While a lot of female singers have range, there are several songs that would be difficult for even a professional soprano to pull off. If you want to know what songs you may need more practice at than others, then here is our list of the top 41 hardest songs to sing for a female.
1. I Will Always Love You – Whitney Houston
Our first song needs no introduction as it’s a classic by Whitney Houston released in 1992 called I Will Always Love You, which was initially a Dolly Parton song. Whitey had such an amazing voice; this song remains one of the most challenging songs for even the most powerful female singer to get right.
This song is most famous for being in the movie The Bodyguard, but it’s been in several television shows and movies through the years.
2. Rolling In The Deep – Adele
In 2011 Adele released the album 21, which featured the massive hit Rolling In The Deep. It is considered to be the song that made her a household name. The control required for the lower notes in the song is difficult if you’re a mezzo-soprano or contralto.
Higher notes in this song require a lot of vocal power, and it’s hard for those with lower voices. This song was number one on the Billboard Hot 100, Adult Contemporary, and Mainstream Top 40 charts and was featured in the movie I Am Number Four.
3. I Have Nothing – Whitney Houston
Another song by Whitney Houston that’s difficult to sing is I Have Nothing, which was released in 1993. It requires a massive vocal range and contains emotional elements that are hard to imitate. Loneliness and heartache are the moving parts of this song, and without these components, it’s hard to pull off.
This song reached number one on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart and four on the Hot 100 chart. It was also featured on The Bodyguard soundtrack.
4. Defying Gravity – Idina Menzel & Kristin Chenoweth
In 2003 Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth released Defying Gravity, one of the most difficult songs for any female to sing because of the emotional components and very high notes. The melody is also hard to replicate, and if you’ve watched the Broadway show Wicked, which is where the song originates from, you’d realize why it’s so hard to sing.
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5. Chandelier – Sia
Next on our list is Sia, who had the hit song Chandelier in 2014, and Sia has a fantastic voice with power and stands out among female singers. To get this song right, you need flexibility in your tone and lightness, which most women need help pulling off correctly.
If you’re a contralto or mezzo-soprano, then it will require a lot of practice to attempt this song. This song hit number one on the Billboard Dance Club Songs chart and eight on the Billboard Hot 100.
6. Womanizer – Britney Spears
Britney Spears released Womanizer in 2008 on her sixth album Circus, and the chorus has a lot of energy and is low, so it’s hard to get it right. Both the high and low notes in this song make it a challenge, and it also has a fast tempo, so it’s hard to take a breath at the right times to get through the song. Womanizer peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and Mainstream Top 40 charts and has been featured on several episodes of RuPaul’s Drag Race.
7. All By Myself – Celine Dion
In 1996 Canadian superstar released All By Myself, which is a cover of the Eric Carmen song, but Céline has such a massive voice that almost no one will try to replicate her version. High notes and critical changes are what make this song difficult.
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8. Emotions – Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey doesn’t need us to introduce her, and her hit song Emotions from 1991 remains one of the toughest songs for females to attempt because of the high whistle tones in this song. The intensity and energy required for this song also make it challenging for almost everyone else.
9. Star Spangled Banner- Francis Scott Key
The next song doesn’t need us to say too much about it, but the Star Spangled Banner is a song by Francis Scott Key that both men and women have a hard time singing. This song’s range is very wide, and it goes almost two octaves. Breathing and control are required to sing this song correctly, which many try to duplicate, and nearly all fail.
10. Dangerous Woman – Ariana Grande
Ariana Grande and her hit song Dangerous Woman came out in 2016, and has a 3/4 time signature, unlike many other popular songs. The melody and high notes in this song, along with the lower notes, are challenging for most people to sing.
11. Hurt – Christina Aguilera
The next artist on our list is known for her impressive vocal range, which is Christina Aguilera, and the 2006 hit Hurt is a perfect example. This song has complex dramatic parts that require a lot of voice control on the pauses. She does a lot of changes in key, too, so it’s not the easiest thing to duplicate her style.
12. Alone – Heart
Heart released Alone in 1987 off of the album Bad Animals, and this is one of the most famous Heart songs where you can really hear the vocal range and power of Ann and Nancy Wilson. The power ballad elements of the song and melody are just insane. The heart version of this song reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
13. Wuthering Heights – Kate Bush
While you might not know Kate Bush, the song Wuthering Heights from her debut album in 1977 is impressive vocally. It’s an emotional and powerful song that women will struggle to sing. The song charted in multiple countries but never charted within the United States.
14. Total Eclipse Of The Heart – Bonnie Tyler
Bonnie Tyler released Total Eclipse of The Heart in 1984, and this popular song is nearly impossible to sing correctly because it’s high energy and a power ballad. This song was a huge success, reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and has been featured in movies and television shows such as Diary Of A Wimpy Kid.
15. Just A Little Bit Of Your Heart – Ariana Grande
Ariana Grande released Just A Little Bit Of Your Heart in 2014, and this is an emotional song with movement from head to chest voice so you can hit the higher and lower notes. Her energy and vocal range most people will find difficult regardless.
16. Love On Top – Beyonce
Beyonce released Love On Top in 2011, and she is known for having an incredibly powerful and high voice that’s hard to cover. The energy in this song, along with the upbeat rhythm, is hard to sing. This song reached number 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 and peaked at number one on the Hot R&B/Hip Hop songs chart.
17. My Heart Will Go On – Céline Dion
We all know Titanic and My Heart Will Go On by Céline Dion, which came out in 1997. This is one of the hardest songs for any woman to sing, regardless of their vocal range. The vocals, melody, and changes from high to low are insanely hard to mimic. An iconic song even now, it reached number one on the Billboard charts and peaked at number one worldwide.
18. Since U Been Gone – Kelly Clarkson
Kelly Clarkson released Since U Been Gone in 2004 and this is an upbeat song that has a lot of energy and both high and low notes that are hard to sing. The song made it to number two on the Billboard Hot 100 and Adult Top 40 charts and has been featured on television shows such as Supergirl and Search Party.
19. My All – Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey released My All, another song that’s hard to sing because of her incredible vocal range and style. The emotion in her voice is also difficult to mimic, and her high notes are just way above what most females have the ability to pull off.
20. Don’t Rain On My Parade – Barbra Streisand
Barbra Streisand has a huge range vocally, and her 1964 song Don’t Rain On My Parade shows it off and is hard for women to sing. With skips and changes in the melody and rhythm, it’s clearly not the easiest for everyone to sing.
21. Blown Away – Carrie Underwood
Country superstar Carrie Underwood released Blown Away in 2012, and we know this is a hard song for women to sing because of the control required for the chorus. You have high and low parts in the song, and it’s an emotional song. This song reached number 20 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the Billboard Country Airplay chart.
22. Hello – Adele
Adele released Hello in 2015, and there are so many ranges in this song it’s impressive and challenging to replicate. Vocal control is significant for this song, and with tons of practice, it’s still hard to pull off. The song reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and Adult Top 40.
23. Queen Of Mean – Sarah Jeffery
In 2019 Sarah Jeffery released Queen Of Mean, and there is rapping and singing in this song, making it hard to sing. There are just about two octaves in this song, making it even harder, and the key change required increases its challenge for most women to sing.
24. (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman – Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin had an impressive vocal range, and You Make Me Feel Like A Natural Woman from 1967 shows it off. It’s hard to sing this song because of the vocal control and range required, and this song went to number 95 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
25. Livin’ On A Prayer – Bon Jovi
Bon Jovi had a massive hit with Livin’ On A Prayer in 1996, which is hard for women to sing because it requires a lot of vocal talent to pull off regardless of your style or range. This song has been used in movies and television shows, including The Goldbergs and Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle. It also reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
26. Stay With Me – Sam Smith
Sam Smith is an incredibly popular singer, but men and women alike have a hard time singing Stay With Me, which came out in 2014 on his debut album. Sam has an amazing vocal range going from high to low very quickly.
27. Love Is The Name – Sofia Carson
Next on our list is Sofia Carson with Love Is The Name, and there are verses where the notes are separate and C4s in the song that are repeated and have breaks in them. It’s tricky to know when to breathe, and the strenuous nature of the chorus is also a challenge. The Latin elements of the song require a certain voice to pull off successfully.
28. Lovin’ You – Minnie Riperton
An older song you may not know is Lovin’ You by Minnie Riperton, which came out in 1974 and remained a hard song for women to sing. There are whistles throughout the song and between the vocals, so it’s challenging, and plenty of high notes are hard to mimic. This song was very popular and peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
29. Generation Love – Jennette McCurdy
In 2011, Jennette McCurdy released Generation Love on her debut album, which is a complex, tricky song to sing for a female because it’s country and has airy and low notes. The song requires high energy, and it’s hard to know when to take a breath unless you know what you’re doing. This song was fairly popular and reached 44 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart.
30. Stone Cold – Demi Lovato
In 2016, Demi Lovato released Stone Cold, which is about moving on after a broken heart, so this song is raw, powerful, and requires a lot of emotional and vocal range. This song has been featured on Siesta Key and The Masked Singer.
Demi performed this song on Saturday Night Live, where you can see just how impressive her vocal range is and why it’d be difficult to duplicate her presence in this song. A pretty big hit for Demi, this song reached number two on the Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles chart.
31. Give It Up – Elizabeth Gillies & Ariana Grande
You’ve probably heard of Ariana Grande before, but she and Elizabeth Gillies teamed up in 2010 to release Give It Up, which is a song we’d think most women couldn’t sing without having an amazingly high range. The low notes at the beginning have a lot of energy, and Grande has a lot of high notes in the middle of the song. It’s hard to breathe during the song’s long lines, so be warned if you try this one.
32. M.I.A – Cher Lloyd
In 2019, singer Cher Lloyd released M.I.A and this song has both high and low notes, and the same word is sung in varying pitches depending on which verse the word is in. It’s not easy to sing this song because of those leaps, and without practice and knowledge of the song, you’re going to find it almost impossible to replicate.
33. Dancing With The Devil – Demi Lovato
Demi Lovato is one of the most popular female singers today, and in 2021 she released Dancing With The Devil, an emotional song with many high and low notes that can be hard for females to keep up with. The verses and chorus both contain these mixtures of notes, and it’s hard to get right without a lot of practice.
Reaching 56 on the Billboard Hot 100, this song was incredibly popular and one of her more serious and raw songs to be released thus far.
34. And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going – Jennifer Holliday
You may not have heard of Jennifer Holliday, but in 1982 she released And I am Telling You I’m Not Going as part of the Dreamgirls musical. This song is almost impossible for females to sing because of the song’s emotional aspects and the drama in the musical. There are high belting notes in the song, and it requires practice.
35. Video Games – Lana Del Rey
Lana Del Rey has a very powerful voice, and the song Video Games from Born To Die, which was released in 2011, is difficult for most female singers. This song appeared in Gossip Girl, Ringer, and Misfits, and when you hear it, you’ll understand why it’s complex to sing. This song didn’t get much commercial success and only made it to 91 on the Billboard Hot 100.
36. My Once Upon A Time – Dove Cameron
Next on our list is Dove Cameron, and her song My Once Upon A Time which was released in 2019, is only meant if you have a soprano voice. Even contraltos and mezzos have a hard time singing the high notes, and many of these are during the song’s emotional parts. Good luck with this one if you’re not a musical theater buff. This song was also released for the Disney movie Descendants 3.
37. You Raise Me Up – Josh Groban
While Josh Groban is a male, You Raise Me Up is an iconic and powerful song that both men and women try to sing, which is very hard for a female to sing perfectly. Josh Groban covered this song in 2003, and it features several high notes that you’d have to belt out at the very top of your lungs, and most of the notes have a lot of power behind them. The breathwork involved is hard to copy, and this song has been featured in Family Guy as well as the movie Fun Size.
38. Calm Down – Rema & Selena Gomez
In 2022, Rema and Selena Gomez released Calm Down, which you’d find almost impossible to sing as a female because of the African beat that is part of this song. While Selena has soft and lower parts in the beginning, the ending has a lot of higher “oh” parts, and it’s repeated several times. This song reached number seven on the Billboard Afrobeats Songs chart.
39. Vision Of Love – Mariah Carey
This artist needs no introduction, and off of her studio album release in 1990 called Mariah Carey, we got the song Vision Of Love, which showed how much vocal power Mariah Carey has. While it’s an incredible anthem and became an instant classic, there is a lot of vocal range in the song that would be difficult for any female to mimic. This song was so popular that it reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100, Top R&B Singles, Top 40, and several other charts.
40. Bang Bang – Jessie J, Nicki Minaj, and Ariana Grande
Bang Bang was part of the album Sweet Talker And My Everything (Deluxe), released in 2014 by Jessie J and Ariana. Several notes in this song are really high and would be hard for a female to sing. Not only that, but the lower notes are like air, while the rap part of the song takes practice to get down. This incredibly popular song was peaking at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 and number two on the Mainstream Top 40.
41. Listen – Beyonce
In 2006 Beyonce recorded Listen, which was part of the album Dreamgirls: Music From The Motion Picture. This is an incredibly difficult song for a female to sing because of its runs and many emotional components. She also belts out a lot of the parts, so if you don’t have a powerful voice, you will find it difficult. This song made it to 61 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and 23 on the Hot R&B/Hip Hop Songs chart.
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From the time she was little, Florence loved listening to music and quickly learned how music can make you happy and feel fulfilled. One of her favorite memories is being in the garage with her dad working on classic cars with the local rock station blaring in the background. Ever since Florence was 3, she loved grunge music and spent hours listening to bands such as Alice in Chains, Mad Season, Soul Asylum, and Soundgarden.
She also enjoys classic rock, modern rock, nu metal, alternative rock, and old 90’s R&B. Her love of music grew as she got older, and used music to help her get through tough times in her life. More often than not, you’ll see Florence with earbuds in while she’s writing, cooking, cleaning, and doing other tasks. She also loves to debate music with her friends such as which lead singer is the best vocalist, the most iconic guitar solos in music, and what songs are really the best of the decade.