#lightlyricsoprano

Voice Type: Light-Lyric Soprano

Range: Eb3-G5-Eb6

Pop princess, Britney Spears, is one of the most iconic stars of the 21st century. With an instantly recognisable voice, Britney’s fach is often up for debate. Lets see where she belongs…

Note: this analysis only refers to Britney in her prime- her debut era. I will not be classifying her voice after her decline.

Alto

Alto is a choral part, not a vocal fach. So while you can sing alto, you can’t be one. 

Contralto

Contralto is a part of the fach system, so you can be a contralto. Britney doesn’t fit any of the characteristics of a contralto. Her voice is not remotely low enough and her timbre is not that of a contralto. People tend to look at her ‘range’ and because she can hit notes in the second octave, believe she is a contralto. Britney uses vocal fry for her lowest notes and vocal fry does not count towards one’s range (and range is really irrelevant). Furthermore a contralto will have an androgynous sound, which is nowhere near Britney’s tone. Britney’s voice is far too bright and girly to be a contralto. 

Soubrette

9 times out of 10 Britney is called a soubrette. Britney is known for her very youthful, sweet and small voice. Britney manipulates her voice to sound even more girly, small and nasal than her voice naturally is. She is only really sounding like a soubrette because of artistic choices. A soubrette is most often a young girl whose voice has not matured. That is why we have simpler parts written for soubrettes, as there voices are still developing. Most classical singers will move to another fach as they mature. This makes the soubrette far more suitable for classical music.

Light-Lyric Soprano

Britney possesses a light, youthful and high voice. Her belts start too high up to be anything but a soprano. A mezzo would be belting in the 4th octave, which Britney doesn’t (Take a listen). A light-lyric will have a youthful, bright and light voice. As this matches Britney, she must be one.

Voice Type: Light-Lyric Soprano 

Range: C3-G#5-A6-C#7

Christina Aguilera provides a great example of how unconventional (bad) technique can make it harder to classify the voice. Christina is often mistaken for a lyric mezzo-soprano, spinto soprano or coloratura soprano/mezzo-soprano.

Note: This analysis will only refer to Christina in her prime.

Spinto 

Christina is often noted for having a ‘big’ and powerful voice, leaving people to think she must be a spinto. They fail to look at her technique. Christina Aguilera completely manipulates her output. Barely anything she sings is with her natural voice. Her chest dragging, pushing, low/high larynx and throatiness all distort her tone and make her voice seem bigger than it is. Her natural light and girly timbre is best heard in her head voice. Yes, spinto does translate to ‘pushed’, but a spinto is not just someone who pushes their voice, forcing a larger sound. A true spinto will have a larger voice that can sound slightly pushed with correct technique. If Christina used an even mix and stopped lowering her larynx, her voice would resemble that of a lyric. Her tone is not dark, rich and metallic like a spinto, but rather warm, bright and girly (The Voice Within).

Coloratura

While Christina loves to do runs and has shown great agility, she is not a coloratura. Most forget that like other voice types, a coloratura will have a specific timbre. The coloratura voice will be very sweet, bright, youthful and light (much like a soubrette). The lighter the voice, the more agile. Therefore, it is this ‘weightlessness’ to the voice that allows it to complete such complex runs, leaps and trills. While Christina’s voice is light, bright and youthful; it is not enough to be a coloratura. Similarly, a coloratura will have an extremely high tessitura, something Christina does not have. 

Soprano

People often call anyone with a ‘larger’ voice a mezzo. Christina’s tessitura was that of a soprano (I Turn To You, What A Girl Wants, Reflection). Her lows tend to be weak and uncomfortable. She also has a lot of ease in her upper belts, especially considering all the strain (Reflection, I Turn To You, Genie In A Bottle). All this tells us Christina must be a soprano. 

Voice Type: Light-Lyric Soprano

Range: F3-A5-E6

Glee’s immensely talented Lea Michele is often mistaken for a mezzo-soprano. This is often due to her full and resonant belts confusing many.

Mezzo-Soprano

Despite being called a mezzo very often, Lea is most certainly a soprano. Her tessitura (which is one of (if not) the biggest factor/s in determining the difference between a soprano and mezzo-soprano), lies high up, in the soprano range. Songs written in mezzo territory are raised by Lea (Jar Of Hearts). Her lows are definitely the weakest part of her range, and she possess very little comfort there (eg. The Wizard And I G3). A mezzo-soprano will have natural comfort down low. Lea often enters the upper fifth octave, with this area being the signature part of her voice. This natural comfort up high means she must be a soprano.

Light-Lyric

Lea’s tone is the giveaway that she is a light-lyric soprano. Her timbre is bright, sweet and girly (Don’t Rain On My Parade), exactly like a light-lyric. The girly or youthful quality of the voice also means she cannot be a full-lyric or spinto soprano. Lea has said herself that she is a lyric soprano, despite being mistaken for a mezzo.