[Western Music] A Recommendation of the Lady of Soul: Wonderful Female Soul Singers
Among the genres born from the gospel created by African Americans and the blues that evolved from it, there are many soul fans who affectionately refer to women’s soul music as “Lady Soul,” just like the title of a classic masterpiece by one of the greatest singers of all time, Aretha Franklin.
In this article, we’re spotlighting female soul singers, presenting a special feature on international women soul artists you should listen to at least once!
Many of these artists span multiple genres, making strict definitions difficult, but we’ve put together a wide-ranging lineup centered on renowned soul singers, also including neo-soul and artists from the 2000s onward.
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[Western Music] Recommended: Lady Soul. Wonderful Female Soul Singers (11–20)
Smooth OperatorSade
To avoid any misunderstanding for those unfamiliar with SADE: Sade is the name of the band, and the focus here is its vocalist, Sade Adu.
She has Nigerian roots, moved to the UK as a child, and studied fashion design during her student years.
In 1983 she met the other members of Sade and formed the band.
Their debut album, Diamond Life, released the following year, reached No.
2 on the UK chart, hit No.
5 in the U.S., and ultimately became a monster album, selling 10 million copies worldwide.
The very next year they released their second album, Promise, which was also an explosive hit.
From the 1990s onward, their release pace visibly slowed, but despite their sparse output, every release has been exceptionally high in quality.
Their ensemble—blending elements of soul, jazz, and reggae while keeping the arrangements understated—is supremely tasteful and elegant.
Within that sound, Adu’s vocals are endlessly smoky and beautiful, and combined with her model-worthy looks, they exude a uniquely mysterious allure.
It’s no wonder that back in the ’80s they were prized in Japan as a stylish sound.
Younger music fans today may well find a fresh appeal in their supremely sophisticated music.
Saving All My Love For YouWhitney Houston
Whitney Houston is a singer and actress who left her mark on music history, achieving record-breaking sales from the 1980s through the 1990s as one of the most famous female vocalists in the world.
As exemplified by the theme song from her hugely famous debut film The Bodyguard, “I Will Always Love You,” it’s no exaggeration to say that her voice reached even those in Japan who rarely listen to Western music.
Whitney was born into a true musical dynasty—her mother was a member of a renowned gospel group, and the great pop singer Dionne Warwick is her cousin—so perhaps her fate as a prodigious singer was sealed from the start.
While learning gospel through church choirs from a young age, she leveraged her exceptional looks to work as a professional fashion model at 17.
She signed with a label in 1983, and her debut album, Whitney Houston, released in 1985, became a massive hit.
She earned the honor of winning a Grammy at the young age of 21 and embarked on a brilliant career thereafter.
Although Whitney experienced many personal troubles and became the subject of tabloid gossip in her later years, that does not diminish the value of the remarkable works she created.
If “I Will Always Love You” is the only song you know, why not start with a greatest-hits collection and then explore her works from the ’80s and 2000s as well?
Killing Me Softly with His SongRoberta Flack
Roberta Flack, known for her unique style that fuses soul, jazz, and classical music, is an intellectual artist who studied vocal performance and more at Howard University, debuting in 1969 with the album First Take.
The song The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face, used in Clint Eastwood’s film Play Misty for Me, reached No.
1 in the U.S.
in 1972, and the following year Killing Me Softly with His Song was also a major hit.
This led her to achieve the unprecedented feat for a solo singer of winning the Grammy Award for Record of the Year two years in a row.
Her “velvet voice” has also earned her recognition as a pioneer of the quiet storm style.
She’s perfect for those who want to spend a leisurely, high-quality time.
Real LoveMary J Blige
Mary J.
Blige, who delivered a commanding presence at America’s premier event, the Super Bowl Halftime Show held on February 14, 2022, is one of the most important female artists to debut since the 1990s, often hailed as the “Queen of Hip-Hop Soul.” Born in 1971 in South Bronx, New York, Mary signed with the hip-hop label Uptown Records in 1987 at the young age of 18, making history as the label’s youngest and first female artist.
Before her debut album, she recorded the song “You Remind Me” for the soundtrack of the 1991 film Strictly Business, which became a long-running hit.
In 1992, she released her debut album What’s the 411?, unveiling an innovative style later dubbed “hip-hop soul,” in which she sang R&B and soul over hip-hop beats—a direct reflection of her street-informed lifestyle.
The album not only became a massive hit, as expected, but also exerted a profound influence on subsequent R&B artists.
Even chart-friendly R&B ballads take on a completely different emotion when sung by Mary’s alt voice tinged with melancholy.
Experience the brilliance of soul through the lens of the hip-hop generation.
This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)Natalie Cole
Natalie Cole, the biological daughter of America’s legendary jazz pianist and singer Nat King Cole, began her own singing career in childhood.
She made a full-fledged professional debut in 1975, and her first album, Inseparable, topped the R&B chart.
The single This Will Be (An Everlasting Love), a superb fusion of sophisticated R&B, jazz, and soul, won two Grammy Awards: Best Female R&B Vocal Performance and Best New Artist.
Although Natalie launched a promising career without relying on her father’s fame, she struggled from the 1980s onward with a lack of hits and turmoil in her personal life.
In 1989, she made a comeback with the hit R&B ballad Miss You Like Crazy, and in 1991, Unforgettable…
with Love—an album of covers of her father’s songs—reached No.
1 on the U.S.
charts and became a massive success, selling seven million copies in America alone.
The album, which was also a hit in Japan, drew attention for making a duet with her late father possible.
This record, which seems to have awakened her identity as a jazz singer, is of course highly recommended for soul fans as well.
Although Natalie reportedly faced many misfortunes in her private life, we hope you’ll experience her remarkable talent as a singer at least once.
Hot StuffDonna Summer
When you think of Donna Summer, those who came of age in the 1970s might picture her as the “Queen of Disco.” As the first female artist in history to top the charts simultaneously with both an album and a single, and a five-time Grammy winner, Donna enjoyed a brilliant career, though she also experienced a downturn after the disco boom.
Even so, she made a comeback in 1989 with the hit “This Time I Know It’s for Real,” and her final album, 2008’s Crayons, along with its tracks, scored hits on the dance charts.
She was a towering figure who gave her all as an artist until her untimely passing from lung cancer in 2012.
The fact that she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame the following year, in 2013, speaks to her tremendous achievements.
Many female artists, including Madonna and Beyoncé, have openly cited Donna as an influence.
If you’re new to her music, I recommend starting with her peak ’70s work in collaboration with the legendary Italian producer Giorgio Moroder—particularly 1979’s multi-platinum Bad Girls.
Her powerful vocals and sparkling disco sound feel both nostalgic and refreshing in the 2020s.
After that, be sure to explore her non-disco material to appreciate Donna’s remarkable vocal artistry in other styles as well.
[Western Music] Recommended Lady Soul: Wonderful Female Soul Singers (21–30)
Pieces Of MeLedisi
Ledisi, born in 1972, is a singer-songwriter who thrives in both the R&B and jazz worlds, and she also has a career as an actress.
Born in New Orleans, a city rich in musical culture, she reportedly sang with symphony orchestras from a young age and even played Dorothy in the musical The Wizard of Oz, earning a nomination for the Shelley Award.
Although she had already built a devoted local following through cabaret casts and band activities, her full-fledged debut came with the indie release of her 2000 album Soulsinger.
Two years later, it was reissued as Soulsinger: The Revival by the renowned American label Tommy Boy Records.
In 2007, she made her major-label debut with the acclaimed Lost & Found, which became a smash hit and earned her a Grammy nomination for its refined neo-soul and R&B sensibilities.
Always independent and unshaken by others’ expectations, Ledisi is a rare figure whose undeniable talent as a singer-songwriter and pursuits beyond music have won her widespread support.
It’s no exaggeration to say she is one of the most trusted vocalists since the 2000s.