List of contraltos in non-classical music

The contralto singing voice has a vocal range that lies between the F below "middle C" (F3) to two Fs above middle C (F5) and is the lowest type of female voice. In the lower and upper extremes, some contralto voices can sing from two Bs below middle C (B2)Toni Braxton's Vocal Range (Studio: Note By Note). YouTube. Uploaded by trentnjones (30 April 2009). Retrieved 13 December 2016. to two Bs above middle C (B5).

The term contralto was developed in relation to classical and operatic voices, where the classification is based not merely on the singer's vocal range but also on the tessitura and timbre of the voice. For classical and operatic singers, their voice type determines the roles they will sing and is a primary method of categorization. In classical music, a "pure" contralto is considered the rarest type of female voice. In non-classical music, singers are primarily defined by their genre and their gender, not their vocal range.Axelrod, Alan, The complete idiot's guide to jazz, Alpha Books, 1999, pp. 68-69 (). See also Tarasti, Eero, Signs of music: a guide to musical semiotics, Walter de Gruyter, 2002, pp. 157-178 () When the terms soprano, mezzo-soprano, contralto, tenor, baritone, and bass are used as descriptors of non-classical voices, they are applied more loosely than they would be to those of classical singers and generally refer only to the singer's perceived vocal range. Contemporarily, the informal term alto is sometimes used interchangeably with contralto.

The following is a list of singers in country, popular music, jazz, and musical theatre who have been described as contraltos.

List of names

  Go to:    A   •   B   •   C   •   D   •   E   •   F   •   G   •   H   •   J   •   K   •   L   •   M   •   N   •   O   •   P   •   Q   •   R   •   S   •   T   •   U   •   V   •   W   •   Y   •   Z     NameLifespanNationalityAssociated act(s) 1990–American1959–Nigerian-BritishSade 1985– Pakistani-American 1986–AmericanGlee cast1945–American1989–NigerianAmerican1959–2013AustralianDivinyls1967–BritishLush1928–2016American1941–2016AmericanJefferson Airplane1929–2012American1974–Indonesian2003–Russian1958–American1977–American1975–AmericanOcala Star-Banner (7 July 2006). "India.Aire stays true to her music"1950–British1992–Cuban1979–American 1950–Russian1972–Croatian1958–AmericanChapter 8Wiltz, Teresa. "Anita Baker, Stuck in A Groove", The Washington Post, 15 September 2004, p. C11929–1997American1980–CanadianCourtney Barnett1987–Australian1985–American1937–Welsh1943–AmericanMartha and the Vandellas1970–SwedishAce of Base1983–American1946–AmericanWe Five1983–British1960–AmericanConner, Mario. "Ann Boleyn, 30 Years And Going Strong", Cutting Edge, 14 September 2013, p. C11979–American1967–AmericanThe Braxtons1928–2006American1967–Italian-French1972–Spanish1988–English1990–American 1985–AmericanGone West1980–English1982–American 1996– Canadian 1981–American1974–Brazilian1950–1983AmericanThe Carpenters 1958– American 1940–Mexican-American1970–AmericanThe New Pornographers1955–American1964–American1946–AmericanSonny & Cher1964–Swedish1975–American1991–Australian Filipino 1986–English1932–1963American1928–2002American1928–2002American1976–American 1956–American1945-American1988/1989–Canadian1986–AmericanBest Coast1982–American1925–2003Cuban1966–Filipino 1995–AmericanBoygenius1991–AmericanNorth Point Worship1979–AustralianJessica Darrow1995–Cuban-American1984–American1922–2019American1961–American 1999– British 1985–AmericanAmerican1986/1987–American1901–1992GermanBach, Steven. Marlene Dietrich: Life and Legend. U of Minnesota Press. 1992, 2011.1970–American1991–British1968–Mexican1959–EnglishSwing Out Sister 1965–ColombianAterciopelados1976–Canadian-American1960–BrazilianSteps Ahead1941–1974AmericanThe Mamas and the Papas1971–American1989–Israeli1957–Cuban-AmericanMiami Sound Machine 1972–American1941–2011Cape VerdeanBau 1958–Irish1958–AmericanOctober ProjectYonke, David. "Singer pursues unique path", Toledo Blade, 6 June 2003.1947–Greek1915–1998American1919–2012Puerto Rican1992–American1983–CanadianX-Quisite1956–2016American1937–2025American1924–1977AmericanLes Paul and Mary Ford1962–English1917–1999American1979–AmericanEx Girlfriend1907–1980American1971/1972–AmericanLight Asylum 1986–American1972–Italian1979–AmericanTune-Yards1922–1969AmericanBayard, Louis. "Supernova". Washington Post. 16 April 2000.1982–American1942–American1961–AustralianDead Can Dance1965–BritishPortishead1926–2015AmericanThe Weavers 1988–CanadianCrystal Castles 1989–English1953–American1967–American1975–American1968–Mexican Danielle Haim1989–AmericanHaim1964–BritishCurve1945–2017AmericanRosie and the Originals1964–American1990–New Zealand1982–AmericanThe Wreckers1972–American1969–BritishThe Desert Sessions 1968–American1944–AmericanLabelle1981–British1987–AmericanJessica Hernandez & the Deltas1967–American1975–AmericanFugees 1970–BarbadianSquare One1915–1959American1984–American1917–2010American1989–AmericanZola JesusAmericanLower Dens1949–1995American1951–AmericanThe Pretenders 1988–CzechThe Swell Season 1911–1972American1937–American1938–2012American 1991–AmericanI'm with Her1984–American1983–American1971–AmericanSWV1873–1922English-American1948–Jamaican1979–American1999–American1964–AmericanThe Judds1954–British 1966–French 1968–2011BritishBroadcast1981–American1953–AmericanRufus1942–American1930–2018American1944–AmericanGladys Knight & the Pips 1959–Malian1964–Canadian1904–1975Egyptian1987–CanadianAmerican 1979–New Zealand1970–AmericanLaufey1999–Icelandic1946–American1960–2022AmericanAmanda Lear 1939 or 1941 or 1946 or 1950– French 1966–AmericanIncognito1920–2002American1981–French-AmericanBeach House1975–Canadian1954–ScottishNigel Farndale, "Annie Lennox: don't mess with the missionary woman", Daily Telegraph, 20 February 2009 1976–AmericanRilo Kiley1972–2010American-Canadian 1993– Swedish 1926–2000American Stereophile Volume 18 (1995), page 171.1964–AmericanHole1945–Vietnamese-American1968–American 1987–Scottish1989–EnglishThe xx1984–American1988–British1966–Scottish 1978–Papuan-AmericanAndain1987–American1973–Portuguese1990–BritishNoah and the Whale1972–AmericanCat Power1986–AmericanDorothyAmericanThe Wailin' JennysAmerican 1982–American1974–Irish1963–American1943–2025American1942–AmericanThe CookiesAmerican1992–AustralianTonight Alive1955–American1968–American1990–IrishCeltic Woman1973–American1984–American1922–1994American1943–2022BritishFleetwood Mac 1963–American10,000 Maniacs1988–AmericanWeyes Blood1983–Russian1982–Trinidadian1943–CanadianMitski1990-American 1992– South Korean 1957–CanadianFiggy Duff1990–AmericanThe Highwomen1959–English1978–American1979–Portuguese1961–English1963–2003Hong Kong1983–Irish1973–IrishMoloko1945–Canadian 1965–Japanese1957–AmericanConcrete Blonde1970–American1968–German-American1974–AmericanSugarland1973–British1948–AmericanFleetwood Mac1938–1988GermanThe Velvet Underground1984/1985–Swedish 1919–2006American1980–Danish1930–2008American 1987–American1990–Irish1984–AustralianThe Veronicas1970–English 1927–2013American1976–American 2000– American 1984–American1974–AmericanThe Lost Wandering Blues and Jazz Band 1967–American1979–American1946–AmericanThe Pointer Sisters1930–Cuban1948–Italian Venegoni, Marinella (7 April 2013). "Le smemoratezze della divina Patty Pravo". La Stampa (Blog On the road), retrieved 8 Mars 2019.1973–American1985–Australian-AmericanLake Street Dive1987–American1937–2025Indonesian 1972–Puerto Rican 1886–1939AmericanThe Rabbit's Foot CompanyAustralianLuluc1962–American1956–American1941–American1966–CanadianCrash Test Dummies1989–EnglishLondon Grammar1932–2016American1965–American1956–American1981–AmericanDestiny's Child1958–American1951–2017AmericanThe Roches1976–EnglishBôa1994–American1979–British1900–1973Russian/Soviet1993–AmericanThe Never Ending 1968–French1947– 2024American1985–FilipinoLa Diva1972–Italian1986–AmericanLady A1986 or 1987–AmericanHurray for the Riff Raff1977–Colombian1946–British1986–American1996–Indonesian1917–1994American1952–AmericanThe Manhattan Transfer1945–American1933–2003American1940–American1957–English1983–Canadian1939–American1937–2023American1894–1937American 1907–1986American1928–2017American1891–1946American1946–AmericanPatti Smith Group1983–IrishWe Are the Fallen1950–2011AmericanSisters of Glory1935–2009Argentine1956–English1967–ScottishTexas1989–American1939–American1966–BritishBlue Zone1939–AmericanThe Staple Singers1985–AmericanStar Anna and the Laughing Dogs1999–CanadianLennon & Maisy1987–BritishSuperHeavy1987–American1963–American1989– or 1990–American1990– or 1991–American1938–2007AmericanThe Platters1970–AmericanTedeschi Trucks Band1940–AmericanCaptain & Tennille1962–English1934–2000American1943–2021Vietnamese1969–German-British1970–American1993–American1936–2009AmericanPeter, Paul and Mary1968–Mexican1958–American1975–Scottish1964–Italian1939–2023AmericanIke & Tina Turner1965–Canadian1951–2026Welsh 1993– or 1994–Colombian-American 2004–American1981–American1924–1990American1959–American1947–2006DutchShocking Blue 1962–American1957–American1929–2010American 1992–American 1992– English 1970–AmericanTLC1988–American1986–EnglishFlorence and the Machine1893–1980American1959–American1951–American1987–BelgianBlack Dub1990–Norwegian-American1981–American1968–AmericanWilson Phillips1955–AmericanM-Base1993–Canadian 1964–AmericanBeBe & CeCe Winans1983–2011English1980–American 1977–American 2001– English 1940–2004American 1982-Russian1969–American

See also List of mezzo-sopranos in non-classical music List of sopranos in non-classical music List of basses in non-classical music List of baritones in non-classical music List of tenors in non-classical music List of operatic contraltos Voice classification in non-classical music Voice type

Notes

References

Works cited