It has long been decided by our society that singing requires innate talent. However, most experts would agree this is not the case; everyone CAN learn to sing! And because everyone has a unique physiology, our voices come out very unique.
Below are the top 10 songs that show off the diversity of the voice, and will inspire you to find your unique sound!
1. Queen – Don’t Stop Me Know
In this song, Freddie Mercury, the lead singer of Queen, sings with such rhythmic precision and keeps the melody moving forward throughout. This is wonderful example of good breath control and moving the line forward.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgzGwKwLmgM
2. Reggie Watts – Amazing Song
Reggie Watts is an American comedian and musician. His music is created only with his voice, a loop pedal, and a keyboard. Reggie Watts has a deep understanding and control of his voice which he uses to create many different sounds and characters. He has the ability to sound like various instruments and voices, seamlessly moving from one to another.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jm0EdiOpuIQ
3. Joan Sutherland – Queen of the Night Aria (Die Zaubeflote)
Joan Sutherland, Australian-born coloratura soprano, is a great example of classical technique. She brings together all aspects of a good performance together flawlessly. She shows emotion, bringing beautiful color into her voice throughout the aria, all the while maintaining good technique.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBt7_VR3cpQ
4. Jose Carrerras - Nessun Dorma (Turondot)
Carrerras was a Spanish tenor famous for singing Verdi and Puccini. This style of singing (opera) does not use amplification. Carrerras uses the natural resonance in his physiology to create a powerful and controlled sound.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uau48wh5CeI
5. Aretha Franklin – Night Life
Aretha Franklin, known as the Queen of Soul, was a singer, songwriter, and pianist. Aretha Franklin is known as a powerhouse but she demonstrates a depth throughout her career beyond her powerful belt. In this recording from 1968, Aretha Franklin shows off variety in vocal tone, using a breathiness, brightness, and warmness, respectively to add depth to the performance.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bx7PeLxJ_I
6. Dolly Parton – I Will Always Love You
Dolly Parton, an American Country Music singer, has clean and pure sound. She achieves this sound by singing in the “mask” (around the eyes) rather than singing from the throat. She demonstrates this beautifully in the recording of I will Always Love You from 1974.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDqqm_gTPjc
7. Prince – The Most Beautiful Girl in the World
Prince, an American singer and songwriter, has an incredible range in his performance of “The Most Beautiful Girl in the World”. He smoothly sings over four octaves. His chest voice and his falsetto are both strong and full sounding, giving him such flexibility as a singer.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhXB-fp5Qmw
8. Ella Fitzgerald – One Note Samba
Known as the Queen of Jazz, Ella Fitzgerald is well-respected for her musicianship. She created incredible sounds with her voice, imitating various instruments. Her performance of the “One Note Samba” shows her deep understanding of the music and her fluency with it in this improvised performance.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbL9vr4Q2LU
9. Frank Sinatra – In the Wee Small Hours of the Morning
Frank Sinatra is one of the best-selling music artists of all time. Frank Sinatra has a smooth and warm tone to his voice. This is a result of keeping the throat open and the tongue relaxed. This gives him flexibility with his phrasing. You can hear in this recording the precision in the placement of each note and word.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MiPUv4kXzvw
10. Krisitin Chenoweth – Taylor the Latte Boy
In this song, Krisitin Chenoweth, an American musical theatre singer, gives us a good example of using mixed voice. Mixed voice combines the chest and head voice, allowing singers to sing higher in their range with a safe, full sound.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXS0nEOx_20
