Top 10 Greatest Female Soul Singers

1. Whitney Houston

   

   Whitney Elizabeth Houston was an American singer, actress, producer, and model. She holds the Guinness World Record as the most awarded female artist of all time, with over 400 career awards as of 2006, and was named the most awarded female act in 2009.... read more

   She is a true legend. She is probably in heaven singing while all the people who died before her listen to the voice they all missed.

   The greatest female vocalist of all time, a legend who paved the way for the likes of Celine, Mariah, Beyoncé, and Alicia. This beautiful lady could sing like no other.

   Although she's gone, she is and will be a legend forever.

2. Aretha Franklin

   

   Aretha Louise Franklin (March 25, 1942 - August 16, 2018) was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. She began her career as a child singing gospel at New Bethel Baptist Church in Detroit, Michigan, where her father, C. L. Franklin, was minister.... read more

   The feeling and depth with which she sings show that soul singing is all about letting it come from your innermost depths and making a connection with the audience and the universe. Her song Natural Woman is superb.

   Whitney was amazing, but look at her - she's dead because she didn't make quite the same connection with her soul as Aretha did. I feel you need to look at the whole picture when you are choosing a soul singer. At the end of the day, who do you want to identify with: a dead drug addict with a grand voice or a woman who changed the music industry for the better and, despite her troubles, is still standing?

   Wow, what a woman. Such a powerful voice, such deep music and lyrics.

3. Gladys Knight

   

   Gladys Maria Knight, known as the "Empress of Soul", is an American singer, songwriter, actress, businesswoman, humanitarian, and author. She is best known for her work with her group Gladys Knight & the Pips. She has won multiple Grammy Awards over the course of her career.

   If female soul is the category, then this list misses the mark. The top three have to be Aretha, Etta, and Gladys (and the order of these three wonderful lady artists could be in any order from 1-3). How they end up as 2, 4, and 10, I really don't understand.

   Everyone else is pop art!

   Yes, Gladys Knight is ethereally sublime and wonderful - a smooth, soulful, purring expression of heartfelt aching want, all wrapped up in a beautiful bunch of ladylove!

   No one can touch the Empress! Her longevity of quality voice and music far outweighs all of her peers, and her integrity too!

4. Etta James

   

   Etta James was an American singer who spanned a variety of music genres including blues, R&B, soul, rock and roll, jazz, and gospel. She is best known for hits such as At Last and Tell Mama. James was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993.

   I think Etta James should be number 1. She has one of the most unique voices in history. It was bluesy, jazzy, and rock and roll all in one. It was also super gritty yet super powerful. No one sounded like her, and no one ever will.

   I am nearly 50 years young and have just started listening to Etta James. What a talented woman with a fantastic voice, and such a sad, sad life.

   I grew up on Aretha and adore Gladys Knight, but Miss Etta is in a class of her own. Class A+.

5. Mary J. Blige

   

   Mary Jane Blige is an American singer, songwriter, rapper and actress. She started her career as a backing singer on Uptown Records in 1989. She has released 13 studio albums, eight of which have achieved multi-platinum worldwide sales.

6. Adele

   

   Adele Laurie Blue Adkins, born May 5, 1988, is an English singer and songwriter. She graduated from the BRIT School in 2006 and signed with XL Recordings after a demo posted on Myspace gained attention. She's best known for emotional ballads like Rolling in the Deep, Someone Like You, Hello, and Easy... read more

   If you hear her sing, you will always know who she is. Most importantly, you will feel her songs connect with you in more ways than you can count, and that is Adele for you.

   Adele puts so much emotion and soul into every song that it's enough to make people cry. Have you heard Hello by this queen? It made Katy Perry cry and Sam Smith scream like a little girl.

   Just listen to Someone Like You or see the video. It will touch you deep inside and make you cry.

7. Chaka Khan

   

   Chaka Khan is an American singer-songwriter whose career has spanned more than five decades. She gained fame in the 1970s as the lead vocalist of the funk band Rufus, delivering hits like Tell Me Something Good and Ain't Nobody. Khan has won multiple Grammy Awards and is widely recognized as the Queen... read more

   One of the greatest voices of all time. She created a new style of singing that many singers copied. You hear many singers doing runs in their songs. Chaka and Stevie perfected the riffs and runs.

   This woman has had more impact on the singers that followed her than any from her generation. Chaka has sung with so many different artists, and most importantly, she still sounds fantastic... She is her own category.

   How many singers can sing the following genres: Rock, Pop, Soul, Jazz, and Gospel? How many? Aretha and Chaka - that's it. But that's what great singers do - they can sing anything.

8. Patti LaBelle

   

   Patricia Louise Holt-Edwards, better known under the stage name Patti LaBelle, is an American singer, author, actress, and entrepreneur. She gained fame as the lead singer of the group Patti LaBelle and the Bluebelles, later known as Labelle. LaBelle is widely regarded as the Godmother of Soul for her... read more

   A supreme soul tour de force, soaring sweet tones, and fantastic range - an exciting voice that kicks you in the stomach, kisses you on the lips, and strokes your ears all at the same time. If you cannot hear it, you are senile... or dead.

   Patti LaBelle makes lyrics come alive. She has a great, very flexible voice and perfectly masters emotions. It is something special to see her perform live because she is an exceptional entertainer.

   A serious living legend who gave the world hits such as If Only You Knew and Lady Marmalade, just to name a few.

9. Dionne Warwick

   

   Marie Dionne Warwick is an American singer, actress, and television show host. She became a United Nations Global Ambassador for the Food and Agriculture Organization and served as a United States Ambassador of Health. Warwick is also known for her string of hit songs in the 1960s and 1970s, many written... read more

   Dionne is second only to Aretha in the number of charted singles. Her inimitable voice conveys all emotional facets without resorting to the shouting so prevalent today. She is one of the few singers who can handle the key changes, time signature shifts, modulations, etc., of the Bacharach/David songbook with apparent ease (e.g., check out "Promises, Promises").

   She can also belt out terrific emotional anthems - check out "His House and Me" on YouTube or "All in Love Is Fair."

   She was very good too and had many hits.

10. Roberta Flack

    

    Roberta Cleopatra Flack (February 10, 1937 - February 24, 2025) was an American singer who topped the Billboard charts with the No. 1 singles "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face," "Killing Me Softly with His Song," and "Feel Like Makin' Love." She holds the distinction of being the first solo artist... read more

The Newcomers
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    Joy Fleming

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    Lisa Fischer

    
The Contenders

13. Joss Stone

    

    Joscelyn Eve Stoker, better known by her stage name Joss Stone, is a British singer, songwriter, and actress. She rose to fame in 2003 with her multi-platinum debut album The Soul Sessions, which was shortlisted for the Mercury Prize. Stone has since released several successful albums and won a Grammy... read more

    Joss Stone has the most powerful and biggest voice alive today. When it comes to soul, she is the one you should listen to. She deserves to be number one. There is no doubt about that! I love all of her work!

    Amazing. Her voice will touch your heart!

14. Anita Baker

    

    Anita Denise Baker is a retired American singer-songwriter. She began her music career in the late 1970s with the funk band Chapter 8 and released her solo debut album, The Songstress, in 1983. Her second album, Rapture, released in 1986, achieved platinum status and featured the Grammy-winning single... read more

15. Annie Lennox

    

    Ann "Annie" Lennox is a Scottish singer, songwriter, political activist, and philanthropist. She rose to fame in the 1980s as the lead singer of the Eurythmics, known for hits like "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)."

16. Tina Turner

    

    Tina Turner, née Anna Mae Bullock, was a singer, dancer, actress, and author, whose career spanned more than half a century, earning her widespread recognition and numerous awards. She was known as the Queen of Rock 'n' Roll. Turner sold over 100 million records worldwide and won eight Grammy Awards... read more

17. Diana Ross

    

    Diana Ernestine Earle Ross is an American singer, actress, and record producer. Born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, she rose to fame as the lead singer of the Supremes, one of the best-selling girl groups of all time. Ross later launched a successful solo career and has been inducted into the Rock... read more

18. Jennifer Hudson

    

    Jennifer Kate Hudson is an American singer, actress, and spokesperson. She rose to fame in 2004 as a finalist on the third season of American Idol, coming in seventh place. Hudson went on to win an Academy Award for her role in Dreamgirls and has since earned an Emmy, Grammy, and Tony Award, becoming... read more

    Yes, girl, yes. The power of that voice is amazing.

19. Toni Braxton

    

    Toni Michele Braxton was born on October 7, 1967, in Severn, Maryland, and is the oldest of six siblings. She has sold approximately 70 million records worldwide. Often referred to as the Queen of R&B, Braxton is known for her distinctive voice and major impact on 1990s and early 2000s R&B music.

    There has never been anyone with the amount of control that Toni has over her lower register, period! Her voice is beyond soulful, it's simply perfection! Toni Braxton is a unique talent whose vocal creativity is unmatched! The only other female vocalist who comes remotely close in regards to uniqueness is Phyllis Hyman!

20. Alicia Keys

    

    Alicia Augello Cook (born January 25, 1981), known professionally as Alicia Keys, is an American singer, songwriter, pianist, record producer, and actress. A classically trained pianist, she began composing music at age 12 and released her debut album, Songs in A Minor, in 2001. To date, Keys has sold... read more

    Talented, pretty, and amazing voice!

21. Florence Welch

    

    Florence Leontine Mary Welch is an English musician, singer, and songwriter. She is best known as the lead vocalist of the indie rock band Florence + the Machine. The band's debut album, Lungs, released in 2009, topped the UK Albums Chart.

    Surely, if we are talking about now, Florence Welch works very well, and she proves it with each song. Those tunes and her voice just make one shiver. She definitely belongs here.

    She's amazing. Best singer of the century, hands down.

22. Natalie Cole

    

    Natalie Maria Cole was an American singer, voice actress, songwriter, and actress. The daughter of legendary American singer Nat King Cole, she rose to musical success in the mid-1970s as an R&B artist. She won multiple Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year for Unforgettable. . with Love, a tribute... read more

    Wow, you're right. She has charted every decade in various genres since her debut. Now she has a number 1 album on the Latin charts. One of the best voices in the biz.

23. Irma Thomas

    

24. Brandy

    

    Brandy Rayana Norwood, known professionally as Brandy, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, model, and actress. She gained fame in the 1990s with her debut album Brandy and the hit single I Wanna Be Down. In addition to her music career, she starred in the television show Moesha and has... read more

25. Teena Marie

    Teena Marie has something that Whitney, Celine, and Beyoncé do not have: PASSION. Listen to the way she vocally expresses a soul weeping on "Casanova Brown," without using any words.

    I have seen contestants on The Voice and The X Factor sing Whitney, Celine, and Beyoncé, sometimes even owning the song. However, I have yet to hear ANYONE interpret a Teena Marie ballad without making my ears bleed.

    Listen to Teena's cover of "Wishing on a Star" or her song "Naked to the World," and you will FEEL the passion and soul this little white girl emits from her heart.

    She is one of the few artists to whom I can listen over and over without growing weary. It is always a thrill to hear the unique vocal techniques she has developed to express emotion.

    Truly miss her.

26. Jennifer Holliday

27. Keyshia Cole

    

    Keyshia Cole is an R&B singer who rose to fame in the mid-2000s with songs like "Love," "Heaven Sent," "I Remember," and "Let It Go." Her music is known for its raw and street-influenced sound, which helped her stand out in the genre during that era. Much of that influence comes from one of her major... read more