[High-pitched warning!] Songs with high notes that are hard to sing
The Japanese music scene is known for having a relatively low emphasis on groove, but an unusually large number of high-pitched songs.
In particular, since Japan has finally started earnestly incorporating overseas music in recent years, the overall level of songs has risen dramatically.
With that in mind, this time we’ve picked out Japanese songs that are on the higher side.
From songs with a wide vocal range, to tracks that have pinpoint high parts, to songs that stay in the high register throughout, we selected from a broad set of perspectives—so be sure to find the tracks that suit you!
- Recommended karaoke songs for male vocalists with high voices
- [Taking on a song with a wide vocal range] An S-class challenge track
- A masterpiece with exhilarating high notes. An enchanting high-tone voice.
- [Feels Great to Listen To!] Popular Songs by Female Artists with Captivating High Notes
- I want to sing songs that use a lot of falsetto—tracks that are also good for practicing falsetto at karaoke.
- Recommended for great singers! A collection of impressive songs if you can sing them
- Cool If You Can Sing! Popular Karaoke Songs Recommended for Women
- Pick out the challenging songs that will earn you respect if you can nail them at karaoke!
- [Karaoke] A roundup of songs that are easy for women to sing!
- Recommended for teenage girls! Easy-to-sing karaoke songs
- [Challenge] A Compilation of Anime Songs with High-Pitched Melodies and High-Tone Vocals
- [For Women] A roundup of enka songs that can score high in karaoke
- Great for karaoke song selection! Recommended easy-to-sing songs for Gen Z women
[High Notes Warning!] High-Pitched Songs That Are Hard to Sing (21–30)
You…Nishino Kana
Kana Nishino’s second single, released in October 2011.
It’s crafted to let you fully enjoy Nishino’s voice, which contains many strong high overtones, and it’s an excellent choice for high-voiced female singers to perform at karaoke.
If you forcefully belt out the high notes, you risk ruining the song’s mood, so find a key you can sing without strain and aim to sing with as light a touch as possible.
God of RomanceHirose Kōmi
When it comes to Kohmi Hirose, she was the queen of TV commercials in the ’90s! Many people probably heard this song in the ads for a certain ski shop.
“Romance no Kamisama” is Hirose’s third single, released in 1993, and it became a million-selling hit.
Hirose’s vocals are indeed distinctive—her high tones leave a strong impression.
It might be relatively easy for women with higher voices to sing, but Hirose’s own singing is very solid, backed by her classical training.
So when you try it, aim for singing that doesn’t lose the core of your voice—not only in the high notes of the chorus, but also in the verses.
Secret of my heartKuraki Mai
This is Mai Kuraki’s third single, released in April 2000.
When she debuted, Japan was in the midst of an unprecedented diva boom, and she was often introduced as a “Hikaru Utada follower.” However, Kuraki’s vocals don’t have as much of the “black” element as Utada’s, and the song doesn’t require an especially wide range, so for women with relatively high natural speaking voices, it could be one of the best choices for karaoke.
There aren’t any difficult interval jumps either, so as long as you keep the groove in the English parts, you should be able to sing it really well.
Another tip is to avoid forcing your voice and maintain a light touch throughout—that’s key to making it sound good.
CHE.R.RYYUI
YUI’s 8th single, released in March 2007.
It’s a very refreshing pop-rock number, and the vocals you hear here aren’t about ultra-high tones; rather, they’re crisp and breezy, making the most of the natural brightness of her chest voice.
It’s a perfect match for those who may not be especially strong with high notes but want to sing by leveraging the height and brightness of their natural voice.
There are parts, such as the A-melody, where the melody runs relatively low, which could potentially be a sticking point, but do give it a try and see if you can make it your own!
The Story You Don’t Knowsupercell
supercell is a collective of creators centered around the composer ryo.
There’s no official singer among the members, and for the vocals on their first album they used the voice synthesis software Vocaloid, specifically Hatsune Miku.
This song, “Kimi no Shiranai Monogatari,” was their first single, released in August 2009, and the vocals are performed not by a Vocaloid but by a human female singer, nagi.
The song itself doesn’t really have that typical “Vocaloid-song vibe”; instead, it’s crafted to make the most of nagi’s bright, clear, and cute vocal quality and singing.
So for women with relatively higher—well, slightly cute—voices, it might be a comparatively easy song to sing.
If you sing it with as much gentle expression as possible, it should turn out perfectly; above all, try to keep the groove alive when you sing!
Having someone you likeJY
JY is the stage name used by Jiyoung, a former member of the Korean girl group KARA, when she performed as a solo singer.
“Suki na Hito ga Iru Koto” is her second solo single, released in August 2016.
As is common with Korean idols in general, her singing—including vocal projection and diction—is much more stable compared to Japanese idols.
The fact that it sounds a bit like an anime song might be due to that steady, polished vocal delivery.
That said, the song’s range isn’t particularly wide, so I think it should be relatively easy to sing for women with a bright, slightly higher voice similar to JY’s own.
Try it while paying attention to singing each note carefully and precisely.
Headless Angeljoōbachi
Queen Bee’s masterpiece “Headless Angel.” When you think of Queen Bee, you probably picture those striking vocals that incorporate an unusually high falsetto, right? This song is exactly one of those, featuring many phrases where you need to beware of the soaring high notes.
Among them, the chorus stands out as overwhelmingly difficult.
After a B-melody grounded in the mid-to-low range, you have to shoot the pitch up suddenly and sing the chorus in a very high falsetto—and keeping the pitch under control here is incredibly tough! On top of that, the falsetto section is long, so strong endurance is also required.
