There's nothing like spinning a wheel! Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the most entertaining editions of “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon”’s musical impressions game.
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00:00 Welcome to MsMojo and today we're counting down our picks for the most entertaining
00:10 editions of the Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon's Musical Impressions Game.
00:16 Number 10, Keegan-Michael Key
00:25 When somebody like Keegan-Michael Key appears on the Tonight Show, you know he's going to
00:40 stop at nothing to entertain people.
00:43 Indeed, he doesn't waste any time making viewers smile with his musical skills here.
00:50 His Bob Marley is an impressive start, and it isn't long before he really branches out
01:09 with an unexpected Michael Stipe impersonation.
01:26 Key can capture the nuance of R.E.M. and then venture into a bold take on Frank Sinatra
01:35 like it's easy.
01:41 If you loved him on Key and Peele, you'll love the dedication he puts into the game.
01:47 The dramatic lighting cues definitely don't hurt either.
02:07 Number 9, Alicia Keys
02:09 Alicia Keys makes the most of her time on the Tonight Show by showing everyone just
02:17 how talented and magnetic she is.
02:26 She also manages to capture the spirit of many other popular artists and does so with
02:32 pure passion at every turn.
02:34 There's a Gwen Stefani impersonation and an attempt at Adele that are both equally entertaining.
02:59 The best part of all is that Keys can't help but enjoy herself throughout this segment.
03:04 Her finale as Janis Joplin is especially noteworthy for its soulful execution.
03:22 All in all, this Grammy winner proves that you should never count her out when it comes
03:26 to music.
03:33 Number 8, Melissa Villaseñor
03:38 With her work in everything from stand-up to Saturday Night Live, Melissa Villaseñor
03:43 has shown herself to be an amazing impressionist.
03:49 This is especially evident in this edition of Wheel of Musical Impressions.
03:54 What's great is that she's also able to show off her singing ability, notably nailing
04:02 Gwen Stefani's unique sound.
04:09 Amazingly, Villaseñor can find the funny and artistry in every moment.
04:21 She practically makes us believe she is Christina Aguilera.
04:29 Belting like a professional.
04:44 Even Jimmy Fallon can't help but be visibly impressed by it all.
04:50 As if that wasn't enough, Villaseñor then steals the show with her amazing nod to Bjork.
05:10 It's the perfect synthesis between music and comedy.
05:16 Number 7, Alicia Cara
05:22 Being a pop star doesn't always mean you're great at singing other people's work.
05:28 But it does mean that in Alicia Cara's case.
05:39 She shows that she can not only perform like various vocalists, but also capture their
05:44 cadence like an impressionist.
05:47 Singing nursery rhymes, theme songs, and more, she turns into contemporaries like Ariana
05:53 Grande.
05:58 Even if you don't know Cara's personal catalogue well, you'll definitely be a fan
06:03 after watching her here.
06:05 She even switches genres to take on Nicki Minaj.
06:13 Juggling pop and rap, she proves she's a multifaceted performer.
06:18 Her attempt at Lorde further proves that.
06:25 It's no wonder Fallon invited her back for a rematch, during which she shone once more.
06:38 Number 6, Demi Lovato
06:40 When you think of Demi Lovato, you probably don't think of Cher or Fetty Wap.
06:48 But you should, because if this segment proves anything, it's that Lovato is as versatile
06:53 a vocalist as they come.
06:55 They easily capture the depth of the believed singer's voice, making Bingo Was His Name-O
07:01 sound very sophisticated.
07:11 Somehow Lovato can also completely shift styles and turn Twinkle Twinkle Little Star into
07:18 a hip-hop song a la Fetty Wap.
07:27 They don't miss a beat throughout their performance, impressing the host and crowd.
07:33 And that's saying nothing of the Christina Aguilera-esque vocal runs that make us gasp
07:39 at every rewatch.
07:55 Needless to say, Lovato blew all of us away.
07:59 Number 5, Adam Levine
08:00 Maroon 5 fans won't be shocked by this singer's skill on Wheel of Musical Impressions.
08:18 Adam Levine ends up saluting greats like Frank Sinatra, putting his natural charisma on display
08:24 in the process.
08:35 He even has the strength to try out Michael Jackson and give a great performance.
08:49 Yet the most underrated and standout impersonation of the bunch might just be his Eddie Vedder.
09:02 Levine expertly masks his voice, using the deeper parts of his register for maximum effect.
09:15 He might not be who you think of when you imagine grunge, but the singer makes a decent
09:20 case for being in a Pearl Jam tribute band.
09:31 Number 4, Christina Aguilera
09:37 Never underestimate Christina Aguilera's musical abilities.
09:49 Utilising her talents to their fullest extent, she has us believing that Cher actually sings
09:55 the jingle for Folgers Coffee.
10:06 In "She Pays Tribute to Fellow Mickey Mouse Club Member Britney Spears," doing the pop
10:11 idol justice with a rendition of "This Little Piggy," we can only describe as perfect.
10:27 Through the entire appearance, it's clear that Aguilera has some of the best pipes in
10:34 the business.
10:38 She even gives Shakira a run for her money while nailing the Golden Girls theme.
10:58 Completely in her element, Xtina doesn't disappoint.
11:10 Number 3, Celine Dion
11:14 Clearly born to perform, this singer doesn't waste a second of her appearance.
11:22 Celine Dion can flip a switch, turning into Cher or even Rihanna faster than we thought
11:28 possible.
11:33 She does it all with a charm that's hard to match, making us laugh and cheer at the
11:38 same time.
11:43 We already knew she could bounce out a note like nobody else, but her work here reveals
11:49 her talent for impressions.
11:55 Look no further than her powerful version of "Hush Little Baby," performed in the style
12:00 of Sia to see what we mean.
12:13 The whole thing makes us wish Dion had a variety show of her own.
12:21 Number 2, Jamie Foxx
12:27 Jamie Foxx has made a career doing everything from stand-up to singing to acting to hosting
12:33 game shows.
12:39 He's a performer after all, as evidenced by this Wheel of Musical Impressions segment.
12:46 We never knew he had Mick Jagger in him.
12:54 He can easily wow the crowd with his impersonations and make them laugh with off-the-cuff jokes.
13:02 Plus, Foxx manages to channel John Legend in such a way that if your eyes were closed,
13:11 you'd think Legend was actually there.
13:21 He even bounces out high notes as Jennifer Hudson, shattering expectations with an amazing
13:27 rendition of "On Top of Spaghetti."
13:41 Foxx does it all with the gravitas you'd expect.
13:44 Hakuna Matata indeed.
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14:06 Number 1.
14:11 After watching this clip, you'll probably be wondering if there's anything Ariana Grande
14:17 can't do.
14:18 The pop star keeps everyone entertained from start to finish.
14:25 All her impersonations sound like the actual person, including that incredible take on
14:31 Britney Spears.
14:48 Grande mimics Spears' breathy vocals so wonderfully, we can hardly believe our ears.
14:59 Using her fantastic range, she then climbs to soaring heights for Christina Aguilera
15:05 and Celine Dion impressions.
15:10 Her take on Dion in particular is incredibly layered, and sees her fully embodying the
15:16 "My Heart Will Go On" singer.
15:22 At the end of the day, Grande's performance is triumphant, as she captures her target
15:33 subtleties with surgical precision.
15:39 Did we forget your favourite Wheel of Musical Impressions moment?
15:43 Let us know in the comments below!
16:02 [music]
16:12 (upbeat music)