List of mezzo-sopranos in non-classical music

The mezzo-soprano is the middle female voice and the most common of the female singing voices, which tends to dominate in non-classical music, with vocal range that typically lies between the A below "middle C" (C₄) to the A two octaves above (i.e. A₃ - A₅). In the lower and upper extremes, some mezzo-sopranos may extend down to the F below middle C (F₃) and as high as "high C" (C₆).^[1] The mezzo-soprano voice (unlike the soprano voice) is strong in the middle register and weaker in the head register, resulting in a deeper tone than the soprano voice.^[2]

The term mezzo-soprano 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 non-classical music, singers are primarily defined by their genre and their gender not their vocal range.^[3] 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.

The following is a list of singers in country, popular music, jazz, heavy metal, classical-crossover, and musical theatre^[4] who have been described as mezzo-sopranos.

• 

  Beyoncé

• 

  Whitney Houston

• 

  Ethel Merman

• 

  Madonna

• 

  Idina Menzel

• 

  Enya

• 

  Gwen Stefani

List of names

Christina Aguilera[5] Tori Amos[6][7] Fantasia Barrino[8] Mary J. Blige[9] Susan Boyle[10] Mutya Buena[11] Shirley Caesar[12] Lydia Canaan[13] Chilli[14] Cheryl Cole[15] Linda Eder[16] Rachelle Ferrell[17] Ella Fitzgerald[18] Lita Ford[19] Sutton Foster[20] Connie Francis[21] Aretha Franklin[21] G.E.M.[22] Inara George[23] Amy Grant[21] Ofra Haza[24] Whitney Houston[21] Jennifer Hudson[25] Geraldine Hunt[26] Janet Jackson[21] Katherine Jenkins[27][28] Joan Jett[29] Lisa Johansson[30]

Janis Joplin[31] Patricia Kaas[32] Kathy Kelly[33] Kesha[34][35] Beyoncé[36] Chantal Kreviazuk[37] k.d. lang[38] Avril Lavigne[39] Ute Lemper[40] Nolwenn Leroy[41] Leona Lewis[42][43] Julie London[44] Lorde[45] Anni-Frid Lyngstad[46] Madonna[47] Shannon Magrane[48] Edith Marquez[49] Audra McDonald[50] Sarah McLachlan[21] Bridgit Mendler[51] Idina Menzel[52] Ethel Merman[53] Bette Midler[54] Amy Millan[55] Holly Miranda[56] Janelle Monáe[57] Jane Monheit[58] Alanis Morissette[59]

Maria Muldaur[60] Marissa Nadler[61][62] Joanna Newsom[63] Rita Ora[64][65] Laura Pausini[66] Charice Pempengco[67] Edith Piaf[68] Pink[69][70] Kelly Price[71] Bonnie Raitt[72] Jean Redpath[73] Rihanna[74] Naya Rivera[75] Kelly Rowland[76] Santigold[77] Selena[78][79] Simone Simons[80] Regina Spektor[81] Dusty Springfield[82] Gwen Stefani[83] Barbra Streisand[84] Anne Steele[85] Donna Summer[86] Taylor Swift[87] Linda Thompson[88] Carrie Underwood[89] Elle Varner[90] Martha Wainwright[91] Michelle Williams [92][93]

See also

• List of contraltos in non-classical music
• List of sopranos in non-classical music
• List of baritones in non-classical music
• List of tenors in non-classical music
• Singing
• Types and roles of sopranos in opera
• Voice classification in non-classical music
• Voice type

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