The Nitty-Gritty: Singers and Their Vocal Prowess

The Nitty-Gritty: Singers and Their Vocal Prowess

Here are a few tunes I have from some of the talented multi-octave, 7th octave and whistle register singers mentioned in the entry. I don't have songs from all of them, and I don't have the record-setting songs for many of them. But you can get a taste here and if you like what you hear, check them out on your own. :-D

• Minnie Riperton- Lovin' You; (the classic. Shanice has recorded this song twice actually, the latest version being on Every Woman Dreams. )
  
• Mariah Carey- Emotions; (nothing short of amazing. She hits two really high notes in this song that I just cannot hear on the record. I didn't even know the notes were there until I saw live performances of this. AMAZING. Even now that I know they're there... I still can't hear them.)
  
• Shanice- Fly Away; (this is one of Shanice's record-setting songs. She hits the whistle register towards the end of the song, in the last few seconds.)
• Shanice- Never Changing Love; (The note she hits towards the end of the song is my favorite Shanice note ever. It's so full and billowy; she's more than capable at singing in the whistle register at full power like Mariah.)
• Lisa Fischer- How Can I Ease the Pain; (Nothing short of impressive, again.)
• Whitney Houston- I Believe in You & Me; (Folks have forgotten Whitney, but this song shows what a lovely, POWERFUL voice she has. She goes from deep and soulful to approaching bird-levels here.)
• Terry Ellis- Wherever You Are; (Terry was a member of En Vogue and released a solo album in 1995, I believe. Anyway, she has a soft and delicate voice, and she hits those notes like a bird to a flower!)
• Chante Moore- Wey U; (She hits one of her highest notes towards the end of this song. Geez, I didn't even know it was note until yesterday, actually. I always thought that was an instrument because of the way the vocals are layered. Anyway, it'll sound like an instrument, but that's one of Chante's highest notes towards the end of this song. Incredible.)
• Tamar Braxton- Money Can't Buy You Love; (Forgot about her, but she hits the whistle register here also. Toni's little sister, Tamar has an incredible range. She can get from the whistle register to sounding like Toni at the highest point of her range.)
• Rachelle Farrell- Wound in the Way; (This isn't one of her record-setters, but it's the only song I have. Sad, I know. She supposedly has a 6-octave vocal range, which would place her atop Mariah and Minnie. I believe it too. I've heard more songs from her than just this, but I still need to buy them, heh...)
• Tisha Campbell & Tichina Arnold- Don't Ask My Neighbor; (Tisha Campbell, yes the actress, is someone else who can hit the whistle register. She released an album waaaay back in the early 90s, and this song was on a film soundtrack in 1996. You can hear her get there in this song.)
• Jessica Simpson- I Wanna Love You Forever; (Why Jess stopped singing, I'll never know... Hopefully there's something as good as this on her new album.)
• Monica- Why I Love You So Much; (One of my fave Monica songs. I don't remember if she reaches her highs here, but she definitely reaches her lows here. 4 octaves doesn't surprise me one bit with Monica, now that I think about it. This is a far cry from "Beat Drop", Monica...)
• Britney Spears- Luv the Hurt Away; (Ha, Britney doesn't even sound like Britney here! This is an old unreleased track, but it just leaked earlier this year.)