Boy George - real name George Alan O'Dowd - has been hit with harsh criticism following his comeback show in London.
The 63-year-old musician is currently back with his band Culture Club, performing their 80s hits such as ‘Do You Really Want to Hurt Me’ and ‘Karma Chameleon.’ While Boy George has wowed fans with his stage presence and lively renditions, however, some critics have pointed out a major flaw - his voice. In some reviews, music devotees have suggested that Boy George’s singing ability isn’t what it used to be, and that his current reunion has come too late to show him at his best.
In a review for The Times, a critic praised the staging of the show, but then slammed: “None of the above could mask Culture Club’s current problem- Boy George’s voice. Sure it hasn’t been good for some time. Here it was weak at best, often inaudible and occasionally terribly out of tune. To make up for it, most of the band sang, while the backing vocalists kept the songs buoyant and in some cases completely took over.”
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Redferns)The Financial Times had similar criticism, saying: “The gig nonetheless felt a bit flat. One problem was Boy George’s voice. At 63, he is no longer the singer he was. Once venerated for his lightly soulful vocals, he now sings in a lower, huskier tone after recovering from a vocal polyp in 2014. The backing singers (two female, one male) supported him ably… But mostly he seemed to be singing within himself, as though wary of overexerting his vocal cords.”
Despite the criticism from experts, many fans on X, formerly known as Twitter, claimed that Boy George still knew how to put on a show. “Boy George did more for music than many new 'pop stars' ever will. He broke down walls." "He's a visionary who helped pave the way for many artists. He has pure talent. No autotune. No elaborate stage performances that many use to hide the fact they're talentless. Still relevant,” one fan wrote.
Another agreed that the ins and outs of his vocal skill wasn’t everything, and praised: “Boy George is an original. So talented. Easy to love his music no matter who you are or where you come from. A fun song is fun. You feel good when his tunes are played. That's what counts.”
Culture Club’s comeback tour came as a welcome reunion after Boy George and the other members found themselves in a lengthy battle with their former drummer - and Boy George’s ex-boyfriend - Jon Moss. Jon was allegedly expelled from the band in September 2018 by manager Paul Kemsley, bringing his 37-year career to an end. He claimed he was owed lost tour income following his expulsion.
Georg and the band members later forked out £1.75 million to avoid the case going to the high court. George said at the time: “It is like an ugly divorce. Jon has left the band and he is suing us. What can I say? Jon just did not love being in Culture Club and I do. He seemed to be bored by it so we asked him to leave. The thing is Jon did not fight to be back in the band. He gave up too easily like he did in our relationship.”
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