone is so heated to say their person is the best like, they all lose to Mozart! He was composing at age 4 and his music has lasted for centuries!

This isn't 'who is the best child prodigy' just, which musicians were true prodigies. I think Whitney does qualify as her voice was fantastic even as a young kid.

Prince and Stevie are my “Mozarts”.

This. All of this. Real musicians who did it all. Played every instrument, wrote every song.

Stevie Wonder was a child prodigy. Prince doesn't fit that term, since he was in his twenties when he started contributing meaningfully to music. Not even my beloved Freddie Mercury fits into the category of child prodigy.

Please don’t conflate ability and talent with : getting “discovered” and getting a record contract. Perhaps you could explain what you mean by “contributing meaningfully to music”?

Prince reportedly wrote his first song at 7. He got his first record contract at 19 — for an album on which he played 27 instruments, sang, and wrote, produced, and arranged all of the songs, which strongly suggests that he must have been doing something meaningful musically, at a very adept level, way before he turned 19.

I’ll add, too, that New Orleans jazz isn’t my area of interest, but like Jon Batiste, Wynton Marsalis — and arguably more than one of his brothers, there are probably multiple prodigies that we’re not mentioning because their styles of music don’t get wider attention. Joey Alexander, the jazz pianist, is definitely an example of this.

+ a million. Prince and Mozart are my two. Prince was absolutely making music from a very young age, and created multiple bands from middle school on. He was self taught. He insisted on having creative control himself at age 19 on his first album and refused offers to have it done for him.

Also someone said Aretha didn't count because she didn't have a song at age 12. She was already touring the country then performing gospel with her dad and gave birth at age 12! She released a gospel album at 14 and was already a mother of two by 15. I think those that overcame obstacles such as poverty, institutional racism, etc are even more impressive.

[Anonymous]

Prince
Jon Batiste
John Legend
Stevie Wonder

[Anonymous]

Meghan Trainor

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Prince

+1

+1000000

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This post should have started with a definition of prodigy - which is not limited to youth. Otherwise, why do we use 'child prodigy' which would be redundant. None of the adjective forms are limited to children either. Prodigy is someone demonstrating very great ability usually, but not always, in youth. It's is something extraordinary.

https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/prodigy
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prodigy


Did you know?
Is a prodigy a genius or a monster - or both? Nowadays, it's the talent that shines through, but back in the 15th century the word's meaning was more strongly influenced by that of its Latin ancestor, prodigium, meaning "omen" or "monster." Back then, a prodigy could be any strange or weird thing that might be an omen of things to come. Even in modern English, the word sometimes refers to an extraordinary deed or accomplishment. P.G. Wodehouse used that sense when he described how a character named Pongo Twistleton was "performing prodigies with the [billiard] cue."

A prodigy is a child or younger person, always - that they have prodigious talent amongst their peers is what defines them
Prodigy: definition
a person, especially a young one, endowed with exceptional qualities or abilities.

No, a prodigy is not always a child/younger person. Even the definition you provided does not limit it to children or younger people. Especially =/= always.

Besides, limiting 'prodigy' to children/youth smacks of elitism. Talent does not suddenly arise in adulthood. It may not be discovered or developed in childhood but, given opportunity, will emerge. Those opportunities are usually not available unless the families have means. Ah, notice the appearance of 'usually' again. That doesn't mean 'always'. Sometimes, families of limited means are able to discover/develop the talents of their child prodigies.

[Anonymous]

Bruce Springsteen - self taught

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This post should have started with a definition of prodigy - which is not limited to youth. Otherwise, why do we use 'child prodigy' which would be redundant. None of the adjective forms are limited to children either. Prodigy is someone demonstrating very great ability usually, but not always, in youth. It's is something extraordinary.

https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/prodigy
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prodigy


Did you know?
Is a prodigy a genius or a monster - or both? Nowadays, it's the talent that shines through, but back in the 15th century the word's meaning was more strongly influenced by that of its Latin ancestor, prodigium, meaning "omen" or "monster." Back then, a prodigy could be any strange or weird thing that might be an omen of things to come. Even in modern English, the word sometimes refers to an extraordinary deed or accomplishment. P.G. Wodehouse used that sense when he described how a character named Pongo Twistleton was "performing prodigies with the [billiard] cue."

A prodigy is a child or younger person, always - that they have prodigious talent amongst their peers is what defines them
Prodigy: definition
a person, especially a young one, endowed with exceptional qualities or abilities.

No, a prodigy is not always a child/younger person. Even the definition you provided does not limit it to children or younger people. Especially =/= always.

Besides, limiting 'prodigy' to children/youth smacks of elitism. Talent does not suddenly arise in adulthood. It may not be discovered or developed in childhood but, given opportunity, will emerge. Those opportunities are usually not available unless the families have means. Ah, notice the appearance of 'usually' again. That doesn't mean 'always'. Sometimes, families of limited means are able to discover/develop the talents of their child prodigies.

Tell that to all the concert musicians who came out of Harlem.
there have been prodigies since the dawn of time, it's hardly a new concept. Catch up.

[Anonymous]

Brian Wilson

Crazy killer Phil Spector

Thelonious Monk

Vanessa-Mae

Charo

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This post should have started with a definition of prodigy - which is not limited to youth. Otherwise, why do we use 'child prodigy' which would be redundant. None of the adjective forms are limited to children either. Prodigy is someone demonstrating very great ability usually, but not always, in youth. It's is something extraordinary.

https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/prodigy
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prodigy


Did you know?
Is a prodigy a genius or a monster - or both? Nowadays, it's the talent that shines through, but back in the 15th century the word's meaning was more strongly influenced by that of its Latin ancestor, prodigium, meaning "omen" or "monster." Back then, a prodigy could be any strange or weird thing that might be an omen of things to come. Even in modern English, the word sometimes refers to an extraordinary deed or accomplishment. P.G. Wodehouse used that sense when he described how a character named Pongo Twistleton was "performing prodigies with the [billiard] cue."

A prodigy is a child or younger person, always - that they have prodigious talent amongst their peers is what defines them
Prodigy: definition
a person, especially a young one, endowed with exceptional qualities or abilities.

No, a prodigy is not always a child/younger person. Even the definition you provided does not limit it to children or younger people. Especially =/= always.

Besides, limiting 'prodigy' to children/youth smacks of elitism. Talent does not suddenly arise in adulthood. It may not be discovered or developed in childhood but, given opportunity, will emerge. Those opportunities are usually not available unless the families have means. Ah, notice the appearance of 'usually' again. That doesn't mean 'always'. Sometimes, families of limited means are able to discover/develop the talents of their child prodigies.

Tell that to all the concert musicians who came out of Harlem.
there have been prodigies since the dawn of time, it's hardly a new concept. Catch up.

What does “Harlem” have to do with it?

[Anonymous]

Billie Elish
Taylor swift
Lady Gaga

[Anonymous]

Stevie Ray Vaughn.