“Michael Bolton himself was proud. That’s how powerful this cover is.” There are tough gigs, and then there’s this! Imagine having to sing “How Am I Supposed To Live Without You” with Michael Bolton sizing up your performance from the front row! South Korean singer Moon Myungjin had that intimidating job singing live on Korean TV. But Moon stepped up to the plate big time, singing a touching R&B rendition of the classic breakup anthem. Fans in the comments had to agree that Moon made the ‘80s legend proud.
Moon has a very different style from Michael. But his smooth and lithe tenor was perfect for channeling the emotions of “How Am I Supposed To Live Without You”. He made the words feel raw and immediate, and had the crowd spellbound. While Moon did a great job, half of what made this mega viral performance such a joy to watch is seeing Michael Bolton respond to Moon. The Music Man readers will definitely want to tune in at the four-minute mark, where Moon drops a crazy high run and Michael gives a memorable reaction.
KBS World TV uploaded Moon’s take on “How Am I Supposed To Live Without You” to YouTube, where it drew 12 million views. Viewers felt Moon hit the spot and added comments such as, “The original of course is immortal, but this is probably the best rendition of this song I’ve ever heard” and, “Moon should have won this episode. He’s got R&B vocals and made that song sound soulful. Even Michael was shocked/surprised.”
“How Am I Supposed To Live Without You” always hits hard in Michael’s live shows. One of the Connecticut crooner’s greatest performances of the song came when he performed it together with Filipina R&B star Jona in Manila. Michael was 66 years old at the time of the performance. Michael’s opening vocals are so powerful because you can see Jona, the band, and the audience just get bowled over by how amazing he sounds, with the vibe being: “He’s still got the Midas touch!”
Michael Bolton penned “How Am I Supposed To Live Without You” with Doug James. It was first recorded by American pop singer Laura Branigan in 1983. The Music Man readers might be interested to hear that Michael was a signed artist at that point, but his career as a performer hadn’t taken off yet. Six years later, Michael released his own recording of “How Am I Supposed To Live Without You,” as the second single from his 1989 album Soul Provider. The single hit number one in the US, as well as charting in the top five in the UK, Australia, the Netherlands, and Ireland. This gave the crooner his first major international hit, and the tune has since become his signature song.