Wednesday 20 July 2011

[Vocal Profile] Ellie Goulding

Ellie Goulding

Vocal Type: Light Lyric Soprano
Vocal Range: 3 Octaves 4 Notes and a semi-tone (A2-F#6)
Whistle Register: No
Vocal Pluses:Ellie Goulding owns an extremely distinctive and unique voice. She possesses a wide range of colours and tones within the entirety of said range and quality of the voice has been described as wispy, airy and light in tone and timbre. Her ability to infuse notes with a trademark piercing vibrato, particularly in the upper registers, has also been commented upon, along with her vocal dexterity.

The lower extremities of the range (From A2 - C4) possess a worn, scratchy and almost tired feeling; however this area is used with an adept technique making the notes themselves sound healthy- if somewhat more dulled than the rest of the range. Her enunciation and general tone here displays a genuine, expressive and earthy feel. This area of the range sounds slightly disconnected and differing from the sound of the voice overall.

Goulding's mid-range retains some of the qualities of the lower range but sounds far more audible and cleaner in tone due to the low mid-range retaining a raspy quality. The lower and mid sound well connected despite the differing sounds of the lower and upper ranges. This area is easily accessible for Goulding who manages to traverse through the registers, right up to the top, ornamenting notes and using swift melisma in the process.

The head voice is where Goulding comes into her own. In this area, she displays a more fulsome, piercing, and agile tone. The upper head voice belts sound well supported and incisive in nature yet retain a sweet and warm colouring without ever becoming overbearing or strained (See Dead in the Water). Goulding is also extremely adept at using her trademark coloratura within the upper soprano range, displaying a great sense of physical ability as well as musicality, managing to use ornamentation without gratuitous over singing.

Overall, despite Goulding having only ever obtained lessons in breath control before becoming a professional singer she displays a strong sense of artistry with not only her vocal abilities but with the material for which she writes to fit her voice. This is all whilst seemingly sitting within a healthy technique for the majority of the time. Her voice is very light yet full and clean in tone placing her as a light lyric type due to her extensive versatility and flexibility.

Vocal Negatives: The nature of Goulding's voice can be off-putting to some, as the timbre and colouring of her voice can be somewhat childlike and thus somewhat of an acquired taste. Also the voice can display a strong nasal quality which can permeate the entirety of the range at times. Criticism has also been noted for her live performances, which can be of an erratic and inconsistent quality compared to her studio work, resulting in Goulding being labelled a 'studio' artist. Vocal stamina has also been an issue during the live shows as she often runs out of breath and pushes notes out to create sound by means of incorrect technique.

Many Thanks  Stuey and Spark For updating this!




79 comments:

  1. I thought I was the only one who was put off by her childlike voice. 

    ReplyDelete
  2. I bought her album not long ago and I have to say I didn't expect it to be anything special. I was so wrong, the writing, the production and that voice....I know the childlike thing can put a lot of folks off but I really like how she can climb her range and not become overbearing, just remaining sweet and supple throughout.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Is soubrette a proper name for non-operatic singer? Wikipedia says she's a soprano and i tend to agree with that. I find it quite amazing how a voice as light and thin as her, lacking strength or big belts can be still amazing, by it's unique quality, sort of childlike and raspy at the same time.

    ReplyDelete
  4. a soubrette is both a voice type and a role in opera. while her range is that of a contralto her tone is of a soubrette. i think a contralto description would be more appropriate though.

    ReplyDelete
  5.  Her voice lacks major qualities of a contralto though.
    Range does not equal voice type..

    ReplyDelete
  6.  true but there is more then one form of a contralto.
    Coloratura contralto are known for their light agile voices. lyric contraltos are known for their lightness but not really capable of the same ornamentation(this is more her style) and dramatic contraltos which are not as common but known we see these more in pop music. toni braxton is one, so is cher. but not all contraltos have such a heavy tone. 

    ReplyDelete
  7. totally agree i think shes a great artist and although her range is limited i think her unique styling makes up for that and i completely agree about the not being overbearing part 

    ReplyDelete
  8. Yeh, I am excited to see what direction she will take her new record...anyway I was having a rifle for some live stuff and stumbled on these, awesome doesn't come close!

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p44rePezRf4
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xdB0U9Jy30w&feature=related
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IieOEvzMjng&feature=related

    ReplyDelete
  9.  I get the impression her unique quality comes from dealing with her vocal shortcomings in a very effective and inspired manner. Which is musically very impressive. Not sure I agree with her being "awesome". Maybe if I believed this uniqueness was more a question of choice than a question of circumstance dictates.

    I was expecting a very childish voice but I agree , it is not at all overbearingly so.Interesting singer.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Lol I guess its just taste but I do really enjoy listening to her! Her voice is not one I would normally listen to but I think that has added to the appeal, its very refreshing for me. I would normally be listenin to Kelly C or Mariah belt the songs out so to hear someone sing in a totally different way is a bonus.

    She is however not one of my fav British Divas, have you ever heard Siobhan Donaghy's work? (the first Sugababe to leave the band) Now for me she is AWESOME!!! Check out tracks from her criminally underrated second album 'Ghosts'.

    ReplyDelete
  11.  Seeing as I mostly listen to Alison Krauss, The Civil Wars and Sarah Jarosz, I probably respond to a singer like this quite differently than someone used to the belting style.

    I haven't heard of the singer you mentioned but I will check her out. I like your tastes Stuey. Still listening to Marina a lot as well. :)

    ReplyDelete
  12. I have to say, I am known for my love of (sometimes overly) powerful diva voices and have tended to hunt them out in the past, now however my ears are more open to new listening experiences for sure! 

    Ahhh I love Alison Krauss, her voice is what diamonds would sound like! Have not heard of the other two though so I shall be sure to give them a wee look in too, thanks! ;)

    ReplyDelete
  13.  Well Stuey, if you are interested, here's links to my playlists of The Civil Wars and of  Sarah ( she is btw not so much a singer as an all rounder. Singer/songwriter/instrumentalist). :)

    http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL340B303663E494D3

    http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL991B28C3E5CEA564

    I have to admit, I used to be a major Steisand and Bassey fan. In fact owned all 43 albums Streisand at that point had made. But I fell out of love with music in general until a few years back and then my taste had changed to mostly loving acoustic music by people who can produce high standard Live performances.

    And if you love Alison, and don't mind gospel, you've GOTTA see this one. ;D

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

    ReplyDelete
  14. Cool! Many thanks for the links! Loving your work.

    Love Streisand and Bassey, both very classy ladies with exceptional vocal abilities in tone, control and connectivity to the material they bring.

    Lol I am conflicted about Gaga I can see her appeal but do believe she is overrated a LOT, usually by herself at that. But she does at times sound pleasant. I am however bored with her sound totally....

    ReplyDelete
  15. What do people think of her new song??? I really love it, but then I really love Ellie so thats not surprising...


    http://youtu.be/Ap-A0RKhi2s

    ReplyDelete
  16. Hey I just found this vid, it might extend her range either way but the A2s at the start dont sound right to me. You mind casting a quick ear on it?


    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Pd9cH_QXK8

    ReplyDelete
  17. i want you to vs britney spears because ADELE is a better singer than you."IM REALLY SORRY ELLIE GOULDING".

    ReplyDelete
  18. She hit an A2 in an octave unison. I'm on iPad so finding the link is a pain but check out mannyellatino33 on YouTube. He does tons of vocal stuff and did Ellie's.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Hey DD check this out? I dunno if that A2 is legit but I think the A5 is?


    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Pd9cH_QXK8

    ReplyDelete
  20. I checked it on a piano and the A5 is indeed a legitimate A5. Sounds like she did sing the note and then they digitally cleaned it up a bit. The A2 doesn't sound like her at all, however. That sounds like a male backup singer or perhaps a digital voice overdubbed over her.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Thanks for the response Spark. I kinda thought that with the A2, it did sound a bit too blokey! lol I doubt she could hit that note to be honest, her voice is too light and fluttery to reach such depths, although I do think she could get a couple of notes under that F#3 :)

    ReplyDelete
  22. Agreed, I think the A2 is well outside of her range. (You might be shocked to hear it is near the very bottom end of mine -- and I am male! LOL.) I suspect she could achieve F#3. Most light sopranos like Goulding start tapering off there. Amber Riley stops there, I believe.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Yeh, I think she has a more substantial upper register too though, she said she has never had a singing lesson in her life and has been experimenting vocally and seeing what she comes up with. I think there is untapped notes to be had up there. I cannot hit an A2 lol its too low

    ReplyDelete
  24. I only begin to pick up resonance in the low end just under C3, around a B2, meaning someone could hear me well and the note sounds rich. G2 is end of the voice and I can't project anything below B2 very far. The voice is just too lightweight and bright to sustain a baritonal sound.

    As for Goulding, I agree. I think she has a larger head voice than we think (I am sure she could muster at least a C6 -- I love that note and If I can hit it, she definitely can), but her material has yet to explore it.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Yip, my range is only really healthy from D3 onwards...my strength picks up significantly in the 4th octave and half of the 5th....up towards the sixes is hit or miss hehe


    I think so, there is little doubt in my mind. I think this should be soprano though for sure and not soubrette, but thats just because I hate that term lol

    ReplyDelete
  26. I agree that Goulding is a soprano with an unexplored range. Soubrette is more an operatic vocal fach. In terms of voices, she just sounds like a classic light soprano.

    As for you, our voices sound like siblings -- similar tessituras. Are you a tenor, a high tenor, and/or a counter, too? Gosh, I used to feel so alone! LOL.

    ReplyDelete
  27. I'm a tenor, I have had to work hard getting my voice back though (stopped smoking & re-trained the old chops) on a good day I can get a fairy reasonable sounding E5 and at a push an F anything above is falsetto, an area that I seem to have less bother with although I am not a massive fan of my own voice in that range lol you?

    ReplyDelete
  28. My classification is subjective. I would be a "high tenor", some call me a "countertenor", others a "tenor altino" or whatnot. I just call myself Spark. LOL. I only use falsetto at the very top of the voice; head, chest, and mix for the rest. My placements are more in line with contraltos and mezzo-sopranos. In terms of everyday singing, I would be G2 to C#6. Chest voice mixes end around F5, pure head voice can take me to Bb5, and use of falsetto (which doesn't sound too different from my head) brings me to the C6, C#6 is usually there but sometimes is not. Lowest sung pitch ever is F#2 (it was very underwhelming and labored -- I was pushing the voice), highest sung pitch ever is E6 (in falsetto, but not clean or stable enough to my liking to use regularly as of yet).

    ReplyDelete
  29. Wow! Your a machine hehe the highest I have done is C6, it was healthy sounding enough but its not a note I would like to attempt often! your mixing and stuff does sound eerily like my own in terms of area access! Good work! :D

    ReplyDelete
  30. Thanks! I love to share and work on tips with people. Love music. I sort of grew up not knowing what to do with my unusual voice. Since I was a countertenor who had yet to explore much of anything, I was formerly just D3 to A5 as a teenager -- and this was after the initial voice change! It was frightening. I was waiting for the baritone classification to come...and it never did. I was never going to sound like my father -- a classic baritone -- except at the lower extremes. In fact, I could sing more fully with my mother, a soprano, in the mid and high fifth octave and make nice harmonies for a decorative effect. LOL.


    When I began training again, my voice continued to expand on both ends. It's a lot of voice to handle...Sometimes I wish I had just two octaves LOL. Now my A5 of today sounds heaps better than my A5 as a kid. And when I decide to imitate a baritone, I use my lower end as best I can, but the power is just nothing compared to those guys! My maximum belting power (and the nice resonant ring) must be at a C#5 or so.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Lol awesome, I just gutted out Ellie Gouldings wikipedia page by adding the Artistry section, voice and influences.


    My voice def dropped a bit when I smoked but now my chords are clean and my lungs more mobile I am back to scratch. Yeh I have found that too, my voice is easier to control now too, back then it was just way too rouge for my liking, now it seems to come much more naturally. C#5? Wow, have you attached clothes pegs to undesirable areas :D I could belt out a B4 easily (mixing ofcourse) pure chest would be a bit dangerous hehe

    ReplyDelete
  32. I was never a fan of belting. I think because my voice was not a dramatic voice, I never wanted to damage it due to overtorque, force, or improper form. So my voice teacher is trying to get me to sing our more and resist my nervousness, advising me on proper placement. I like to mix my belts even even if I could purely chest them for safety's sake (I once accidentally chested up to F5 and my teacher got on my case once she heard that coarse edge coming through since my voice is very lyrical on the whole.) The sound is clean with no rasp or scratchiness if I do it right with a slight ring in the head following the trail of the note. That's my sweet spot for resonance. I feel it ringing in my body around B4 and it continues up to about D5 before stopping. So the zone for the best belts would naturally be in there.

    ReplyDelete
  33. Im a bass... I can project a D2. Its weird. Because im young and short. With falsetto I can get out an F6. And I can whistle up to C#7. ._.

    ReplyDelete
  34. Not sure if this is inclusion worthy in Ellie's range but she hits what sounds like a D6 in this performance at 2:37, although I'm not sure whether that would just be considered as an exclamation http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3YfnuNCLJk

    ReplyDelete
  35. This is part of her range ! and it sounds amazing !

    ReplyDelete
  36. That's part of her range.
    She performed a nice glissando up to the note so it's definitely part of her range.
    Her range is now A2-D6.
    This profile really is in desperate need of a re-doing.

    ReplyDelete
  37. Contralto's all have a somewhat masculine timbre. A perfect Example of a Lyric Contralto is Jamzine Sullivan and she's by far more weighty and darker then Ellie. Ellie in her own right is good but she is no contralto. She is weightless in comparison with even a lyric contralto.

    ReplyDelete
  38. Agreed. this is obviously no contralto. A2 hasn't been confirmed to be her unedited, not that it matters in the classification However, the sixth octave notes are definitely her, her voice is light and bright, and rings the higher it goes. There is no cavernous lower color, no mannish texture in the lower registers, and no thickness to the voice.

    ReplyDelete
  39. I totally agree, this is one of the profiles I would happily take on myself, I am a BIG Ellie fan, her voice is just magic to my ears. And she is most definitely a soprano in my eyes, everything about her voice just screams it, weight, placement in the upper registers sounding clean, pure and easy as well as her striking vibrato in her higher registers...I could go on and on lol :)

    ReplyDelete
  40. Yeah, I'm listening to "I Know You Care" and she is singing MUCH lower than F#3, low enough that I can't follow, and F3 is my lowest note. This needs to be updated.

    ReplyDelete
  41. In the song anything could happen I believe the highest note she hits is an A5 at 0:25

    ReplyDelete
  42. Hey Spark. I've had a lot of questions about my voice, and it took me a while to figure out that I didn't have the average "guy range" like what I'm always hearing on the radio, and I sing closer to a mezzo-soprano. The highest note I've ever sung was a D#6 and it's shrill and airy, so I usually stay away from the sixth octave -_- but my biggest issues has been low notes. For the longest, I could only sing as low as A3, but this past Christmas my voice decided to transform overnight, and ever since, I can sing as low as F3, which is a big development for me. So many songs I can finally sing now without flipping through octaves :D Do you have any tips on the upper ranges? My head voice and falsetto sound pretty similar, but I want to make it stronger. Sometimes it's strong, sometimes it's not, and I'm still trying to figure out my voice.

    ReplyDelete
  43. Hi Robin, thanks for reaching out. I will see what I can to help! My own countertenor voice continues to develop and mature and there are some tips that I have discovered. For one, if you want more ease on the extremes of the countertenor range (G5 and up), you will want to develop a good registration balance between all of the parts of your voice. Working on your blossoming lower range is a great idea. (I recommend aiming for a C3 as your voice develops and strengthen -- most countertenors are expected to have a range of D3 to G5). This will ensure connectivity and development throughout the entire voice and will give your muscles an opportunity to develop as you move between different areas of your instrument. I would advise never to push the voice on the highest notes as that area of your vocal cords can be especially fragile. If the notes are not there one day, rest, and come back another day. When you are ready to work the higher notes, devote a specific day to it. (Use the other days to work on the lower and midrange so you don't strain your voice.) I usually do 1-3-5-8-1 exercises to develop ease. So if I am doing a A Major scale and I want to develop movement in my upper midrange to the extremes of my voice, I will sing A4-C#5-E5-A5-A4. I would recommend starting on a lower key and moving up to give your body a chance to acclimate and adjust. I have done this all the way up to Eb6. Some days I will have added pitches past this (E6, F6, etc.) but your goal is not to push the voice. The point of this exercise is to develop ease and control through your midvoice (also called the mezzo voice -- which is why many of us sound like mezzo-sopranos :P ) and the high notes. But do not neglect the lower range either. I usually worked on my lower notes and midrange and then devote a day or two to the highest notes. By the time you have more confidence with this, you can develop ease moving between all of the registers. As for the sound, you want to aim for well pitched, rounded, full notes as high and low as you can with ease. And don't worry. The countertenor voice can take a long time to figure out and it will evolve with you. All the best and let me know if my tips help or if you need more information!

    ReplyDelete
  44. Alright, so I finally got over this cold and I'm slowly coaxing my voice back to full stardom, and I was checking my range and doing warm-ups so I could try that 1-3-5-8-1 exercise, and something weird happened. Maybe it's because I was home alone so I didn't hold back, but I discovered my range (so far) is G3-G6. The F3 went away with the cold (sad face) but I can sing beyond G6, it's just not strong past that. It was strange because I was singing up the fifth octave and it didn't feel the way it did before Christmas (when I first got sick), it felt effortless and clear. So I have this meaty, soulful chest voice that I use all the time, and this angelic, fairylike head voice that sounds NOTHING like my chest voice, and I'm trying to figure out how in the world I can connect them so I can do seamless slides. Is there another exercise like 1-3-5-8-1 that can do this? I'm almost 19 by the way, so the puberty stuff is pretty much over (except for my beard; I've got this tree growing out of my chin, but it is stubbornly avoiding the rest of my face). Sorry if my music theory is really really lacking by the way.

    ReplyDelete
  45. To gain greater consistency between HV and CV, you'll want to work on your mix. Determine where your CV normally ends and where you begin to naturally use HV. The fifth around that point is your mixing zone. You will want to learn how to balance the weight on your voice in that area so you can get crisp stable notes that combine the best parts of both chest and head voices. For most natural countertenors (the high tenor kind with reinforced full head voices for most of the high notes), this will be Eb4-Eb5 or thereabouts. For standard tenors using a falsetto, watch for C4-C5. Your exact placement is individual to your voice so these are not set in stone. I am certain you can physically sing under G3 -- most men post voice change should be able to sing down to C3 (one C under Middle C) with ease. Your struggle might be an issue of technique or approach.unless you are hormonally/physically a soprano (these countertenors are called sopranists and are ultra rare).

    ReplyDelete
  46. My CV breaks at G#5, so A5 is really weird, it feels like I float over that note. I see what you mean about balancing now.

    ReplyDelete
  47. Are you a vocal coach?

    ReplyDelete
  48. Robin, have you thought about going about a head dominated tone with all your singing? It works very well for me....The only draw back is that in my lower register (For me everything bellow C3/B2) sounds very baritone like. The sound remains consistant as I climb up to my mid voice which stops at F4. The weigh becomes much more tenor like but has a feminine flavor to it despite its weight. As I ascend higher, my chest notes become more light weight and brassy with a rusty flavoring.

    ReplyDelete
  49. What does a head dominated tone mean? I'm musically challenged mostly :) And hello, fellow Robin.

    ReplyDelete
  50. Nope. Just a guy who likes music and working with others. I enjoy studying technique and working on theory in my quest to improve my own musicality.

    ReplyDelete
  51. That chest voice is quite high! Not a common distribution to see. And yes, watch your balance so you can mix your voice seamlessly.

    ReplyDelete
  52. A head-dominant tone is one that lacks the coarseness and heavy projection style. Head notes tend to ring in the upper areas of the vocal tract and you tend to see this most in one's midrange and upper range. The chest voice is used to describe tones that resonate in the chest and are placed much lower in the vocal tract. These are usually lower notes and midrange. You can mix between these areas of resonance by altering placements, colors, volumes, and sound formation.

    ReplyDelete
  53. Yeah I was trying to learn to sing but I find struggle around every corner

    ReplyDelete
  54. Well, Hi. I see that you enjoy writting as well....That is my passion..(Apart from trying to be the best male belter in the world...I think I'm half way there lol.)

    ReplyDelete
  55. Don't worry. You can learn just go slow, don't rush and you will improve. I've been teaching my best friend since 10th grade and she has improved quite a lot.

    ReplyDelete
  56. Ok I will try thanks

    ReplyDelete
  57. Now I see. I feel like my voice evolved in the past week the way voices should over a decade. It's really weird. And I've been to the doctor for my sinuses and flu symptoms, and the better I get health wise, the more flexible my voice feels. What I've always had trouble with is the falsetto pop. You know how singers will do one small pop of a shrill tone, like how Beyoncé sings "1 + 1" during the chorus? Do you know any vocal exercises for doing that smoothly?

    ReplyDelete
  58. I have something for you to read as well....its a little rough and may have gramitcal errors but it is one of my ideas....my email is black.robin100@yahoo.com....just send me a "hi" message if you don't mind.

    ReplyDelete
  59. Hmmm...moving from full head voice to falsetto and back can be very tricky, especially with that "pop" sound indeed. One thing is to practice moving over the area where your falsetto becomes unstable and then back to the highest stable tones. Working on coordinating the vocal muscles over that "hump" can work wonders so your body is trained to make the needed adjustments to move.

    ReplyDelete
  60. I have been surfing online more than 2 hours today, yet I never found any interesting article like
    yours. It is pretty worth enough for me. In my opinion, if all website
    owners and bloggers made good content as you did, the net will be
    much more useful than ever before.

    My web blog ... コーチ アウトレット

    ReplyDelete
  61. ~ugh~ this is why I can't sing this song.

    ReplyDelete
  62. Ally owes the federal government -- fourteen point six billion
    for the infusion of public dollars the company beyond bankruptcy.
    The building is competitively priced and its particular
    location and prestige allow it to be the sleeping giant Sleeping Giant may make
    reference to:. This year, 35,000 big bags of garbage were taken out from the shrine complex along with the foothills in the massive cleanup operation initiated by the Mata Amritanandamayi Mutt.


    Also visit my web blog: nikefree2saleonline.com

    ReplyDelete
  63. Guys I will be doing an update of this profile over the next week so if you have any suggestions for pro's and cons please drop your suggestions here and I will add them in, the more input the merrier! :)

    ReplyDelete
  64. A few changes I can propose. Vocal Type: Light Lyric Soprano. Range is wider than indicated as I have seen her at D6 in head voice. She probably has higher, too.

    ReplyDelete
  65. Great minds do indeed think alike sir! As that was the exact fach I was going to place her in funnily enough.


    I will be using the vids here too, I think there is one down the page which displays an ascended E6, which would make her 3 octaves. I will be taking my time on this profile though, it will likely end up Kelly style, lots of detail but I will try to keep it more neutral this time hehe :D

    ReplyDelete
  66. STUEYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY ! I look forward to the mail! http://media.tumblr.com/05178b10412f3b539d2b0982fe1a2478/tumblr_inline_mnfeb8SBOY1qz4rgp.gif

    ReplyDelete
  67. Haha LOVE that gif! I will start work on it tomorrow morning, my mind is a tad fried tonight lol sooooo glad to be back here though, missed you lot like mad!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  68. Positives:


    An incredibly unique voice that only Ellie has. The head voice is where
    the voice finds its best qualities. In that register the voice is nimble
    and able to move through complex melismas with ease. The notes can be
    plucked or connected smoothly, and demonstrate remarkable resonance. Her
    transitions from Chest to Head Voice and mastered with incredible
    ability (See Only You).






    The low notes are very dark and thick, but are still the weakest part of
    the range. The midrange belts are full and strong (See Guns and
    Horses). The voice carries a sweet and wispy timbre through out all
    registers, making her voice very trademarked and recognizable.






    Negatives:


    Her timbre can sound like a child's, which is not to everyones taste.
    The voice can be nasal, and she can be seen curling her nose while
    singing. Belts at higher frequencies are very thin (See the F5 in Salt
    Skin) and she employs the use of melisma very often. Stamina live is
    very limited; she often sounds out of breath.

    ReplyDelete
  69. Can somebody explain me why she is a soprano and not a soubrette?

    ReplyDelete
  70. When I updated this profile I decided to change her from a soubrette based on the fact I don't really think that its an appropriate fach or voice type to place contemporary singers in. The term is used pretty much exclusively on operatic voices and whilst Goulding has certain qualities in line with that type I feel she sits more in the light lyric category due to the gentle yet crystalline nature of her upper registers.

    ReplyDelete
  71. Plus have you heard her do vocal runs and her vibrato. A soubrette could only wish to do that. Now Jlo is a true Soubrette.

    ReplyDelete
  72. Jlo is not a soubrette. Her tone is too full for it, even in a non-operatic context. Actually, of all the operatic types, I think soubrette is an easy one to apply oytside it. Any light, bright mid-high ranged voice that has a youthful, but soft timbre can qualify. And goulding is young enough for it too, but either way, a soubrette is a type of drveloping light lyric voice

    ReplyDelete
  73. I definitely feel she has gotten better at live shows... I saw her live and I believed it was fine.

    ReplyDelete
  74. I don't think live performances are a problem anymore. To me that was just something she learnt to deal with and control so that now her performances are of a constant high standard.

    ReplyDelete
  75. Hmmmmm, I dont really care for her voice until she hits the headvoice/falsetto region. Also seems like she doesn't carry that agility she has in headvoice/falsetto through any of her lower registers.

    ReplyDelete
  76. My pleasure, and likewise with gems such as Shelby and Krauss!

    ReplyDelete