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[[File:mirandasings08.jpg|thumb|right|"Miranda Sings" at The After Party at [[Laurie Beechman Theatre]] in early 2009]]
[[File:mirandasings08.jpg|thumb|right|"Miranda Sings" at The After Party at [[Laurie Beechman Theatre]] in early 2009]]
'''Miranda Sings''' is an Internet character created in 2008 by American comedian, actress and singer '''Colleen Ballinger'''.<ref>Born November 21, 1986 and raised in [[Santa Barbara, California]], Ballinger attended [[San Marcos High School (Santa Barbara, California)|San Marcos High School]] and graduated in 2008 from [[Azusa Pacific University]]. Her parents are Tim, a salesman, and Gwen Ballinger, a homemaker. See [https://soundcloud.com/earbiscuits/ep-25-colleen-ballinger "Ep. 25 Colleen Ballinger (Miranda Sings)"], at 25:00, ''Ear Biscuits'', Soundcloud.com, March 31, 2014. From 2007 to 2009, she performed for Disney in California and gave private voice, movement coaching and piano [http://aimeeartproductions.com/about2.html lessons to children]. See also [http://www.broadwayworld.com/article/STAGE_TUBE_Miranda_Sings_Visits_Clevver_TV_20091104 "Miranda Sings Visits Clevver TV"]. In 2009, she [http://www.inlandtheatre.org/2009/05/07/disneys-high-school-musical-at-candlelight-pavilion/ played Kelsi Nielson] in ''[[High School Musical]]'' at Candlelight Pavilion Dinner Theatre in Claremont, California. Ballinger appears on the 2010 album [http://westend.broadwayworld.com/article/MORE_WITH_EVERY_LINE_THE_MUSIC_OF_TIM_PROTTEYJONES_An_Album_Of_New_Musical_Theatre_Songs_With_An_Allstar_Cast_Set_For_Late_2010_Release_20100929 ''More With Every Line''], by songwriter Tim Prottey-Jones. She is also heard on the 2011 album [http://pollybrowne.wordpress.com/2011/11/15/self-taught-still-learning-chris-passey-album-review/ ''Self Taught, Still Learning''] by Chris Passey. She played [[Lynda Bird Johnson Robb|Lynda Bird Johnson]] in a staged reading of ''First Kids'' in New York in June 2011, and in October 2011 she created the role of [[Circe]] [[Off-Broadway]] in the American Theatre of Actors production [http://www.abouttheartists.com/artists/380846 ''Odyssey – The Epic Musical'']. In 2012, she was featured as nurse Royal in the web series [http://drfubalous.com/cast/#colleen-ballinger ''Dr. Fubalous''], and in 2013, she appeared [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXLyviJpP3M as Amara] in Season 2 of the series ''[[Hipsterhood]]''. See [http://www.leakynews.com/hipsterhood-season-two-has-arrived-67937/ this]. In February 2013, she starred in the episode [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6cqHbF-3qE "Under the Bed"] in the web series ''The Flipside'', and in December 2013, she was featured on the MTV ''[[True Life]]'' episode [http://www.mtv.com/videos/misc/985507/true-life-im-famous-online.jhtml#series=2214&seriesId=5232&channelId=1&id=1718628 "I'm Famous Online"]. In 2014, she appeared in the episode [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONh4uPjXo3Q "Wedding Plans"] on the web series ''[[MyMusic]]''. Ballinger's non-Miranda YouTube channel, [https://www.youtube.com/user/psychosoprano Psychosoprano], [http://emertainmentmonthly.com/2014/03/08/channel-spotlight-colleen-ballinger/ featuring Ballinger's family, friends and comedy], has received more than 50 million views.</ref> Ballinger displays videos of the comically talentless, egotistical and quirky character on her [[YouTube]] channel under the username mirandasings08. On these videos, the character sings badly, discusses current events that she often misunderstands, gives "tutorials" and rants about her critics, the "haters". Ballinger created the character as a satire of the many bad but egotistical singers who believe that posting their videos on YouTube will lead to them breaking into show business. Miranda is also featured on a second YouTube channel, mirandavlogz.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/user/Mirandavlogz/videos?view=0 Mirandavlogz], YouTube, accessed April 6, 2014</ref> As of April 2014, the main Miranda YouTube channel had surpassed 100 million views and 1 million subscribers.<ref name=Channels>[https://www.youtube.com/user/mirandasings08/videos?flow=grid&view=0&sort=p "Miranda Sings" most popular videos], Mirandasings08, YouTube, accessed April 6, 2014</ref>
'''Miranda Sings''' is an Internet character created in 2008 by American comedian, actress and singer '''Colleen Ballinger'''. Colleen Ballinger is actually really attractive, but Miranda sings is not. <ref>Born November 21, 1986 and raised in [[Santa Barbara, California]], Ballinger attended [[San Marcos High School (Santa Barbara, California)|San Marcos High School]] and graduated in 2008 from [[Azusa Pacific University]]. Her parents are Tim, a salesman, and Gwen Ballinger, a homemaker. See [https://soundcloud.com/earbiscuits/ep-25-colleen-ballinger "Ep. 25 Colleen Ballinger (Miranda Sings)"], at 25:00, ''Ear Biscuits'', Soundcloud.com, March 31, 2014. From 2007 to 2009, she performed for Disney in California and gave private voice, movement coaching and piano [http://aimeeartproductions.com/about2.html lessons to children]. See also [http://www.broadwayworld.com/article/STAGE_TUBE_Miranda_Sings_Visits_Clevver_TV_20091104 "Miranda Sings Visits Clevver TV"]. In 2009, she [http://www.inlandtheatre.org/2009/05/07/disneys-high-school-musical-at-candlelight-pavilion/ played Kelsi Nielson] in ''[[High School Musical]]'' at Candlelight Pavilion Dinner Theatre in Claremont, California. Ballinger appears on the 2010 album [http://westend.broadwayworld.com/article/MORE_WITH_EVERY_LINE_THE_MUSIC_OF_TIM_PROTTEYJONES_An_Album_Of_New_Musical_Theatre_Songs_With_An_Allstar_Cast_Set_For_Late_2010_Release_20100929 ''More With Every Line''], by songwriter Tim Prottey-Jones. She is also heard on the 2011 album [http://pollybrowne.wordpress.com/2011/11/15/self-taught-still-learning-chris-passey-album-review/ ''Self Taught, Still Learning''] by Chris Passey. She played [[Lynda Bird Johnson Robb|Lynda Bird Johnson]] in a staged reading of ''First Kids'' in New York in June 2011, and in October 2011 she created the role of [[Circe]] [[Off-Broadway]] in the American Theatre of Actors production [http://www.abouttheartists.com/artists/380846 ''Odyssey – The Epic Musical'']. In 2012, she was featured as nurse Royal in the web series [http://drfubalous.com/cast/#colleen-ballinger ''Dr. Fubalous''], and in 2013, she appeared [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXLyviJpP3M as Amara] in Season 2 of the series ''[[Hipsterhood]]''. See [http://www.leakynews.com/hipsterhood-season-two-has-arrived-67937/ this]. In February 2013, she starred in the episode [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6cqHbF-3qE "Under the Bed"] in the web series ''The Flipside'', and in December 2013, she was featured on the MTV ''[[True Life]]'' episode [http://www.mtv.com/videos/misc/985507/true-life-im-famous-online.jhtml#series=2214&seriesId=5232&channelId=1&id=1718628 "I'm Famous Online"]. In 2014, she appeared in the episode [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONh4uPjXo3Q "Wedding Plans"] on the web series ''[[MyMusic]]''. Ballinger's non-Miranda YouTube channel, [https://www.youtube.com/user/psychosoprano Psychosoprano], [http://emertainmentmonthly.com/2014/03/08/channel-spotlight-colleen-ballinger/ featuring Ballinger's family, friends and comedy], has received more than 50 million views.</ref> Ballinger displays videos of the comically talentless, egotistical and quirky character on her [[YouTube]] channel under the username mirandasings08. On these videos, the character sings badly, discusses current events that she often misunderstands, gives "tutorials" and rants about her critics, the "haters". Ballinger created the character as a satire of the many bad but egotistical singers who believe that posting their videos on YouTube will lead to them breaking into show business. Miranda is also featured on a second YouTube channel, mirandavlogz.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/user/Mirandavlogz/videos?view=0 Mirandavlogz], YouTube, accessed April 6, 2014</ref> As of April 2014, the main Miranda YouTube channel had surpassed 100 million views and 1 million subscribers.<ref name=Channels>[https://www.youtube.com/user/mirandasings08/videos?flow=grid&view=0&sort=p "Miranda Sings" most popular videos], Mirandasings08, YouTube, accessed April 6, 2014</ref>


Beginning in 2009, in addition to her internet videos, Ballinger has regularly performed cabaret acts, in character as Miranda Sings, at cabaret spaces and theaters in New York, London, and other cities in the U.S., Canada, Australia and elsewhere. Her acts include Miranda's signature off-key singing of [[show tunes]] and [[pop music]] hits, with introductions focusing on the character's backstory and full of [[malapropisms]] and [[spoonerisms]]; the acts often incorporate giving a "voice lesson" to, or singing a duet with, [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] or other musical celebrities, reading hate mail directed to the character, and singing while being stabbed through the neck in her "magic trick". The character has appeared in various internet interviews, and web series, and in a 2012 episode of the TV show ''[[Victorious]]''.
Beginning in 2009, in addition to her internet videos, Ballinger has regularly performed cabaret acts, in character as Miranda Sings, at cabaret spaces and theaters in New York, London, and other cities in the U.S., Canada, Australia and elsewhere. Her acts include Miranda's signature off-key singing of [[show tunes]] and [[pop music]] hits, with introductions focusing on the character's backstory and full of [[malapropisms]] and [[spoonerisms]]; the acts often incorporate giving a "voice lesson" to, or singing a duet with, [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] or other musical celebrities, reading hate mail directed to the character, and singing while being stabbed through the neck in her "magic trick". The character has appeared in various internet interviews, and web series, and in a 2012 episode of the TV show ''[[Victorious]]''.

Revision as of 05:21, 29 April 2014

File:Mirandasings08.jpg
"Miranda Sings" at The After Party at Laurie Beechman Theatre in early 2009

Miranda Sings is an Internet character created in 2008 by American comedian, actress and singer Colleen Ballinger. Colleen Ballinger is actually really attractive, but Miranda sings is not. [1] Ballinger displays videos of the comically talentless, egotistical and quirky character on her YouTube channel under the username mirandasings08. On these videos, the character sings badly, discusses current events that she often misunderstands, gives "tutorials" and rants about her critics, the "haters". Ballinger created the character as a satire of the many bad but egotistical singers who believe that posting their videos on YouTube will lead to them breaking into show business. Miranda is also featured on a second YouTube channel, mirandavlogz.[2] As of April 2014, the main Miranda YouTube channel had surpassed 100 million views and 1 million subscribers.[3]

Beginning in 2009, in addition to her internet videos, Ballinger has regularly performed cabaret acts, in character as Miranda Sings, at cabaret spaces and theaters in New York, London, and other cities in the U.S., Canada, Australia and elsewhere. Her acts include Miranda's signature off-key singing of show tunes and pop music hits, with introductions focusing on the character's backstory and full of malapropisms and spoonerisms; the acts often incorporate giving a "voice lesson" to, or singing a duet with, Broadway or other musical celebrities, reading hate mail directed to the character, and singing while being stabbed through the neck in her "magic trick". The character has appeared in various internet interviews, and web series, and in a 2012 episode of the TV show Victorious.

Description

YouTube videos

Since January 2008, Ballinger has posted more than 300 videos, as the Miranda Sings character, on the YouTube channel mirandasings08.[4][5] The character is a satire of the many YouTube videos featuring mediocre or even bad, but egotistical, singers who film themselves singing as a form of self-promotion, and who ignore the realistic or cruel comments of "haters" regarding their videos.[6][7] "Miranda" is supposedly a home-schooled woman in her twenties who lives with her mother and uncle in Tacoma, Washington.[8]

On the videos, the Miranda character sings in a comically off-key, yet plausible, voice and covers show tunes and pop music hits, with introductions focusing on the character's backstory. She uses spoonerisms and malapropisms, is ludicrously self-absorbed and has a sassy, arrogant attitude.[9] The Times describes the character as "self-obsessed and immune to criticism".[6] She responds to viewers who take the videos seriously with the catchphrase, "Haters back off!",[10] telling these critics that they are "just jealous" and that "haters make me famous".[11] The character displays facial traits such as unusually active eyebrows and a crooked smile. Her head is cocked to one side, and her pronunciation quirks include an emphasis on "m" and "b" sounds and the use of a prominent hard 'g' (in such words as 'singing' and 'song').[8] In place of lyrics that she cannot remember, the character "scat" sings.[12] She wears lipstick drawn beyond the borders of her lips, dresses in mismatched out-of-style clothing (such as a men's shirt buttoned to the neck with red sweatpants), and often dances stiffly to the music she is performing.[13][14] Miranda's views of society and morality are politically incorrect, and she displays a strong aversion to anything risque, which she calls "porn".[15][16] Some of the videos show Miranda duetting with well-known singers[17] or instrumentalists,[18] and since 2013, Miranda has frequently collaborated on videos with other YouTube personalities that are shown on their channels.[19]

Ballinger has been able to turn the popularity of the Miranda videos into income from a percentage of advertising fees.[20] She told the Wall Street Journal that "I have to do things like torture myself to keep people watching" her YouTube videos.[20] To this end, she took the cinnamon challenge in character as Miranda in February 2012 after "hundreds of fans started asking her to take the ... challenge. ... Her video garnered 70,000 views after one week"[20] and later accumulated more than 1,000,000 views.[21]

Cabaret

Beginning in April 2009,[22] in addition to her internet videos, Miranda Sings has also performed her cabaret acts at sold-out cabaret spaces and theatres in New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas and other cities across the U.S., as well as London, Dublin, cities in Australia, Canada, Norway and elsewhere.[23][24][25] BroadwayWorld.com called her "the hottest, freshest and oddest breakout star in the musical theatre/cabaret scene".[26]

In the cabaret acts, Miranda typically sings several songs from the musical theatre repertoire as well as some current popular songs in her signature off-key style; gives "voice lessons" or acting lessons to Broadway or West End stars, such as Sutton Foster, Andrew Rannells, and Shoshana Bean, to Broadway casts of shows such as Billy Elliot (to which cast she also gave dance and acting "lessons") and Rock of Ages,[8] and to pop stars such as Ariana Grande,[27] in which she is hypercritical of the stars' performances, often telling them that they should leave show-business; sings one or more duets with established (and bemused) musical theatre singers;[28] indignantly reads hate mail (bleeping out any profanity) that she has received on her YouTube channel and other social media; interacts with audience volunteers; uses projected presentations containing terrible spelling; and sometimes improvises a song based on audience suggestions. The act sometimes has an autobiographical theme, telling Miranda's life story.[10][29][30][31] In her holiday act, in addition to some of the above, Miranda has recreated the Christmas story "complete with the Three Kings, the Drummer Boy, and Santa Claus, as well as a shockingly dissonant 'Carol of the Bells'" and other Christmas songs.[32]

File:MirandaCheyenne.jpg
Miranda with former "boyfriend" Cheyenne Jackson in 2009

Miranda stated, in her early acts, that she plans to perform the role of Elphaba in Wicked on Broadway. During 2009, as part of her act, she often announced that she planned to date Cheyenne Jackson (whom she does not realize is openly gay) or to find another boyfriend, but he must be talented and famous. She was photographed and videotaped together with Jackson at Broadway on Broadway 2009, confronting him about their "relationship", and finally receiving a "first kiss" from him.[33] In 2010, she stated in her videos and cabaret acts that Jackson is no longer her boyfriend (because he never called her for a date), and so she was seeking a new, famous, talented, handsome boyfriend, such as Zac Efron[34] or Justin Bieber.[35] In July 2013, Miranda began "dating" Amazing Race competitor and YouTube host Joey Graceffa, whose last name she cannot pronounce.[36][37]

Miranda proclaimed that she is not just a "triple threat" entertainer, but a "four threat", because she is also a model.[6][38] Since 2010, she has asserted that she is a "five threat" talent, adding "magic" to her list of skills, in videos and performances where she combines inept magic tricks with singing.[39][40] A regular part of her cabaret acts since then includes a magic trick where Miranda sings while appearing to be stabbed through the neck by a sword, sometimes by her magician brother, Christopher Ballinger. The joke is that she sings better when the sword is inserted through her neck.[41] Miranda's May 2012 Birdland cabaret act was filmed by Seth Rudetsky and appears on his site www.SethTV.com.[42][43] In her 2014 "Selp Helf" tour, she instructs her (mostly young, female) audience on how to get a boyfriend by being more Miranda-like.[44] "To break up the horrendous musical numbers, Miranda incorporated a series of segments that took the four daily concepts of porn, bullies, love and 'haters' and transformed the subject matter into ... comical banter that relied heavily on audience participation ... she worked off everything the volunteers said and did, improvising and creating punchlines on the spot. ... Ballinger, the genius behind Miranda, is so convincing in the role, you ... will likely forget that there is a normal person behind the red lips".[45]

As the popularity of the character has increased, Ballinger has been able to book longer sell-out runs of her cabaret acts, at larger and larger venues, including, in 2013, a six-performance run at the Leicester Square Theatre in London,[46] seven performances in Australia,[47] and, in 2014, a performance at the Best Buy Theater in New York City.[44] A London reviewer commented:

Miranda [is] hilarious, and I was struck on several occasions by what an accomplished creation the character is – with her own vocabulary, idiosyncrasies and bizarre (not to mention increasingly sinister) backstory, you've never seen anything like her, and the commitment with which Ballinger embodies this strange, strange girl is nothing short of admirable. Bridging both personas, the moment she transforms into Miranda, on-stage and mid-song, is an absolute joy – I'd struggle to recall hearing an audience erupt to such an extent, and I couldn't help but join in.

— BroadwayWorld reviewer Kevin Sherwin[48]

Genesis of the character

Miranda's creator, Colleen Ballinger, based the character partly on young women that she knew in the performance department of her college, Azusa Pacific University.[8] She told The Times of London, "There were a lot of cocky girls who thought they were really talented, and they weren't. They were so rude and snotty, it drove me nuts. Then I saw all these girls trying to make a career out of putting videos on YouTube ... clueless to the fact that they were terrible. The characters were so ridiculous, I wanted to make one of my own."[6] At first, the "Miranda videos were meant to be an inside joke" among Ballinger's friends.[49][50] Ballinger's YouTube channel received little traffic for more than a year; but in March 2009, she uploaded a video called "Free Voice Lesson" that quickly became a sensation.[51] The video consists of advice to use, and demonstrations of, techniques that real voice teachers would warn students to avoid.[8] As the videos on her channel became popular, Ballinger modified the character to draw negative comments on YouTube: "People would make fun of my hair, and I made it worse. ... I took what people hated and exaggerated it more in the next video."[14][52]

Colleen Ballinger, creator and alter ego of Miranda Sings, in 2012

After Miranda videos first went viral, Ballinger was not sure what to do with her newfound internet fame. She arranged her own appearances and publicity for the first nine months but realized that she needed a professional manager. Ballinger notes, "I went from making a minute-and-a-half video in my bedroom to doing an hour-and-a-half live show".[49] Ballinger's first live performance as Miranda took place in April 2009 when Jim Caruso invited her to perform as the character at Cast Party, a weekly show at Birdland jazz club in New York City. Members of the Broadway theatre community quickly embraced the character and were eager to be a part of Miranda's cabaret acts,[49] and Ballinger has made a living ever since by performing her cabaret acts in character as Miranda.[14][53] Broadway celebrities like Lin-Manuel Miranda also performed in videos with Miranda.[54] At London's Leicester Square Theatre, Miranda taught "voice lessons" to, and performed with, London-based theatre stars, including Leanne Jones, Scarlett Strallen, Daniel Boys, Julie Atherton, Ian ‘H’ Watkins, Anna-Jane Casey, Jon Lee and Noel Sullivan.[55][56] Since the summer of 2009, Miranda Sings has also been featured in radio, television and internet interviews where the interviewers play along with the character.[9][57]

The Miranda character receives negative comments to her videos from viewers who are fooled by the character and believe that they are watching a serious video by a bad entertainer. Ballinger told Back Stage, "It's sort of like an Andy Kaufman thing. You wouldn't believe the hate mail. ... You would never say that stuff to someone's face, but you can type anything online."[8] TheaterJones noted, "perhaps because the Internet is some crazy postmodern distortion of reality, people ... felt it was their duty to point out how woefully untalented [Miranda] was, in the most horrific ways. ... Her hate mail, which she reads some of on stage, is an art form all its own."[10] The online critics are so harsh that Miranda has become a "hero of the anti-bullying movement".[10] The Times commented, "there is another, sweeter side to her travails. Miranda loves singing and, despite – or perhaps because of – the satire, becomes an evocation of something all humans love to do and have done since before we discovered language. The very act of singing, however dire the sound, makes us feel good."[6] In 2010, Ballinger submitted an audition, in character as Miranda, to the TV show Glee. She noted that Glee is causing a resurgence of interest in singing in schools: "Everyone is talking about Glee and choirs and musical theatre, igniting a flame that has been dimmed for a long time. ... Live performance and musical theatre were almost a lost art ... people need to be reminded that it takes a lot more effort to sing than just watching movies or TV shows." Miranda agrees: "Since I became so famous ... everyone is watching more music and singing more – because everyone wants to be more like me."[6] As the Miranda character has matured, its popularity has especially grown with younger audiences of the Glee generation, with most of those attending her concerts being teenagers or in their twenties.[58]

Other activities

Miranda in 2014: magic trick where she sings while being stabbed through the neck; this boosts her "self isteam", as noted on the projection behind her.

In 2009, soon after Ballinger began doing cabaret performances as Miranda, the cast of Mamma Mia! invited Miranda to perform with them at the 2009 Broadway Easter Bonnet competition.[49] In December of that year, Ballinger released a Christmas EP entitled "Christmas With Miranda Sings".[59] In 2010, she appeared as Miranda at the Nightlife Awards,[60] and Miranda was a presenter at the CYT Directors' Choice Awards in La Mesa, California.[61] Later that year, at the Rose Center Theater, Miranda co-hosted a benefit concert, "Broadway Memories" (which included the Sutton Foster "voice lesson"), for the Alzheimer's Association and the Capistrano Center for the Performing Arts.[62] Also, from 2010 to 2012, Ballinger posted 86 Miranda video blogs to a second YouTube channel, Mirandavlogz, featuring Miranda "discussing" various topics or giving "tutorials", but she has returned to posting all of the videos on the Mirandasings08 channel.[63] Miranda sings two tracks in character on the 2011 album Self Taught, Still Learning, by Chris Passey.[64] The character also appeared in a comedy film, Varla Jean and the Mushroomheads.[65] In 2012, Miranda Sings was one of the headliners at the Out of the Loop Fringe Festival, presented by WaterTower Theatre in Addison, Texas.[10][66]

Miranda Sings appeared in a Season 3 episode of the television show Victorious, a one-hour special titled "Tori Goes Platinum", which was first broadcast on May 19, 2012 on the Nickelodeon channel. In the episode, Miranda is one of the auditionees for an awards show, singing "Freak the Freak Out".[67][68] In July 2012, Miranda gave a "master class" at the Boston Children's Theatre, followed by a talk by Ballinger about how to use social media to promote yourself as a performer.[69][70] The character appeared in episode 6 of Dr. Fubalous, a 2012 web series that featured Ballinger as nurse Royal Bobbin in a cast that included Donnivin Jordan, Flava Flav, Danny Trejo, GloZell Green and Lindsey Stirling.[71] She also appeared in the first episode of Dance Chat, an Australian web show, in 2013.[72]

In August 2012, Miranda announced, in a YouTube vlog, that she was running for President of the U.S. to offer an alternative to the two candidates nominated by the major parties. She offered a brief analysis of the presidential race in the video.[73] In an October vlog, she laid out her campaign platform.[74]

Reception

Since early 2009, Ballinger's character has enjoyed widespread popularity, especially (initially) among musical theatre fans.[4][14][75] Later, her fan base expanded particularly among teenagers.[46][25] Her cabaret acts have been in demand at live clubs and theaters in New York (Birdland Jazz Club, The Town Hall, Best Buy Theater),[76][77][44] San Francisco (The Rrazz Room at Hotel Nikko), London (Ambassadors Theatre; Leicester Square Theatre),[78][79] Australia (selling out every performance in her 2013 tour)[47] and elsewhere, at venues where her teenage fans, who call themselves "Mirfandas", are admitted.[25][46][80]

In 2009, the Los Angeles Times wrote of her videos, "this footage is a major hoot",[4] and BroadwayWorld.com described Ballinger as an "Internet Superstar."[81] The Times of London commented that although Miranda's videos have made her "a darling of the Broadway musical-theatre scene ... [it] is not online but on stage that Miranda truly comes to ghastly life."[6] In 2010, the BroadwayWorld review of Miranda's cabaret act in Los Angeles said: "Ballinger's 'Miranda Sings' persona is a very unique and original concept devised by a very creative imagination. ... Miranda is not to be missed. [As] the old saying goes, it takes talent to be that bad".[30] TheaterJones similarly concluded: "Ballinger has hit on a character that reflects the zeitgeist of our time and does it with tongue firmly planted in cheek."[10] Woman Around Town called Miranda "an atrocious, comedic masterpiece."[82] A 2013 BroadwayWorld feature commented, "While [Miranda's] singing might not be anywhere near pitch-perfect, the character's comedic lampooning of self-aggrandizing divas surely is. ... [O]nly a truly talented performer could make the Miranda character believable, let alone as endearing as she ends up being."[83] AussieTheatre.com stated: "Miranda ... creates the most successful parody of the world of YouTube ... she has created an international cult following".[84]

The Miranda videos have received more than 100 million upload views, and the Mirandasings08 YouTube channel has more than 1 million subscribers.[3] Miranda Sings' parody cover of Nicki Minaj's "Starships" video has received more than 4 million views on YouTube. Her version of Katy Perry's "California Gurls" has received over 3 million views. 3 of her other videos each have about 2 million views, and 15 other videos on the Miranda channels have each received more than one million views. More than 70 of her videos have each received over 500,000 views, including her first viral video, "Free voice lesson".[85] More than 250 of the videos on the Miranda channels have received over 100,000 hits. The character is widely parodied on YouTube, where a parody video has received over 5 million hits.[86]

References

  1. ^ Born November 21, 1986 and raised in Santa Barbara, California, Ballinger attended San Marcos High School and graduated in 2008 from Azusa Pacific University. Her parents are Tim, a salesman, and Gwen Ballinger, a homemaker. See "Ep. 25 Colleen Ballinger (Miranda Sings)", at 25:00, Ear Biscuits, Soundcloud.com, March 31, 2014. From 2007 to 2009, she performed for Disney in California and gave private voice, movement coaching and piano lessons to children. See also "Miranda Sings Visits Clevver TV". In 2009, she played Kelsi Nielson in High School Musical at Candlelight Pavilion Dinner Theatre in Claremont, California. Ballinger appears on the 2010 album More With Every Line, by songwriter Tim Prottey-Jones. She is also heard on the 2011 album Self Taught, Still Learning by Chris Passey. She played Lynda Bird Johnson in a staged reading of First Kids in New York in June 2011, and in October 2011 she created the role of Circe Off-Broadway in the American Theatre of Actors production Odyssey – The Epic Musical. In 2012, she was featured as nurse Royal in the web series Dr. Fubalous, and in 2013, she appeared as Amara in Season 2 of the series Hipsterhood. See this. In February 2013, she starred in the episode "Under the Bed" in the web series The Flipside, and in December 2013, she was featured on the MTV True Life episode "I'm Famous Online". In 2014, she appeared in the episode "Wedding Plans" on the web series MyMusic. Ballinger's non-Miranda YouTube channel, Psychosoprano, featuring Ballinger's family, friends and comedy, has received more than 50 million views.
  2. ^ Mirandavlogz, YouTube, accessed April 6, 2014
  3. ^ a b "Miranda Sings" most popular videos, Mirandasings08, YouTube, accessed April 6, 2014
  4. ^ a b c Ng, David. "YouTube sensation Miranda seduces Broadway", Los Angeles Times, May 11, 2009
  5. ^ "Miranda Sings: Videos", YouTube, accessed April 14, 2014
  6. ^ a b c d e f g Eggar, Robin. "She'd like to teach the world to sing". The Times, May 2, 2010, accessed March 6, 2012
  7. ^ "Meme Comes to Life", Transmedia Televisual Studies, FILM345, Queens University, February 2010
  8. ^ a b c d e f Velasco, Schuyler. "Miranda Sings: How Colleen Ballinger parlayed YouTube stardom into a comedy career", Back Stage, August 3, 2010
  9. ^ a b "Stage Tube: 'Miranda Sings' Visits Clevver TV", Broadway World, November 4, 2009
  10. ^ a b c d e f Noteboom, Kris. "BooTube", TheaterJones, March 5, 2012
  11. ^ "Miranda Sings! at Birdland", stubdog.com, February 4, 2010
  12. ^ Video of Miranda scat singing in "Favorite Things", Broadwayworld.com, May 2009
  13. ^ "Music/Cabaret Miranda Sings", San Francisco Chronicle, October 4, 2009; Bond, Nick. "Haters back off – Miranda’s coming", Star Observer, October 30, 2013
  14. ^ a b c d Liberty, John. "YouTube star Miranda Sings to make Michigan debut, readies for haters", Kalamazoo Gazette, Mlive.com, December 1, 2011
  15. ^ "The Gay Test: Miranda Sings", TheGayUK, August 17, 2012, accessed December 9, 2013
  16. ^ Walgrove, Amanda. "Miranda Sings Covers “Starships,” Performs Magic and Introduces MirandaCon at VidCon 2013", WhatsTrending.com, August 5, 2013
  17. ^ "Sam Harris and Miranda Sings Duet 'Too Much, Too Little, Too Late'", SamHarris.com, 2010, accessed February 10, 2014
  18. ^ "'Timber' – cover w/ Lindsey Stirling and Miranda Sings!", YouTube, February 10, 2014
  19. ^ Examples include "7 Second Challenge With Miranda Sings | Zoella", Zoella's YouTube channel, accessed April 27, 2014; and "Icona Pop – I Love It (Alex G & Taryn Southern Cover ft MirandaSings)", Alex G's YouTube channel, accessed April 27, 2014
  20. ^ a b c Keates, Nancy. "Just a Spoonful of Cinnamon Makes the Internet Rounds", Wall Street Journal, March 14, 2012
  21. ^ Ballinger, Colleen. "Cinnamon Challenge (Miranda Sings)", YouTube, February 20, 2012, accessed October 25, 2013
  22. ^ "Photo Flash: 'Miranda Sings' at Birdland's Cast Party", BroadwayWorld.com, April 29, 2009, accessed May 23, 2012
  23. ^ Blank, Matthew. "'Miranda Sings Christmas Spectacular,' With Lauren Kennedy and Frankie Grande", Playbill, December 20, 2011
  24. ^ Sparks, Abbe. "Mirfandas Infiltrate Highland Park from across the country for Midwest Premiere of Miranda Sings Live!", Chicago Tribune (Highland Park local), November 22, 2010
  25. ^ a b c Miranda Sings Australia schedule, November 2009; Newcastle Herald, November 26, 2009, p. 45; Michelin, Lana. "How (not) to sing great". Red Deer Advocate, January 14, 2011; Bell, Matt. "Marketing Lessons from 'Miranda Sings'", Standing (inn)ovation, November 14, 2013
  26. ^ "'Miranda Sings' Returns to Rrazz Room October 9". BroadwayWorld.com, October 2, 2009, accessed July 23, 2010
  27. ^ "Miranda Sings with Ariana Grande", YouTube, June 21, 2011, accessed November 25, 2013
  28. ^ Miranda "death scene" at Birdland, September 2009
  29. ^ "Miranda Sings Plays 'Broadway At Birdland,' 10/12". Broadwayworld.com, October 13, 2009
  30. ^ a b "Photo Flash: Miranda Sings at Cabaret at the Castle". BroadwayWorld.com, April 21, 2010
  31. ^ Bullen, Bob. "My very gay weekend: Valley of the Dolls at Music Box Theatre (with special guest Patty Duke) and Miranda Sings", Chicago Theatre Addict, November 21, 2010, accessed April 17, 2014
  32. ^ "Miranda Sings Christmas Karols for Broadway at Birdland", BroadwayWorld.com, December 16, 2012
  33. ^ Video of Miranda at Broadway on Broadway, including her meeting with Cheyenne Jackson, beginning at 3:35
  34. ^ Miranda Wants To Date Zac Efron! on YouTube ClevverTV segment from January 3, 2010, available on YouTube. Retrieved March 4, 2010..
  35. ^ Baby by Justin Beiber on YouTube (At 1:00 in video clip) Retrieved September 17, 2010.
  36. ^ Ballinger, Colleen. "MY FIRST DATE! (With Joey Graceffa)", YouTube, July 15, 2013; and Ballinger, Colleen. "THE BOYFRIEND TAG | Joey Graceffa & Miranda!", YouTube, November 25, 2013
  37. ^ "The Amazing Race Cast: Joey and Meghan", CBS.com, accessed November 26, 2013
  38. ^ Miranda's announcement of her "modelling career", Youtube, September 2, 2009
  39. ^ Ballinger, Colleen. "Contest! 'Magic' by Miranda Sings", Murphy's Magic Community, 16 October 2010
  40. ^ Miranda's creator, Ballinger, says "I think the cheesiness of amateur magic combined with the Miranda character just fits." See Bullen, Bob. "Haters, back off: an interview with the gal behind YouTube sensation, ‘Miranda Sings’", Chicago Theatre Addict, November 17, 2010; and Miranda Sings magic promo, YouTube, 2010, accessed November 7, 2013
  41. ^ Zwiebach, Elliot. "Miranda Sings", CabaretScenes.org, May 5, 2012, accessed June 6, 3013. See also "Think of Me" – "magic trick" video, YouTube, February 25, 2011; and Chicago cabaret "magic trick" video YouTube, November 22, 2010
  42. ^ Rudetsky, Seth. "Everything's Up to Date in Kansas City, Plus Kate Wetherhead and Andrew Keenan-Bolger", Playbill.com, June 4, 2012
  43. ^ Rudetsky, Seth. "Seth Is On Demand as Andrea Martin Opens a New Window", Playbill.com, July 2, 2012
  44. ^ a b c "Miranda Sings - Best Buy Theater Marquee – January 11, 2014", FreeNewsPos.com, January 12, 2014
  45. ^ Sklar, Sam. "I went to a Miranda Sings show and became a 'Mirfanda'", The Badger Herald, April 15, 2014
  46. ^ a b c Sherwin, Kevin. "Miranda Sings, Leicester Square Theatre, September 9, 2013", BroadwayWorld, September 10, 2013; Moore, James. "Review: Miranda Sings (Leicester Square Theatre)", So So Gay, September 10, 2013; Sims, Samuel. "Review: Miranda Sings", A Younger Theare, September 10, 2013
  47. ^ a b Bell, Matt. "Marketing Lessons from 'Miranda Sings'", Standing (inn)ovation, November 14, 2013
  48. ^ Sherwin, Kevin. "Miranda Sings, Leicester Square Theatre, September 9, 2013", BroadwayWorld, September 10, 2013
  49. ^ a b c d Sims, James. "Colleen Ballinger Talks YouTube Character Miranda Sings", Broadwayworld.com, August 27, 2010, accessed October 30, 2013
  50. ^ Flair, Justus. "More than red lipstick", The Daily Iowan, April 10, 2014
  51. ^ Linton, Shannon. "Miranda Sings . . . Terribly: An Unlikely Rise to Stardom", APU Life, Spring '12 issue, May 30, 2012
  52. ^ Roberts, Kayleigh. "America's Got No Talent". Highland Park Patch, November 18, 2010
  53. ^ "Photo Flash: Miranda Sings, Joshua Ledet, & More Visit Birdland!", BroadwayWorld.com, May 29, 2012
  54. ^ "Miranda/Miranda Audition ... The Word of Your Body". YouTube video, May 23, 2010, accessed February 4, 2012
  55. ^ "Miranda Sings with WOS Winner". WhatsOnStage.com, June 4, 2010; and "More Miranda Line-up: Strallen, James-Ellis & Lee". WhatsOnStage.com, May 25, 2010
  56. ^ "Miranda Sings London 2012 Highlights", YouTube, September 24, 2012
  57. ^ "Singing up a Storm with Miranda Sings", Andy & Adrian show, JOY 94.9FM radio in Melbourne, Australia, 18 November 2009
  58. ^ Hemley, Matthew. "At last, a Miranda who’s funny...", The Stage, September 2013
  59. ^ "YouTube Sensation Miranda Sings Releases 4 Holiday Tunes", BroadwayWorld.com, December 8, 2009
  60. ^ Fox, Jena Tesse. "BWW Reviews: The 2010 Nightlife Awards", broadwayworld.com, February 4, 2010
  61. ^ "CYT Directors' Choice Awards 2010", Christian Youth Theatre official website, accessed July 24, 2010
  62. ^ "Photo Flash: Broadway Memories Fundraiser". BroadwayWorld.com, accessed January 21, 2011
  63. ^ Mirandavlogz, YouTube, accessed October 30, 2013
  64. ^ "Self Taught, Still Learning – Chris Passey (Album Review)", Polly Browne's blog, November 15, 2011, accessed January 22, 2012
  65. ^ "Varla Jean and the Mushroomheads (2012)", RottenTomatoes.com, accessed December 13, 2013
  66. ^ Lowry, Mark. "2012 Out of the Loop Lineup Announced", TheaterJones.com, January 18, 2012
  67. ^ "Miranda Sings Talks About Guest Starring on Victorious", Nickutopia.com, May 18, 2012
  68. ^ Miranda Sings on Victorious, The Slap, May 18, 2012
  69. ^ Jarvedon. "YouTube Sensation Miranda Sings Visits BCT!", BostonChildrensTheatre.org, July 20, 2012
  70. ^ Shanahan, Mark and Meredith Goldstein. "Woman behind Miranda Sings a real character", The Boston Globe, July 11, 2012
  71. ^ Winn, Scott and Jason Alexander. "Royal Bobbin", Dr. Fubalous, Hip Hop Doc, LLC, 2012
  72. ^ "Dance Chat Episode #1 with Miranda Sings, Sam Wasson & Marko Panzic", YouTube, November 21, 2013
  73. ^ Ballinger, Colleen. "Im Runing (sic) for President!", Mirandasings08 channel at YouTube.com, August 30, 2012
  74. ^ Ballinger, Colleen. Presidential Debate!", Mirandasings08 channel at YouTube.com, October 4, 2012
  75. ^ Klein, Jessica. "YouTuber Colleen Ballinger Loves Performing Live Even More", Thevideoink.com, April 1, 2014
  76. ^ "Miranda Sings at Birdland", BroadwayWorld, September 18, 2009, accessed December 28, 2011; "Photo Flash: Miranda Sings And More Spend The Holidays At Birdland", BroadwayWorld, December 28, 2011; and "Photo Flash: Miranda Sings, Joshua Ledet, & More Visit Birdland!", BroadwayWorld.com, May 29, 2012
  77. ^ Gans, Andrew. "Star-Filled Jim Caruso's Cast Party Plays Town Hall". Playbill.com, February 17, 2011
  78. ^ Paddock, Terri. "Miranda Sings with Jones, Atherton, H & ... You?", What's on Stage, May 11, 2010, accessed April 14, 2014
  79. ^ "Miranda Sings at The Ambassadors Theatre", UK Theatre Web, accessed 16 November 2009; "Miranda Sings with WOS Winner". WhatsOnStage.com, June 4, 2010; and Levitt, Hayley. "Are You the Next Miranda Sings?", TheaterMania, August 22, 2013
  80. ^ Erickson, Anne. "Evening Magazine: Miranda Sings", King5 TV, King Broadcasting Company, March 28, 2014
  81. ^ "Miranda Sings at The Ambassadors" June 5, 2009
  82. ^ Schaeffer, Alicia. "You’re Gonna Love Me: Miranda Sings! at Birdland". Woman Around Town, August 31st, 2011
  83. ^ Allen, Matthew. "Miranda Sings Brings Her Bizarrely Wonderful, Must-See Show to Actor's Express", Atlanta.broadwayworld.com, June 20, 2013
  84. ^ Allen, David. "Miranda Sings is coming to Australia – haters, back off!", AussieTheatre.com, November 5, 2013
  85. ^ Ballinger, Colleen. "Free voice lesson" video. YouTube, accessed April 16, 2014
  86. ^ "miranda sings someone like you", YouTube, accessed October 24, 2013; see also "Maranda Sings parody" search, YouTube, accessed October 24, 2013
General
Performance videos
Other appearances and videos
Colleen Ballinger, creator of Miranda Sings
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