by Understanding the Magic in Michael Bublé’s Music
Michael Bublé has established himself as one of the most successful jazz-pop crossover artists of all time. With his smooth voice and charming stage presence, Bublé has sold over 75 million records worldwide and won four Grammy Awards. But what makes his music so appealing to listeners? To understand Bublé’s creative process, we’ll examine interviews with the artist himself, analyses of his songs, and the influences that helped shape his signature sound.
In many interviews, Bublé emphasizes the importance of emotion in his music. He wants listeners to feel something, whether that’s joy, sadness, or longing. To achieve this, Bublé focuses on crafting melodies and lyrics that tap into universal human experiences. As he told Billboard in 2011, “I try to pick songs that are relatable, that everybody’s felt before – love, loss, longing.” Bublé aims to select material with depth of feeling that resonates across cultures and generations.
On a technical level, Bublé attributes part of his success to his jazz roots. Growing up, he was heavily influenced by big band leaders like Frank Sinatra. In a 2021 CBS interview, Bublé said learning jazz and improvisation taught him how to “bend notes, play with rhythm, and make [songs] my own.” He brings that jazz flair to his arrangements of classic pop tunes. For example, his version of “Haven’t Met You Yet” incorporates swinging rhythms and a scat solo section that elevate the song beyond a straightforward cover.
Bublé also emphasizes the importance of phrasing in achieving an emotive delivery. He told Billboard that Frank Sinatra was a “master of phrasing” who could “take four words and make them sound like a paragraph.” Bublé studies how legendary singers crafted melodic lines and uses slight pauses, breaths, and inflections to wring maximum feeling from his vocals. This attention to detail is part of what makes his performances so captivating.
When it comes to the song selection process, Bublé looks for material that inspires him creatively but also has crossover appeal. He told CBS that he avoids choosing obscure songs in favor of tunes with “a history and a legacy.” By putting his spin on beloved standards, Bublé introduces new audiences to timeless music. He also handpicks collaborators like Paul McCartney who can elevate his arrangements. All of these choices stem from Bublé’s goal of crafting emotionally resonant music for mass enjoyment.
Analyzing some of Bublé’s most popular songs provides clues into how he achieves this. His version of “Haven’t Met You Yet” transforms the original with his swinging jazz phrasing and improvised vocals. The lyrics portray longing for a future love, a universal theme that resonates widely. “Everything” also taps into relatable feelings of passion and desire through its lyrics and Bublé’s tender delivery. Both arrangements are stripped down to highlight the vocals, a signature Bublé technique. His emphasis on emotion over flashiness keeps the focus on intimate expression.
One of Bublé’s biggest influences is undeniably Frank Sinatra. In a 2021 interview with Billboard, Bublé called Sinatra his “North Star” and said “I judge everything I do by how Frank would do it.” Sinatra’s stylistic fingerprints are all over Bublé’s work. He mirrors Sinatra’s emphasis on phrasing, improvisation, and intimacy with audiences. Even Bublé’s charming on-stage persona owes debts to Sinatra’s charisma. Through careful study of “The Voice,” Bublé has absorbed many of the techniques that made Ol’ Blue Eyes an icon. In turn, he applies them to breathe new life into classics and introduce future generations to timeless songs.
Of course, Bublé has also developed his own signature flair over the years. With a catalog of multiple chart-topping albums, live concert films, and holiday specials, he has proven himself a master entertainer. But the core of Bublé’s creative process remains tapping into universal human experiences through emotionally impactful melodies, arrangements, and phrasing. By selecting material with cultural staying power and infusing it with his jazz roots and attention to detail, Bublé creates music that resonates on both artistic and commercial levels. There may be no single recipe, but understanding Bublé’s influences and techniques offers insight into how he consistently crafts musical magic.
