Friday 12 November 2010

[Vocal Profile] Katy Perry



Vocal Type: Light-Lyric Soprano
Vocal Range: 3 Octave ( D3-D6)
Whistle Register: No
Vocal Pluses: As a whole, the voice is characterful and youthful with a soft and sweet upper-range and a punchy, attitude infused chest voice. Katy Perry has the ability to hold notes [The One That Got Away (live)] and sing melisma [Whip My Hair (Live)], but her material doesn't often call for such vocal skills to be employed. As such, she is moat likely to attempt these feats in a live setting.

The Diva's lower range is cloudy and of mid-weight, but solidifies, brightens and lightens significantly as she ascends the third octave. Recent years have seen gains in the confidence exhibited in these lower notes, with them becoming fuller in sound.

The Diva shows the most resonance when belting in the fourth octave, loosing weight, colour and taking on an incisive quality as she moves towards and up the fifth octave. Occasionally she employs a slight rasp to these top notes- particularly when singing live- but its not usually heard in her recorded work, where the notes remain clean, clear and bright. Perry is also able to sing melisma in this part of her range [Walking on Air] but it's not something she demonstrates often.

Vocal Negatives: Criticisms have been leveled at her vocal ability when live and recorded vocals are contrasted.





145 comments:

  1. I think katy can't sing for s**T. Worst singer in the world.

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  2. This range is wrong. The video you post is just poiting her range in her second CD if you look up in youtube u'll find a video that says she's got 4 octaves :) you'd better look up

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    1. She does not have four octaves. Lol.

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  3. I had a look at that video, but i'm not sure if its accurate, the C7 doesn't seem right. As soon as I get the album I shall review the range! Thanks for the update though

    For anyone reading here is the link for the 4 octaves video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12H9Sc7m9TI

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  4. katy has a contralto voice type not mezzo...

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  5. She IS a mezzo. Sorry to say that to you, but studio notes don´t count, anon!

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  6. Katy Perry couldn't sing if her life depended on it. She's pathetic. Her voice is that of an untrained singer, and even then, it's not as good as many natural voices out there. The only reason she's famous is because she's marketable.

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  7. Hey! Just to let you know, Katy is actually a contralto, not a mezzo.

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  8. Contralto? That's just ridiculous/laughable! She can't hit any note under E/F3 and any contralto can hit, at least, a C3, and even some notes in the second octave.

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  9. Hahaha. Is there a need to classify her voice? Seriously?

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  10. she doesn't seemed to sound anything like the record at all and she don't even hit the high notes live such as i kissed a girl and thinking of you she always skip those parts sometimes i remember when she sings i kissed a girl live in 2008 i pop concert
    she try to hit the high note but she cant so she sings a along with record that's a cheat  

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  11. she cant hit the high notes because she's originally a contralto and she got low vocal range  i read it in her Wikipedia   

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  12. no she's not mezzo she's contralto with low vocal range read it in her Wikipedia 

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  13. She can't sing. 

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  14. She struggles doing Firework live because the song itself is not within her range. It's as simple as that. Go watch a video of her doing Thinking of You or The One That Got Away, she sounds perfectly fine. Awesome, even. But hand her a song that her ordinary pipes can't handle and she struggles.

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  15. shes not a good singer - also for negatives she sometimes tends to yodel for no reason

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  16. Just FYI: Katy actually has 3 octaves, 5 notes, and 1 semitone.  Katy's natural voice is contralto.  She actually sounds very good live, and often hits higher clearer notes live than on her records.  She often struggles on television out of a combination of nervousness and the fact that the use of a mixed voice in a microphone produces a metallic sound very similar (but still recognizable) to the sound of auto-tune.  She uses full chest voice on tv instead, which can produce a strangled sound.  During her concerts and in some televised specials like, her MTV Unplugged appearance and Walmart soundcheck her voice sounded powerful and pitch-perfect.  If you want some examples look up those videos as well as her LIVE vocal range video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9o9cGG_mScg.  Katy can sing live, and her records are NOT heavily auto-tuned.  That is all.

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  17. She is a contralto for sure....but that aside her voice is horrible. Even when she sing in tune (not an often occurence) she sounds painful to listen to!

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  18. Yet if Katy wrote and composed the song and recorded it then how could it be out of her range? If this were true then wouldn't the studio recording sound just like her live? The simple truth is that Katy isn't capable of the "bigger" vocals that some songs of hers like Firework, because she's either tuned up a lot in studio or she gets nervous. 

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  19. Agreed - I think they play with her vocals a lot in the studio. I suspect the same is true of Rihanna.

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  20. Katy has 3 octavas http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcDOmKpD3cg u mad? :P

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  21. I just found this that discuss Katy's training and vocal ticks that she employs.

    http://youtu.be/l5sllr-_awU 

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  22. katy and rihanna are studio artists who struggle singing live 
    i mean rihanna's voice sounds great in the studio but when she sings live its no where near as good 
    same for katy perry 

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  23. lucas chermont dos santos11 February 2012 at 13:18

    obviouslly she can sing, people are underrating her cause they  her on bad days, also she can reach notes in 5th octave even tough she strugles, it's because she's a contralto, and has 3 octaves not 2, also she can hold notes form more than 10 seconds and end it with vibrato, watch her singing the one that got away in manila and in jakarta.

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  24. She isn't a contralto. She is a mezzo-soprano. She just has a dark color in her lower register (especially in her 1st album where she was a big drinker and smoker). Her low notes are too weak and she can barely hit low notes correctly. She is most comfortable in the middle register.

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  25. For 'longest note' perhaps this is her longest one- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixaS6R2ocPU  (at 4:06) it's only 10-11 seconds but she didn't have an entry for longest note and I thought she deserved one.

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  26. her voice is annoying especially live 

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  27. she have an amazing voices but she didn't know how to use until her last tour i think she is and well become better then debut-2010. 

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  28. she needs to work on her control and support. especially live, even though i know she gets really nervous. lord knows i do, she still needs to learn how to breathe properly and support her vocals better. that and keep that vibrato from running away from her. 

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  29. Totally agree, whilst I am not a massive fan of hers (predominantly because her live performances have been painful to endure at best) I have seen glimpses of a decent voice in there.

    She could do with some on stage coping habits (when looking into a crowd phasing your sight is a good one) and agree if she supported her vocal lines better she could actually sound quite pleasant. Unfortunately though I get the feeling that like Christina she will hammer her voice with bad technique to the point where she has to take lessons to rebuild on years of damage - which is sad!

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  30. Well she held a note for 10 seconds with vibrato and she she belted out G5 it sounded amazing

    G5 > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HbdvII7FxE

    Longest Note: 4:44 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ArR6K4HwTP4

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  31. i think the reason why her voice so different live is because in the studio her voice is layered so many times and thats what gives it a fuller sound 
    shes not a good live performer 

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  32. those "last notes" shouldnt be counted because until she can show us she can do them live - then it shouldnt be counted in her range

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  33. She's an awaful performer. She can't dance, when she tries is lame and her vocal abilities are mediocre.

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  34. And you're an awful speller.

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  35. What the hell does that have to do with Katy Perry being an awful performer?

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  36. Is that the best you got? Just because I pressed a wrong key, my statement isn't less important. She can't give a good performance even if her life depends on that. Her dancing skills are poor and her vocal abilities are.. nonexistent.

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  37. To be honest the G5 sounded screechy.

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  38. After reading everything, I've come to the conclusion that she's a dramatic mezzo soprano ...her low notes don't produce much sound which means she's not contralto ...she struggles a bit in higher notes,means she's not a mezzo...she's dramatic mezzo

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  39. I gave her new confections album and after listening to the audio...Im not too confident that it's just studio magic. Her voice sounds very resonant and full on the records and its not the sound of compiling vocals. I think katy truly has the ability tto sing the way she does on records. But for some reason something happens live to prevent her from doing so. What I have noticed though is that on her worst performances she sounds very congested, which I know from personal experience dwindles ones vocal ability incredibly. Perhaps she has allergies lol. 

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  40. what is the note she hits 1:24 ? it sound absolutely amazing http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBcx2JCbB6A

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  41. DON'T get frisky with me bitch.

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  42. I agree, in the studio she sounds pretty good, strong even. But she does sing outta her natural range a lot which is why I think she struggles live, she should just write material that caters more to the depths of her voice than anything higher. I do LOVE wide awake though....


    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3D5FwwtNVM

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  43. No, I don't think Katy is better songwriter... at all. She might be a better composer (I don't know if Christina has ever written melodies, because she doesn't play any instrument) but the deep and quality of Chrisitna's lyrics make her stand over any other of her peers. Maybe Gaga or Alicia Keys are better songwriters, but not Katy.
    Christina wrote the lyrics for songs like The Voice Within, Oh Mother, I'm Ok, Fighter and Walk Away which, in my opinion, are better than anything ever written by Perry.

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  44. Wide Awake is definitely one of the best songs she has written so far. Im hoping her next album will have more material similar to it. I was in love with katy's debut but ever since teenage dream i've been passing her a bit. But after hearing that song I've been getting a bit more interested in her again. Im sure that with a little training she would be much better live than she is now. She definitely sings out of her range but it isnt to the point that it sounds painful. If she were to learn some control then im positive she would be able to belt those notes out no problem.

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  45. Fair enough, I will agree with you there, not only has she written meaningful songs she is also adept at choosing ones she has not written, for example Hurt, Lift me Up and Beautiful (all written by Linda Perry) I just feel that Katy is more musically talented, I am not sure about the composing part though lol I am not that much of a fan, I have only judged on a whim as to what I have heard from her to this point (perhaps a little unfair of me)

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  46. Christina definitely has good taste but aside from the production of the vocals I don't think she has much input into the production of the song. I've noticed that usually in studio she is working together with Linda (who is an entire production team inside of one person) or a few producers and engineers who seem to be working on the track as she figures out the vocal arrangements. I'm not saying she hasn't ever written something I'm just saying that with songs having her credited as only a Co-writer she may not have had much more involved than a line or two.

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  47. Wow I actually found a relatively recentish performance where she sounds pretty good!!! I am surprised (pleasantly), again though its an acoustic gig (the only time she seems to genuinely connect with the song and bring it to the table). Lovely arrangement too not only vocally but instrumentally speaking too....she still got a way to go to gain my full on diva loving lol


    http://youtu.be/GRETavYtsKU

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  48. What I can't understand is why she can't sing without a Guitar? lol

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  49. Haha totally dude, I really hope that her next project is more veered to this style.....I would def invest in her if she did!


    But I guess more than likely it will be some commercial pop poop! lol

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  50. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3ruBhDHedU&feature=related at 3:19 when she says "DUMP" I think she hitted a bit lower than E3 didn't she? does it count or not? cause she sounded like she can sing within that note...

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  51. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3ruBhDHedU&feature=related at 3:19 when she says "DUMP" I think it's a bit lower than E3,isn't it? does it count as part of her range?

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  52. I love katyperry

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  53. You have got to be kidding me. Katy Perry hitting a C6!?!? AHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA!!! How did she hit that high note, did she reduce the price of her voice like she always does to get to that #1 spot?


    She can't even hit the Eb5 in her song Firework and you expect me to believe she can hit a C6? Hah! Riiiight. This needs revision, major revision.

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  54. Yes she hit the note and she also hit B5 and A5... she is horrible singer but she has quite good range ..

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  55. Just about any female from any vocal type can hit the soprano high C in head voice or falsetto, it's not some rare skill or talent.


    Also the point of her not being able to BELT an Eb5 (even though she has belted a G5 on several occasions) holds no barring over her ability to hit a C6 in falsetto, which is a completely different register.


    And just to clarify (Because I'm sure your next response will be angered and consist of angry ranting and calling me a Katy fan or something of that nature) I am not a Katy Perry fan.

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  56. I don't see it as impossible and I am aware a majority of female singers can hit the note. No need to verse me in this literature as I am already studied enough to know.


    But it is quite obvious she cannot sustain the note and give it proper technique. True singers count a note within their range if they can hit it with proper technique and if they can sustain it. Some singers won't even count the note within their range if they are able to apply a vibrato to the note it.


    And truthfully judging from those performances that note to her was basically an exclamation. She has the toughest of times hitting a C5 as it is, G5 for her is just pushing it. Everything afterwards is clearly an exclamation.


    Oh and sorry to not meet your expectations of an "angry argument." Don't assume if you do not know, me. ;)

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  57. I would argue that this isn't a matter of opinion, because it is quite evident her range is untrained and unattended too.


    Listen to the video again my dear, it is astounding that no one else sees that the further she goes up the octaves the strain and focus on her voice utterly derail her attempts at hitting anything higher, hence the exclamations.


    She is no Mezzo, yet she tries to hit those notes. It is very clear that up until recently she had no true training in singing. She has improved, but not enough to hit the notes she tries very hard to reach in the higher parts of "her" range.


    Her true range is from E3-G#5. After that she is beyond straining her voice and everything sounds coarse, forced, and strained. And this is not opinion, this is an observation of various LIVE recordings of her singing.

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  58. Yeah... you are right! she tries to sing out of her range but maybe with proper technique she could hit all those notes...

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  59. Possibly, but it takes a lot of time and A LOT of effort to widen your range. And thank you for understanding what I was trying to say. :)

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  60. That note is a E5 (mi5) I Think she does can sing, she's good and she hits the i kissed a girl notes really good in her tour. She can totally sings in her concerts, but is not that good on TV

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  61. I agree with this. I notice a couple of the contraltos listed here are probably more likely to be mezzos.

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  62. Hey Diva, just wondering if you've seen thin:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9o9cGG_mScg

    it shows how Katy Perry hitting a C#7, in a live performance through a pretty big/fast vocal slide.
    Just wondering, does this count as her hitting the note? Because while it seems like an exclamation, it shows how through hitting the note she could one day sing in it, with enough coaching
    Also, the F#6 that you included in Jessie J's profile was achieved through similar means, so doesn't that mean that this counts as well? Thanks

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  63. I think part of the issue is that when she is surrounded by mega production and glitz, it throws off her natural comfort and ease. The acoustics, digital sounds, and production might case her to feel nervous and beyond her boundaries. When she started out after her Christian album, she was a guitar and mic sort of performer. Katy Perry, the blue-haired candy girl, is more a recent thing in her musical development from what I read.

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  64. I think part of the issue is that when she is surrounded by mega production and glitz, it throws off her natural comfort and ease. The acoustics, digital sounds, and production might case her to feel nervous and beyond her boundaries. When she started out after her Christian album, she was a guitar and mic sort of performer. Katy Perry, the blue-haired candy girl, is more a recent thing in her musical development from what I read.

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  65. I saw this video of Katy hitting C#7 using vocal fry does this count in her vocal range? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOegh-NpEsI

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  66. Being honest I wouldn't attach that as part of her singing range, it sounds like a squeal more than a properly sung note, also in future recordings she would be highly unlikely to sing a note like this regularly adding musicality to it, maybe I am wrong though.

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  67. go fucking listen to wide awake then tell me she cant sing

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  68. Don't take that statement so literally. I only compared them in regards to the technique they use, not in the quality or ability in either of their voices.


    I agree about Christina having the natural talent and whilst she has used questionable technique over the years that seems to be improving due to the vocal training she is undergoing.


    Katy on the other hand does not have the greatest voice because as I said she sings out of her natural range damaging her vocal folds and making her performances usually painful to listen to, I do believe though that if she did sing in her natural lower range and learnt how to ornament it well she could sound pretty good, but thats a matter of taste and opinion..


    The bottom line though is talent wise Christina is the superior singer whilst Katy is the superior songwriter.

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  69. The difference is while Christina was an amazing natural talent and has an impresive voice, Katy has never been naturally talented for singing. Christina did damaged her voice with bad technique, but hell she got a good voice to begin with. Katy has almost nothing to lose, since she's already a terrible vocalist and her voice is like nails scratching a blackboard. Even other vocalist with terrible bad technique like Jessica Simpson have a good voice, but they ruin it mainly singing out of range. If Katy ruins her voice, well it may sound worst but I don't see how that's even possible. PS: Do you dare to compare Katy with Christina? That's almost as insulting as a comparison between Beyoncé and Rihanna... Jesus!

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  70. Christina is an incredible composer and she's able to write good songs!She doesn't need any instrument,because she has a VOICE.The voice is also an instrument!
    Compare songs "Firework" and "Hurt"
    What song is better?:D

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  71. Hurt...only due to the vocal ability of Aguilera in the song. Overall Perry seems to write the kind of chart drivel that people seem to like, and thats about as positive as I am gonna get where she is concerned ;)

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  72. Katy Perry does have an amazing voice when the the song is right for her voice. She can sing firework well, but does struggle at times, but if you look at the range of the song, that would difficult for anyone to sing on perfection. I've seen her sing live many-a-time and believe me, this girl has pipes she can sing. If she couldn't sing she wouldn't have record labels chasing her like she did at the beginning of her career nor would Glen Ballard have helped her career and believed if she had a truly shotty voice. She can work on thing definitely, but dont we all?

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  73. Katy Perry never has an amazing voice- sure, she can deliver, and sometimes she even sounds good, but never amazing. Firework is NOT a challenging song- the range used in the song is nothing special.


    She doesn't have to be a good singer to have record labels chasing after her. It's just like commercial success- it's not a very good indicator of vocal ability. Haley Reinhart has a great voice, but she was dropped. Conversely, Rihanna and Katy Perry haven't been, although they are poorer vocalists.

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  74. Oh sweet baby J, should have known on a song comparing vocal ranges the Christina/Mariah/Whitney stans would come out. "What! You don't think she's the single greatest artist of all time in the whole of human history??!! HOW DARE YOU!!!!!!!! Smh

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  75. If you listen to the very end you can here then G#6 I'm not sure about the D3 but that high G definitely /watch?v=xcDOmKpD3cg

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  76. If I may, dancing skills aren't the only necessity to a god performance. Luther Vandross didn't dance like Michael jackson on stage; it was just his voice, his suits, and beautifully dressed background singers. I find that Katy's performances are less about blowing everyone away and more about the atmosphere. Not everyone can do the Beyoncé.

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  77. oh gosh she's not a contralto. you should correct your mistakes in this site...there are many mistakes in this site...you mentioned Kesha as contralto too...no Katy and Kesha are not contraltos. xx

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  78. The thing about Katy & her live performing quality is that it is almost never consistent. She either has an awesome performance that pleasantly surprises you or she has a poor performance. Her belting range is really where it gets painful, especially live. Katy's voice is not a powerhouse voice, she seems to definitely find her zone in acoustic settings where her vocal part compliments the instrumental & doesn't stand alone. I have to give Katy credit on singing live EVEN when she is obviously not up to it, it shows guts & genuine showmanship.

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  79. She has the tonal quality of a contralto. Her lower to mid range is darker & is where her voice is most comfortable. Plus most sopranos can usually go higher than a C6. By general terms Katy fits the profile of a contralto.

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  80. This is probably not the best video example of Katy's range but it has her whistle register in it check it out. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12H9Sc7m9TI

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  81. This is probably not the best example of Katy's range but it has her whistle register check it out. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12H9Sc7m9TI

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  82. No she doesn't fit a contralto. Contraltos have MANLY voices throughout their entire range, so much so that you can't tell whether it's a man or woman, whereas you could never mistake any part of Katy's range to be similar to that of a man's - she's definitely a (lyric) mezzo. If you want to determine whether a singer is a contralto, compare their whole voice to Cher's and Annie Lennox's to be sure.

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  83. I don't think Christina composes her own music, but she definitely writes lyrics and comes up with melodies. And I read/heard somewhere where she used to piano lessons as a really small child but didn't continue with them.

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  84. I'm KILLER KING!25 June 2013 at 15:21

    i think her voice is amazing. she has the sweeter falsetto than beyonce but doesn't stronger than beyonce. she can hit C#7. she has whistle register when she touring. she maybe never use her whistler on live tv cause she dont want take a risk. she sound bad cus her mood isn't good. and i think her recorder vocals isn't studio trick, she has accent if she sing a song, and studio cannot to trick that, if studio trick that i think the record wont good. and dont say if she can't sing live, she just want to sing good/amazing if her mood is good

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  85. I'm KILLER KING!25 June 2013 at 15:31

    hey! you right! i have to see that video! she has 4 octave!

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  86. I'm KILLER KING!25 June 2013 at 15:37

    you should see her live peromance another. she ever has an amazing voice at victoria secret when she sang firework

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  87. I'm KILLER KING!25 June 2013 at 15:52

    she has whistle register. please hear her song called "trust in me". please hear the beginning.

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  88. I don't think she is singing in whistle register

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  89. can you help me? this is a whistle register? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOegh-NpEsI

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  90. Nope. Even I can tell you that's not whistle register. That's just a high pitched squeal. And I dare say one she didn't even have any control whatsoever over. Rather complete accident which note she hit there I'd say.
    Kelly in the beginning of this video is singing in whistle where as the others in that video are just going high.

    I have no technical knowledge like some of the others here but I think you can hear in that video something different happening in the throat between whistle and high pitch screams.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQqPN-qUhCM

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  91. In what song does she hit a C6? To my knowledge, her highest SANG note is a B♭5 in "Hummingbird Heartbeat". She also hits a D3 in "Damn".

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  92. Def. a lyric mezzo. Sounds just like one.

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  93. She sang a C6 in a live performance of California Gurls.

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  94. I like her voice but I don't think she's particularly talented. Firework was a favourite of mine but spoiled slightly by her singing! I think a better singer could really make the song pop. To me she has really poor phrasing and doesn't seem capable of doing anything with the dynamics.

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  95. Contralto? lol. I don't think so. I'm a fan of this girl's voice. She's got a voice on her. In studio, she has some awesome mid belts and retains great power. Live? It just doesn't deliver. But, I think she has the ability to do it. If she gets proper vocal lessons she can really learn to use her voice at its fullest. If that's achieved, she can really put some people to shame.

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  96. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fK6hs1-O5s E3-E6

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  97. Hey, I'm interested in becoming a singer myself, and I love Katy's voice. I'm a guy, so I know that I'm not gonna have the same range/abilities as her, but I'm wondering what is so wrong with her voice? I think she sounds great and has a hugely powerful voice that perfectly suits the pop songs she sings. Not everyone is mariah. People criticizing her for being 'a little pitchy' and pointless things like that is like telling a great guitar player he is no good because he's not Jimi Hendrix. I understand if the WHOLE SONG is pitchy and sounds like she's not even trying then it's a problem, but who cares if she's 'a little flat' or 'in and out of tune' or 'using bad technique'. I'm not talking long run vocal effects, I'm just asking that if any person on here with technical vocal knowledge can seriously tell me that the millions of people she's singing her songs to care that she isn't always perfect.

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  98. so dude, this is pretty much a site to criticize voices. So I´ll just state the facts so its clear to you. All the problems you say she has is only because of proper singing trining and lack of technique, Being pitchy, out of tune, etc is lack of sustain, her voice sounding powerful is sometimes screaming or oversinging and she strains in high notes and lots of other stuff, yet people classically trained come here and talk about the voices of pop singer which are hardly ever trained. Shes just famous because she hot as hell and she can sound good singing, she just needs a teacher to train her

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  99. in wich way is she a contralto? Id actually go for a soprano with horrible technique sos he doesnt use her voice to its full potential

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  100. i just saw her vh1 performance and she rocked she got 3 octaves btw you must check it !!!

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  101. Because it's a good way to blow your voice out, for one. And the PP pretty much a vocal criticism site so thathat's all people are doing . It's a place to be nitpicky. I acknowledge her weaknesses but I still enjoy her.

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  102. If it's the performance I think you're referencing...that was not singing. She screamed that note...hate to break it to you.

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  103. Amin the human hater23 October 2013 at 18:33

    If she has 3 octaves, GaGa has 5.... GaGa is a way better singer than Katy !
    Listen to GaGa singing live, and then Katy... and you'll se the difference, a big one!

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  104. contralto?? wtf ?

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  105. But that's my whole point. Why does she need a teacher to train her? How many countless classically trained singers with 'proper technique' the world over are nobodies or bar-band singers while she is dominating pop radio? Who cares if she is perfect or 'oversings'?

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  106. A common problem vocal coaches see is so many new singers trying to sing like the pop icons they hear on recordings. The reason it is a problem is because of the voice damage. So much 'vocal airbrushing' goes on in the studio - not only are their vocals auto tuned, there's also voice 'comping' where even right down to the syllable can be cut and pasted by editors piecing together the perfect 'performance' from many takes, it could be pieced together from dozens of takes over a few days of recording that one vocal. And just like photoshop trickery the same goes for singing. Even the artist who was recorded would have and does have a hard time ever being able to reproduce that performance. So how could any other singer - especially an untrained singer ever expect to sing as great as the recording. While writing a FAQ for my blog at www.nashvillessinginglessons.com I came across this question posted to yahoo forum. QUESTION: How to have a high pitched voice with high volume? I sing, and am surely able to sing high, but am not able to attend the proper pitch. e.g if you have heard the song firework by katy perry she shouts almost, so high after the bridge in the chorus. I wanted to know how to attend that type of high voice. What do you recommend? There were already two other answers. Other answer 1: try to take air from your diaphragm. Other answer 2: Use mixed voice. Focus your resonance forward.


    Here is my answer: Hi Kashmira, I'm a voice coach and a performer and I know about that song Firework sung by Katy Perry. And you are correct when you say she sounds like she shouts it. So if you want to sound like Katy Perry does when she's singing after chorus 2 you'll be shouting. I performed that song at a gig and got a bit carried away with excitement and strained my voice so my advise is be careful. Any kind of shouting will damage your voice. That's why a lot of pop singers have voice problems. They are misusing their voice and when others try to do the same they will also risk damaging their voice. My tips: Make sure you warm up your voice well before you sing, and warm down your voice after you've sung and given your voice a big work out. Here's a warm up program I recommend. https://itunes.apple.com/au/album/zelda-sheldons-voice-warm-ups/id548148367

    Use the the part of your voice that is more comfortable to sing up high Example: When you listen to Aretha Franklin singing high in her song 'Respect' you'll hear she's using a high screaming sound but it's safer because she's singing in a way that is less damaging. She's added safe volume with resonance. It's a technique you'll learn in voice lessons. Some call it mixed voice, some call it resonant head, or hard head, one thing is if your range can't sing it in your normal speaking level range then the only safe way to sing is in your higher register (head voice). It can be confusing, main thing is stay safe. Don't try to copy singers who are damaging their voice. Hope this has been helpful. Zelda www.nashvillessinginglessons.com

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  107. Weird I saw a concert of hers once and I thought her live voice was flawless! She sang perfectly all night. Probably she just has more bad voice days then good?

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  108. I think many of the contraltos listed on this site are actually altos or mezzo-sopranos. Very few women are true contraltos.

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  109. Done. She still can't sing imo.

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  110. Voice range is no indicator of good or bad vocal technique.

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  111. Not necessarily. What makes the album is not about what Katy wants 100%. It's about what will sell the most. So, the record executives probably knew "Firework" would become the newest self-esteem boosting, empowerment anthem and cheesed the vocals in the studio so they wouldn't have to give it to someone else. There is also a culture developing in which the higher and beltier you sing, the better--regardless of technique. So, there is immense pressure to sound like Ariana Grande, Xtina and Demi Lovato. The general public--who buys the records--doesn't appreciate a mid or low-range mezzo or alto like they do a soprano or mezzo with a high belt.

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  112. You're kidding right? That was a scream. A note is only part of a singer's range is he/she can sustain the pitch with vibrato.

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  113. Or of being a good/solid singer. Katy is always pitchy live and her live vocals are weak.

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  114. wtf? she is so far away from being a contralto. I dont even see a single thing that makes you think she is a contralto, her voice is quite bright, extremely femenine, light... If she actually used proper technique we would know better but she could even be a soprano dude like seriously. No hating on you or anything but your profiles are so bad....

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  115. Search for her singing "Firework" at Victoria's Secret. I was honestly pleasantly surprised.

    I don't find her tone that pleasant, but she's decent singer.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlHLxBe5WVE

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  116. She's an interesting one, to me. I personally think Katy's got a gifted voice. The thing is she just can't use it, like at all lol Honestly, she's got a decent instrument on her but it's untrained. She can do somethings here and there but it's highly unpolished. She reminds me of Miley in that sense because whereas she's an absolutely terrible singer, she's got a voice that has the capability to do A LOT. Miley's got a powerful voice as does Katy. If they learned to harness and shape their crafts, they can really blow you away. And Katy tends to surprise you here and there with some of her heroic mid belts. One time she went up to a nicely produced G#5. She's got mad potential but god, it's hard to see when she sings abhorrently as though she's being chocked or something. I heard her singing from across the room once and thought I was listening to a damn Seal lol


    So not a Contralto. Interesting how many thing she's a dark-voiced Soprano, but I believe she is a Mezzo. A Mezzo with an excellent voice, just awful technique. She's getting better, though. Can't wait to see her at her absolute best because I know it'll turn some heads!

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  117. I think we need to hold it a second before we judge Katy. Katy can write her own songs, and really tries to be good. The problem is she has not had any formal training, and the way she forcefully belted on her live Unconditionally performance at the AMA's, instead of letting it just come out smooth, has really given her a reputation as someone who can't sing. The talent is there she just needs to work on better breathing and belting techniques. She can do it, and she really tries, but she needs to get with a vocal coach who can help her maximize her bundle of potential. Many female singers have unhealthy singing techniques that end up ruining the longevity of their voice, shortening their range, and making it harder to hit notes they could once hit with ease. Most professional singers come into the music business with little to no vocal coaching. In the end, people begin to show sings of damage and vocal loss. The lesson is that we shouldn't judge her for her struggles, she just needs to work hard at it and open her bundle of potential!

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  118. she lacks control of her voice. She constantly goes off key and every time she moves in a performance, her voice cracks and her breathing becomes prominent.

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  119. Top Ten Katy Perry Songs
    1. I Kissed a Girl
    2. Firework
    3. Dark Horse feat. Juicy J
    4. E.T. feat. Kanye West
    5. Waking Up in Vegas
    6. Teenage Dream
    7. If We Ever Meet Again w/ Timbaland
    8. Unconditionally
    9. The One That Got Away
    10. Thinking of You
    RUNNERS UP
    11. Wide Awake
    12. Hot 'n' Cold

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  120. "Hasn't had any formal vocal training"

    She has the same voice coach as Ariana Grande (Eric Vetro)

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  121. Regardless of her vile singing, i love this girl i dot know why. Maybe because of her fun image. i hope she'll learn to sing

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  122. Awesome? I wouldn't go that far. I've seen a handful of ok performances by her when she's standing still or sat down but most of the time she isn't and that's when her sense of pitch and idea of technique goes completely out of the window. I agree on the live singing bit but I'd prefer she didn't most of the time.

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  123. Do you know what whistle register is? I'm not sure if that G#6 is really her because it's hard to hear and it's level of difficulty is beyond anything I've ever heard Katy attempt, both in studio and live. The other notes were just rat-like squeals.

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  124. Yes, blame people's moods and studio tricks, always works… She sings bad because she's a bad singer - forces her voice throughout almost its entire range from belting and to her barely used falsetto and head voice registers. She doesn't use proper whistle register, they are mere squeals or screams. She must be pretty damn moody all the time if she's nearly always giving below par performances! I've got a friend who's an amateur singer who was once in a foul mood before a performance, yet she was pitch perfect throughout her set. Why? Because she can control her emotions and her voice, something Katy Perry as a "professional singer" should be able to do.

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  125. You couldn't be more wrong on much of what you said. I would not count her true vocal range to be more than 2 octaves at most - forced belted notes and weak falsetto registers don't count and her lower register is pretty rubbish too, so no she's not a contralto. She's a professional singer so blaming nerves for almost every bad performance is a load of bull - yes, they can still get nervous but how come so many others aren't as shit? Because they're properly trained and know how to channel their nerves and emotions.

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  126. I like to call her Off-key-ty Perry.

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  127. ...ugh, don't quit your day job boy.

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  128. Contralto? I think we're giving that out a bit too much. It reminds me of how most "basses" are actually baritones with thick timbres, e.g. Lance Bass and Barry White. When you hear a real bass voice, it's so low that you don't even question it.

    I think the same should occur with a contralto; they should be able to sound like a man in some parts of their range, due to timbre and not lowness. Sopranos can sing low, but it's huffish and still feminized (Mariah Carey). However, Toni Braxton can sing and completely sound like a man, in a comfortable register

    Listen to "Just be a man about it" by Toni B. Katy could smoke until the cows come home and her registration would not be that low. She's a bit like Lana Del Rey vocally; somehow their talent either comes along or decides to stay on CD.

    She DOES have a beautiful voice when she's in her range, but either due to sticking to material that was easier on the cords or lazinesss, she has yet to master her voice as Gaga has over the years. It's there. Maybe, like Madonna, it will take her a role in something "iconic" to really get serious about her vocal goods. That or autotune becomes 100% usable live, whichever comes first.

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  129. Also, how is Gaga listed as a mezzo whereas Katy is a contralto? Gaga's timbre is actually much thicker than Katy's pretty much throughout the range, which is why she often does her own background vocals. Listen to her cleanly sing on the lower 3rd/upper 2nd register in "ARTPOP." I don't mean to be nitpicky, but I think we're just calling her a contralto because of how much problems she has with her upper. That's just a bad upper, not a class.

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  130. Maybe she should quit hers until she can actually learn to sing a simple song in key properly the whole way through without forcing her voice and going all over the place… Truth hurts, but she's one of the most inconsistent live singers out there right now and even Rihanna is better than her these days.

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  131. I'd much rather listen to her "off-key-ty" performances than indulge your even worse humour...sorry lol But look on the bright side, you've got a decent ear xD

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  132. Sounds pretty heavily autotuned to me..

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  133. THAT sounds "decent singing"? Sounds like weak singing to me. Especially from a supposed professional singer.
    I'd call this "decent singing" (and that's not a singer but an actress!)

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pc-MwQMl0Ao

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  134. Considering that Ariana has just become worse and worse during these years, I think that the problem may be with that coach...

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  135. •♚Kelly Lawrence ♚•3 May 2014 at 19:50

    Seriously she can't sing? you say that because you have another idol. If katy is not your idol then fuck yourself with your idol. YOU ARE JUST INSECURE WITH THIs LADY WHO BESTED OUT SO MANY ARTISTS. BEFORE YOU SAY THINGS, ASK YOURSELF IF YOU CAN DO IT TOO. NARROW MINDED SHITS. so judgmental... have you proven anything?

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  136. •♚Kelly Lawrence ♚•3 May 2014 at 19:51

    watch this if she struggles .https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlHLxBe5WVE

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  137. •♚Kelly Lawrence ♚•3 May 2014 at 19:52

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlHLxBe5WVE she cant sing? i think u are an idiot

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  138. •♚Kelly Lawrence ♚•3 May 2014 at 19:53

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlHLxBe5WVE idiot watch this

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  139. ...same calibre. What you presented in no way shape or form shies away from weak singing. Her sound is super unsupported and her voice easily disappeared in the music. The music almost completely drowns Hayden out. The composition was fairly simple. You could at least hear Katy. This objectively was a lot weaker vocally lol.

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  140. I've just been to 5 shows of Katy's new tour, and that lady can darn well sing! The most ridiculous is probably any comparisons people sometimes do - like stating 'at least Adele can sing hitting all the high notes', meant as an insult to Katy - really? Adele for example has a smaller range than Katy and I knew that anyway, without looking at a list. And those who have at least twice the range of hers and more are not necessarily 'better' singers. You have to hear a person singing next to you before you can judge. I heard Katy that way for many hours. She totally rocks, she's amazing! - singing for a living is basically easy, I've done that for a long time. Being a star is something else though! Having earned my money as a singer I do know some things about it, and one of them is, compared to a Katy Perry I'm garbage. Her voice is unique, to listen to her is awesome, like it is with many who get so often criticised.

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  141. Even though it was a valiant attempt at firework, her voice did fall flat Kelly... Her voice was breathy and unclear in the part and in the belting chorus her voice was badly supported causing her to either struggle or fail to belt it like im sure she did in studio. Im not saying she cant sing, im just saying she need better technique... Seriously, shes potential wasted if she doesnt

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  142. Katy Perry's full vocal range is C#3-G7 because she reached a G7 live and a C#3 in studio in octave unison
    Her studio vocal range: C#3-C#7 (4 Octaves)
    Her live vocal range: D3-G7 (4 Octaves)
    Her full vocal range: C#3-G7 (4 Octaves)

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