ABOUT THE SPEAKERS
Cynthia Erivo - Actor, performer
Best known for her role in the Broadway revival of "The Color Purple," Cynthia Erivo is a Tony-, Grammy- and Emmy-winning performer.

Why you should listen

Cynthia Erivo made her Broadway debut as Celie in The Color Purple -- a role that earned her Tony, Grammy and Emmy Awards. Erivo has performed for the annual Kennedy Center Honors and been featured on stage in Sister Act as well as A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Most recently, Erivo teamed up with John Legend at the 2017 Grammy Awards to perform the Beach Boys’ song, “God Only Knows.”

The actress stars with Viola Davis in the upcoming Steve McQueen film Widows, and as Harriet Tubman in the biopic Harriet.

More profile about the speaker
Cynthia Erivo | Speaker | TED.com
Jason Webb - Musical director
Jason Webb is a writer, musical director, arranger, orchestrator, lecturer and a lover of music.

Why you should listen

From conducting orchestras in Broadway pits to writing and arranging music for a presidential inauguration, Jason Michael Webb has dedicated his life to using music to heal, uplift and encourage.

Webb;s early musical training consisted of formal classical study, playing in small churches and listening to pop music. By 21, he had a degree in classical piano, played in the biggest churches in New York City and made his orchestral solo debut with the Queens Symphony Orchestra. He then went on to become Musical Director of the six-time Grammy-winning Brooklyn Tabernacle, for whom he co-wrote and produced four albums for The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir, leading to two Stellar Award nominations and a Dove Award win. His arrangement of BTC's "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" was featured at the 2013 inauguration of President Barack Obama and simultaneously heard by over one billion people worldwide.

Webb also recently served as musical director of the Tony- and Grammy-winning 2016 Broadway Revival of Oprah Winfrey's "The Color Purple", directed by John Doyle and based on the timeless novel by Alice Walker. Webb is now currently the US Music Supervisor of the tour, as well as Music Director/Arranger for Cynthia Erivo, who won a 2016 Tony Award as Celie in the Broadway Revival.

Mr. Webb’s writing can also be heard on the TV series "Empire", Netflix’s film Juanita, and numerous recording projects and original musicals, including "The First Noel" (produced annually at the world famous Apollo Theater in Harlem, NYC) and the South African musical "Ilathi," which premiered July 2017 at the New York Musical Festival. Webb has conducted live and recording orchestras from New York to LA, including pianist Lang Lang's 2016 love letter to NYC, "New York Rhapsody", which featured performances by Rufus Wainwright, Regina Spektor and Suzanne Vega.

More profile about the speaker
Jason Webb | Speaker | TED.com
TED2017

Cynthia Erivo: "Natural Woman" and "Johnny and Donna"

Cynthia Erivo: « Femme naturelle » et « Johnny et Donna »

Filmed:
170,354 views

« J'adore chanter, dit Cynthia Erivo, car c'est le chemin direct vers le cœur. » Ecoutez Erivo méditer sur le super-pouvoir de la musique pour nous lier les uns aux autres entre des interprétations sublimes, profondes de « Johnny et Donna » de Mali Music et de « Femme naturelle » d'Aretha Franklin, accompagnée de Jason Webb au piano.
- Actor, performer
Best known for her role in the Broadway revival of "The Color Purple," Cynthia Erivo is a Tony-, Grammy- and Emmy-winning performer. Full bio - Musical director
Jason Webb is a writer, musical director, arranger, orchestrator, lecturer and a lover of music. Full bio

Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.

00:13
JohnnyJohnny metrencontré DonnaDonna,
0
1230
2835
Johnny a rencontré Donna,
00:16
(PianoPiano)
1
4089
1526
(Piano)
00:18
and they fellest tombée in love,
2
6150
4846
et ils sont tombés amoureux
00:23
but had no ideaidée
3
11020
4643
mais n'avaient aucune idée
00:27
what love really was.
4
15687
3391
de ce qu'était vraiment l'amour.
00:32
So they trieda essayé theirleur bestmeilleur
5
20444
4285
Ils ont essayé, fait de leur mieux
00:36
to make eachchaque other smilesourire.
6
24753
3548
pour faire sourire l'autre.
00:41
But while learningapprentissage themselvesse,
7
29339
5027
Mais en s'apprenant,
00:46
they would have a childenfant.
8
34390
3141
ils ont eu un enfant.
00:50
But with no time to think
the wholeentier thing throughpar,
9
38886
5286
Sans avoir le temps
d'y réfléchir vraiment,
00:56
little time to preparepréparer,
10
44196
4603
peu de temps pour se préparer,
01:00
it got toughdure to providefournir for him
11
48823
4806
il est devenu difficile
de subvenir à ses besoins
01:05
and give him love and carese soucier.
12
53653
3907
et lui donner de l'amour
et de l'affection.
01:10
How, how, how, how, how do I?
When and where?
13
58683
5192
Comment, comment, comment,
comment, comment fais-je ?
Quand et où ?
01:15
Are questionsdes questions they bothtous les deux oftensouvent askdemander God.
14
63899
5102
Sont des questions qu'ils ont tous deux
souvent posées à Dieu.
01:21
Life is fullplein of twistTwist, twistTwist.
15
69025
2495
La vie est pleine
de rebondissements, rebondissements.
01:23
Life is fullplein of twirlmontre twirl,
twirlmontre twirl, t-twirlt-tourbillon, twirlmontre twirl.
16
71544
3373
La vie est pleine de tournoiements,
tournoiements, tournoiements.
01:26
Yeah, it's the weightpoids of the worldmonde,
17
74941
2246
Oui, c'est le poids du monde,
01:29
it flipsflips you upsideà l'envers down
18
77211
2177
il vous met sens dessus dessous
01:31
when you're youngJeune, when you're oldvieux
19
79412
1969
quand vous êtes jeune,
quand vous êtes vieux
01:33
it just spinstours out of controlcontrôle,
20
81405
3904
il échappe à tout contrôle,
01:37
oh.
21
85333
1510
oh.
01:39
SpinsTours out of controlcontrôle,
22
87393
3102
Échappe à tout contrôle,
01:42
so ...
23
90519
1698
alors...
01:44
holdtenir on
24
92241
2720
Accrochez-vous
01:48
because you'lltu vas never know.
25
96462
2135
car vous ne saurez jamais.
01:50
(PianoPiano)
26
98621
2323
(Piano)
01:53
JohnnyJohnny and DonnaDonna
27
101476
4725
Johnny et Donna
01:58
slowlylentement recognizedreconnu
28
106225
4669
ont lentement reconnu
02:02
that for the baby'sbébé futureavenir,
29
110918
4402
que pour l'avenir du bébé,
02:07
they plannedprévu two differentdifférent livesvies.
30
115344
3839
ils prévoyaient deux vies différentes.
02:12
DonnaDonna wanted a familyfamille.
31
120093
3986
Donna voulait une famille.
02:16
She wanted to do it right,
32
124744
4182
Elle voulait bien faire les choses,
02:21
make Johnny'sDe Johnny housemaison a home.
33
129363
4848
faire de la maison de Johnny un foyer.
02:26
She wanted to be a wifefemme.
34
134235
4253
Elle voulait être une épouse.
02:31
JohnnyJohnny was a dreamerrêveur.
35
139563
3559
Johnny était un rêveur.
02:36
He had to movebouge toi around.
36
144094
3345
Il devait bouger.
02:40
Yeah, he'dil aurait be there for his childenfant,
37
148686
4840
Oui, il serait là pour son enfant,
02:45
but wouldn'tne serait pas settleSettle down.
38
153550
3646
mais ne s'installerait pas.
02:50
How, how, how, how, how do I?
When and where?
39
158408
5145
Comment, comment, comment,
comment, comment fais-je ?
Quand et où ?
02:55
Are questionsdes questions they bothtous les deux oftensouvent askdemander God.
40
163577
5144
Sont des questions qu'ils ont tous deux
souvent posées à Dieu.
03:00
Life is fullplein of twistTwist, twistTwist.
41
168745
2308
La vie est pleine
de rebondissements, rebondissements.
03:03
Life is fullplein of twirlmontre twirl,
twirlmontre twirl, t-twirlt-tourbillon, twirlmontre twirl.
42
171077
3428
La vie est pleine de tournoiements,
tournoiements, tournoiements.
03:06
Yeah, it's the weightpoids of the worldmonde.
43
174529
2117
Oui, c'est le poids du monde.
03:08
It's whirlwindstourbillons and girlfriendscopines,
44
176670
2668
Ce sont les tumultes et les copines,
03:11
toysjouets and boyfriendcopain, friendscopains
45
179362
2176
les jouets et le copain, les amis
03:13
and FrenchmenFrançais,
46
181562
1168
et les hommes français,
03:14
warguerre, peacepaix, impeachmentmise en accusation, gentlemenmessieurs,
47
182754
3008
la guerre, la paix,
la destitution, les damoiseaux,
03:17
ladiesDames, SundayDimanche, shadyShady mistakeserreurs,
48
185786
4024
des demoiselles, le dimanche,
les erreurs équivoques,
03:21
and peachpêche ringsanneaux,
49
189834
2053
et les bonbons,
03:23
blacksnoirs and bleacheau de Javel stainsles taches.
50
191911
3191
les taches noires et de javel.
03:27
Don't forgetoublier waspsguêpes and beeabeille stingspiqûres, oh.
51
195941
3750
N'oubliez pas les piqûres
de guêpes et d'abeilles, oh.
03:33
WhetherQue ce soit you're JohnnyJohnny or DonnaDonna,
52
201636
5108
Que vous soyez Johnny ou Donna,
03:38
or neitherni of the two,
53
206768
4880
ou aucun des deux,
03:43
just try to make the bestmeilleur
54
211672
5334
essayez de tirer le meilleur
03:49
of what's givendonné to you.
55
217030
2290
de ce qui vous est offert.
03:51
HaHa, haha, haha, haha.
56
219344
3365
Ha, ha, ha, ha.
03:56
HaHa, haha, haha, haha.
57
224755
3278
Ha, ha, ha, ha.
04:02
HaHa, haha, haha, haha.
58
230310
5706
Ha, ha, ha, ha.
04:10
(ApplauseApplaudissements)
59
238974
1596
(Applaudissements)
04:12
Thank you.
60
240594
1151
Merci.
04:13
(ApplauseApplaudissements)
61
241769
4193
(Applaudissements)
04:24
I don't know if you can tell,
but I love musicla musique.
62
252124
2912
J'ignore si vous le voyez
mais j'adore la musique.
04:27
(LaughterRires)
63
255060
1002
(Rires)
04:28
I love to singchanter.
64
256086
1796
J'adore chanter.
04:29
And it's because I feel like
it's the fast-trackFast track routeroute to the heartcœur.
65
257906
3948
C'est parce que j'ai l'impression
que c'est le chemin direct vers le cœur.
04:34
I feel like when I singchanter,
66
262267
2360
J'ai l'impression que quand je chante,
04:36
I get to connectrelier with eachchaque one of you.
67
264651
2469
je crée un lien avec chacun d'entre vous.
04:39
And it's not because of the tunemélodie,
68
267144
1889
Ce n'est pas du fait de la mélodie,
04:41
it's not because of the lyricsParoles,
69
269057
1597
du fait des paroles,
04:42
it's not because of the tempotempo
70
270678
1974
du fait du tempo
04:44
or the pitchpas.
71
272676
1376
ou de la hauteur des notes.
04:46
It's because, somehowen quelque sorte,
we all understandcomprendre musicla musique.
72
274076
4990
C'est parce que, d'une façon,
nous comprenons tous la musique.
04:51
It's a universaluniversel languagela langue.
73
279629
1928
C'est un langage universel.
04:53
ImagineImaginez: one languagela langue
that we can all understandcomprendre.
74
281581
3334
Imaginez : un langage
que nous pouvons tous comprendre.
04:56
We mightpourrait not all speakparler it
as fluentlycouramment as eachchaque other,
75
284939
3298
Nous ne le parlons peut-être pas tous
de façon aussi courante que l'autre,
05:00
but we can definitelyabsolument understandcomprendre it.
76
288261
2012
mais nous pouvons le comprendre.
05:03
And so, I speakparler it,
77
291034
1965
Je le parle
05:05
and my jobemploi as the singerchanteur
or the storytellerconteur
78
293023
3643
et mon rôle en tant que chanteuse
ou en tant que narratrice
05:08
is to fillremplir in the blanksflans with technicolorTechnicolor.
79
296690
2854
est de remplir les blancs de technicolor.
05:12
I get to tell your secretssecrets.
80
300301
2418
Je peux vous raconter des secrets.
05:15
I get to explainExplique
how someoneQuelqu'un elseautre is feelingsentiment
81
303275
3049
Je peux vous expliquer
comment quelqu'un d'autre se sent
05:18
so that whoeverquiconque elseautre is listeningécoute
can finallyenfin understandcomprendre.
82
306348
3312
afin que toute autre personne qui écoute
puisse enfin comprendre.
05:22
I think that with musicla musique,
83
310495
2347
J'aime qu'avec la musique,
05:24
we have a bitbit of a superpowersuperpuissance.
84
312866
2076
nous ayons un genre de super-pouvoir.
05:27
We get to explainExplique,
85
315436
2295
Nous pouvons expliquer,
05:29
we get to expressExpress, we get to movebouge toi,
86
317755
1961
nous pouvons exprimer,
nous pouvons émouvoir,
05:31
we get to ostracizeostraciser,
87
319740
1244
nous pouvons ostraciser,
05:33
we get to accompanyaccompagner.
88
321008
1268
nous pouvons accompagner.
05:34
We get to do all these differentdifférent things
simplysimplement by usingen utilisant a tunemélodie.
89
322300
4426
Nous pouvons faire toutes ces choses
simplement en utilisant une mélodie.
05:40
And that's the way
I think we can changechangement things.
90
328220
3503
Et, à mon avis, c'est ainsi
que nous pouvons changer les choses.
05:44
That's the tooloutil I've been givendonné
to help to changechangement things.
91
332644
3233
C'est l'outil que l'on m'a donné
pour aider à changer les choses.
05:48
And think, if we all understandcomprendre
92
336470
1891
Et je crois que si nous comprenons tous
05:50
that we have a little bitbit
of tunemélodie in our heartscœurs --
93
338385
3132
que nous avons une peu
de mélodie dans notre cœur --
05:54
a little bitbit of lyricalLyrical prowessprouesses,
94
342589
3577
un peu de prouesse lyrique,
05:58
shalldevra we say,
95
346190
1922
dirons-nous,
06:00
we get to movebouge toi things forwardvers l'avant
96
348136
2193
nous pouvons faire avancer les choses
06:02
because we can explainExplique usingen utilisant a languagela langue
that we can all understandcomprendre.
97
350353
4143
car nous pouvons expliquer en utilisant
un langage que nous comprenons tous.
06:06
It's undeniableindéniable.
98
354520
1359
C'est indéniable.
06:10
I have anotherun autre songchant here.
99
358724
1864
J'ai une autre chanson.
06:12
And we all know it very, very well.
100
360612
2256
Nous la connaissons tous très, très bien.
06:14
And I wondermerveille --
101
362892
1891
Et je me demande --
06:16
I'm going to testtester you all.
102
364807
1450
je vais faire un essai.
06:18
Let's see if you can joinjoindre me.
103
366281
1542
Voyons si vous pouvez
vous joindre à moi.
06:20
This is the testtester to see
if you understandcomprendre this.
104
368410
2604
C'est un test pour voir si vous comprenez.
06:23
(SingingChant) Lookin'Lookin ' out
on the morningMatin rainpluie --
105
371038
3672
(Chantant) Regardant dehors
la pluie matinale --
06:26
(AudiencePublic singschante nextprochain noteRemarque)
106
374734
1258
(Le public chante)
06:28
You see?
107
376016
1158
Vous voyez ?
06:29
(LaughterRires)
108
377198
1047
(Rires)
06:30
We all understandcomprendre it.
109
378269
1221
Nous comprenons tous.
06:31
We all know something.
110
379514
1376
Nous savons tous quelque chose.
06:32
We all are connectedconnecté
by a piecepièce of musicla musique somewherequelque part.
111
380914
3931
Nous sommes tous liés
par un morceau de musique.
06:37
We mightpourrait not all be connectedconnecté
by the sameMême thing,
112
385446
2521
Nous ne sommes peut-être pas
tous liés par la même chose
06:39
but musicla musique is the one thing I believe --
113
387991
3684
mais la musique est une chose
qui, à je le crois --
06:43
storytellingnarration in the musicla musique
is something that connectsse connecte us all.
114
391699
4706
la narration dans la musique
est une chose qui nous lie tous.
06:48
Doesn't mattermatière where we're from.
115
396953
1777
Peu importe d'où nous venons.
06:51
So maybe,
116
399485
1508
Alors peut-être,
06:53
maybe it's one of the things
we can use to movebouge toi us forwardvers l'avant
117
401017
3765
peut-être que c'est une des choses
à utiliser pour aller de l'avant
06:56
into that futureavenir of oursles notres.
118
404806
1621
vers notre avenir.
06:58
Just maybe.
119
406930
1471
Peut-être.
07:01
I hopeespérer you enjoyprendre plaisir this nextprochain one.
120
409163
1849
J'espère que vous apprécierez.
07:04
(PianistPianiste playspièces "NaturalNaturel WomanFemme")
121
412173
2843
(Le pianiste joue « Femme naturelle »)
07:07
Lookin'Lookin ' out on the morningMatin rainpluie,
122
415040
4318
Regardant dehors la pluie matinale,
07:13
I used to feel so uninspiredsans inspiration.
123
421059
3860
je ressentais un tel manque d'inspiration.
07:19
And when I knewa connu I had to facevisage anotherun autre day,
124
427606
4531
Quand je savais que je devais
affronter un autre jour,
07:25
LordSeigneur, it madefabriqué feel so tiredfatigué.
125
433524
4320
Dieu, je me sentais si fatiguée.
07:32
Before the day I metrencontré you,
126
440066
2981
Avant le jour où je t'ai rencontré,
07:35
life was so unkindméchant,
127
443071
2694
la vie était si cruelle,
07:37
but you're the reasonraison
for my piecepièce of mindesprit.
128
445789
4694
mais tu es la raison
de ma tranquillité d'esprit.
07:42
'CauseCause you make me feel,
129
450507
3205
Car tu me fais me sentir,
07:45
you make me feel,
130
453736
3129
tu me fais me sentir,
07:48
you make me feel like a naturalNaturel womanfemme.
131
456889
6366
tu me fais me sentir
comme une femme naturelle.
07:57
When my soulâme was in the lostperdu and founda trouvé,
132
465916
4384
Quand mon âme était aux objets trouvés,
08:04
you camevenu alongle long de to claimprétendre it.
133
472080
3861
tu es venu la réclamer.
08:10
I didn't know just what was wrongfaux with me,
134
478487
4666
J'ignorais ce qui n'allait pas chez moi,
08:16
'tiltil your kissbaiser helpedaidé me nameprénom it.
135
484329
4150
jusqu'à ce que ton baiser
m'aide à y mettre un nom.
08:22
Now I'm no longerplus long doubtfuldouteux
136
490524
3132
Je n'ai plus de doutes
08:25
of what I'm livingvivant for,
137
493680
2618
quant à ce pour quoi je vie,
08:28
and if I make you happycontent,
138
496322
1731
et si je te rends heureux,
08:30
I don't need to do more.
139
498077
3011
je n'ai rien besoin de faire d'autre.
08:33
'CauseCause you make me feel,
140
501112
3249
Car tu me fais me sentir,
08:36
you make me feel,
141
504385
3183
tu me fais me sentir,
08:39
you make me feel like a naturalNaturel womanfemme.
142
507592
6319
tu me fais me sentir
comme une femme naturelle.
08:48
Oh, babybébé what you doneterminé to me --
143
516193
3681
Oh, bébé ce que tu m'as fait --
08:55
You make me feel so good insideà l'intérieur.
144
523057
4184
Tu me fais me sentir
si bien à l'intérieur.
09:01
And I just wannaJe veux be
145
529776
3453
Et je veux juste être
09:06
closeFermer to you,
146
534824
1174
proche de toi,
09:08
you make me feel so alivevivant.
147
536022
2943
tu me fais me sentir si vivante.
09:10
'CauseCause you make me feel,
148
538989
3134
Car tu me fais me sentir,
09:14
you make me feel,
149
542147
3040
tu me fais me sentir,
09:17
you make me feel like a naturalNaturel womanfemme.
150
545211
6130
tu me fais me sentir
comme une femme naturelle.
09:23
You make me feel,
151
551851
2852
Tu me fais me sentir,
09:26
you make me feel,
152
554727
3042
tu me fais me sentir,
09:29
you make me feel like a naturalNaturel womanfemme.
153
557793
6407
tu me fais me sentir
comme une femme naturelle.
09:37
Oh --
154
565070
5013
Oh --
09:42
(ApplauseApplaudissements)
155
570928
5019
(Applaudissements)
09:53
JasonJason WebbWebb.
156
581965
1482
Jason Webb.
09:56
Thank you very much.
157
584383
1535
Merci beaucoup.
Translated by Morgane Quilfen
Reviewed by Elisabeth Buffard

▲Back to top

ABOUT THE SPEAKERS
Cynthia Erivo - Actor, performer
Best known for her role in the Broadway revival of "The Color Purple," Cynthia Erivo is a Tony-, Grammy- and Emmy-winning performer.

Why you should listen

Cynthia Erivo made her Broadway debut as Celie in The Color Purple -- a role that earned her Tony, Grammy and Emmy Awards. Erivo has performed for the annual Kennedy Center Honors and been featured on stage in Sister Act as well as A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Most recently, Erivo teamed up with John Legend at the 2017 Grammy Awards to perform the Beach Boys’ song, “God Only Knows.”

The actress stars with Viola Davis in the upcoming Steve McQueen film Widows, and as Harriet Tubman in the biopic Harriet.

More profile about the speaker
Cynthia Erivo | Speaker | TED.com
Jason Webb - Musical director
Jason Webb is a writer, musical director, arranger, orchestrator, lecturer and a lover of music.

Why you should listen

From conducting orchestras in Broadway pits to writing and arranging music for a presidential inauguration, Jason Michael Webb has dedicated his life to using music to heal, uplift and encourage.

Webb;s early musical training consisted of formal classical study, playing in small churches and listening to pop music. By 21, he had a degree in classical piano, played in the biggest churches in New York City and made his orchestral solo debut with the Queens Symphony Orchestra. He then went on to become Musical Director of the six-time Grammy-winning Brooklyn Tabernacle, for whom he co-wrote and produced four albums for The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir, leading to two Stellar Award nominations and a Dove Award win. His arrangement of BTC's "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" was featured at the 2013 inauguration of President Barack Obama and simultaneously heard by over one billion people worldwide.

Webb also recently served as musical director of the Tony- and Grammy-winning 2016 Broadway Revival of Oprah Winfrey's "The Color Purple", directed by John Doyle and based on the timeless novel by Alice Walker. Webb is now currently the US Music Supervisor of the tour, as well as Music Director/Arranger for Cynthia Erivo, who won a 2016 Tony Award as Celie in the Broadway Revival.

Mr. Webb’s writing can also be heard on the TV series "Empire", Netflix’s film Juanita, and numerous recording projects and original musicals, including "The First Noel" (produced annually at the world famous Apollo Theater in Harlem, NYC) and the South African musical "Ilathi," which premiered July 2017 at the New York Musical Festival. Webb has conducted live and recording orchestras from New York to LA, including pianist Lang Lang's 2016 love letter to NYC, "New York Rhapsody", which featured performances by Rufus Wainwright, Regina Spektor and Suzanne Vega.

More profile about the speaker
Jason Webb | Speaker | TED.com

Data provided by TED.

This site was created in May 2015 and the last update was on January 12, 2020. It will no longer be updated.

We are currently creating a new site called "eng.lish.video" and would be grateful if you could access it.

If you have any questions or suggestions, please feel free to write comments in your language on the contact form.

Privacy Policy

Developer's Blog

Buy Me A Coffee