Michael Bolton. King of ‘80s rock. But did you know the big man can sing classical crossover, giving Andrea Bocelli a run for his money? The American star proved just that when he sang “The Prayer” in Cologne with the Queen of German Pop, Helene Fischer. But you better believe Michael did it his own way, and that gorgeous husky tone was there in all its glory. And can we just say for a moment that Michael and Helene have some BIG chemistry, hoo boy!
Helene opened the song, delivering a lush and melodious take on Céline Dion’s famous melodies. Michael then hit the stage, singing so flawlessly in Italian – not bad for a boy from Connecticut! Michael delivered a unique and memorable interpretation of the ‘90s hit, letting his rich, sonorous voice fill the arena. The rocker’s vocals provided a great contrast with Helene, who sang so smoothly and precisely, while Michael sang straight from the heart. The Music Man has to say that we could listen to this duo all day!
Fan channel JJ uploaded Helene and Michael’s duet to YouTube, where it hit 735,000 views. Fans enjoyed the collab and added comments such as “I was truly moved by this duet. Impressed by Bolton’s performance alongside fellow superstar Helene. Beautiful couple that truly matches” and “I love and respect Bocelli, but this version is excellent as well, especially as they were singing two of my favorite songs.”
Michael always finds a way to make his live duets so memorable. One of his most stirring performances in recent years came when he sang “How Am I Supposed to Live Without You” with Filipina R&B star Jona in Manila. When Michael throws the vocal to the crowd and they sing it back to him perfectly in key – wow. Filipino audiences are just built different! We also have to give it up for Jona, who was absolutely cooking that night when she sang with her hero – the way she looks at Michael throughout is so adorable.
The Music Man readers may recall that Michael Bolton issued a studio recording of “The Prayer” as a duet with Lara Fabian on his 2011 album Gems: The Duets Collection. The same year, he joined Helene Fischer on stage at her concert in Cologne, Germany, to perform the same song. Michael is surely fond of “The Prayer,” as he has performed it live multiple times with Helene, as well as in concert with Lara. The Italian-English language classical crossover hit is a great showcase for his versatility as a vocalist.