Jennifer Holliday vs Jennifer Hudson - Who Sang “And I Am Telling You” Better???

Jennifer Hudson version

Hudson, and she should've had a bigger career. Most people only know her for that one song, but surely she's made other great recordings.

Which one is the original? That's the iconic version.

Sorry, I got them confused, I meant Holliday, the original. Maybe we can turn this into a Jennifer Holliday thread since she's winning?

Thank you, r4. I voted for Jennifer Holliday, the original, iconic Effie.

Wasn't the other one on American Idol?

R5 yes, Hudson started on American Idol and placed like 7th place.

Hudson. Holliday is objectively the better singer but, like Judy and Liza, she seems “off” or disturbed and it distracts from the song and makes me uncomfortable. I have a hard time watching Judy and Liza because they seem high and/or crazy half the time and Holliday’s kind of in that boat for me.

JHud for sure. Holliday sounded like she was birthing livestock.

No contest. Holliday hands down.

Exsqueeze me?

So Holliday fans, if you're out there, please link to other great songs she's recorded. TIA

I actually saw Jennifer Hudson's version first at the movies watching Dreamgirls on the screen. After she sang it, everyone in the theater applauded. I'd never seen that for a song at the movies. But then I found Jennifer Holiday's version she sang at the Tony's in the early 1980s, and that truly blew me away. Holliday for the win.

Hudson strained too much, and I'm not really much of a fan of her machine-gun sounding vibrato. But, on other songs in the movie, she sounded fantastic and I actually consider her voice to be the movie's best asset.

Jennifer singing gospel back in the day!

Holliday yelled it out better but here weird little quirks and that crossed eyes schtick she does with the last note are hilarious

Jennifer Hudson's is nearly equal to Jennifer Holliday's. The reason why Holliday has the edge is because she created the song. The vocal arrangement that Hudson, and many others, have imitated was Holliday's artistic expression of the character she created.

Neither could equal this.

Holliday but Hudson’s is fabulous also and it’s a close call for me. When she does the Changing song, it’s my favorite part of the movie.

Holliday, why do you even have to ask darl

Is English that womsn's first language at r17?

She would bring the house down at the annual Shriners event.

^woman's

BUMP

r17 - oh my god.

I prefer Hudson. I thought Holliday was incredible but way over the top - just too much.

I saw Holliday in the original Dreamgirls at the beginning of its run in 1981. Jennifer's performance, this number in particular, was one of the most viscerally thrilling moments I've ever witnessed in the theater. I was in the balcony, and it was pure pandemonium. I thought all the show queens were going to start hurling themselves into the orchestra. She stopped the show three times with screaming, standing ovations in just that one number, and did much the same thing in her second act song, "I'm Changing."