Orianthi Penny Panagaris (born January 22, 1985), often known mononymously as Orianthi, is an Australian musician, singer, and songwriter. In 2009, she became Michael Jackson's touring guitarist for his This is It rehearsals.
Meeting & work[]
| “ | Around the time I was making the record with Howard Benson, we were nearly done with the whole album, I was working with Diane Warren in the studio with her, and I got the message through MySpace that said, 'Hey, Michael Jackson needs a guitar player, you're exactly what he's looking for, we're going to give you a call tomorrow. Michael Jackson and [Jackson's musical director] Michael Bearden. So I got a call from them both and they wanted me to come in and learn 'Beat It,' they wanted me to be starting something in 'Dirty Diana.' And I was in the studio with Diane, I said, 'I just got this message from Michael Jackson and he wants me to come in tomorrow and play.' And she's like, 'What...?' It was crazy. I just remember that moment. And it was a really wild time. | ” |
–Orianthi on getting hired by Michael Jackson[1] | ||
Orianthi would perform on the guitar solos for a few songs, namely "Beat It", "Black or White", and "Dirty Diana".
Orianthi performing "Black or White" with Michael.
During the rehearsals, the guitarist was also given advice from Jackson.
| “ | Michael Jackson definitely taught me to do what's best for the song. It's not about crowding it with guitars and instruments that don't make sense. It's about surrounding the music and the melody with something that makes you feel something. You don't want to get in the way of the lyrics. I used to put a guitar in between everything. It sometimes doesn't call for that. As a guitar player, I want guitar on everything. But being a pop music fan and a music fan in general, I listen with different ears. | ” |
–Orianthi recalling Jackson's advices[2] | ||
Orianthi had also mentioned the work would take "really long hours", lasting from 10 AM 'til 1 AM.
| “ | I was like, 'God, this is a lot!' And the comeback and the pressure of that too, a lot of stuff people don't put in consideration, coming back after all that time, and then putting together a show, and then just making sure everything's perfect and the way you want it. And as an artist, I think everyone around could definitely feel the pressure that he was feeling. But excitement too. | ” |
–Orianthi on working with Michael Jackson[1] | ||
Following Jackson's death, she would be featured in archived footage for the movie Michael Jackson's This Is It. Among the clips featured was Jackson directing Orianthi to perform the guitar solo for "Black or White" as he intended.
Criticism[]
Jackson's fans had initially criticized Orianthi for not having performed the "Beat It" guitar solo "exactly like it sounds on the album".
| “ | You can't try to walk in there and fill Eddie Van Halen or Jennifer Batten's shoes. Some people were like, 'Oh you didn't play the 'Beat It' solo just like it was on the record.' I played it the way that I would play it, and I guess Michael liked it. I just do what I do. I can't try to be anybody else. That's the way I look at it. | ” |
–Orianthi on the criticism[2] | ||
Gallery[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 https://www.ultimate-guitar.com/news/general_music_news/orianthi_talks_how_michael_jackson_behaved_when_she_was_his_guitarist__how_much_she_had_to_work_for_him.html
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 https://www.express.co.uk/entertainment/music/1366954/michael-jackson-this-is-it-orianthi-guitarist-dead-death-london-o2-arena-music