Perfect pitch, also known as absolute pitch, refers to a rare and special ability to play or sing a note or sound without the need for an auditory reference. According to various studies, only 1 in 10,000 people have perfect pitch.
Perfect pitch is far from necessary in the music world. Additionally, musicians and singers can use study and practice to achieve a learned perfect pitch. That said, being born with this natural ability is akin to a superpower for musicians and singers.
Below you can view a list of the best singers with perfect pitch, many of whom you will recognize as having some of the most iconic and beautiful voices in history.
Contents
1. Freddie Mercury
Freddie Mercury was born Farrokh Bulsara in Zanzibar and grew up in England, where he formed the world-famous, award-winning band Queen. His voice is as iconic as the band's musical ballads, thanks to an incredible four-octave range.
You've undoubtedly sang along to "Bohemian Rhapsody," hearing Mercury hit that incredibly high note with the ease of an opera singer. Mercury's powerful and magnetic stage presence, creativity and voice have earned him induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
2. Adele
Adeleis a British singer and songwriter who has become one of the best-selling artists of the 21st century. Her powerful voice has perfect pitch, which she honed as a student at the prestigious BRIT School for the Performing Arts.
Every album she has produced has topped the Billboard charts, but her second album,21, holds a world record as the best-selling, highest-charting and most Grammy-winning album of all time.
3. Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey not only has perfect pitch, but she also has an exceptional five-octave range. Her highest note sounds almost as if her voice has been digitally altered by high-tech machines. It is the highest pitch the human voice can reach, formally known as the whistle register.
Carey is a pioneer in combining her R&B sound with hip-hop, with almost every song on her albums featuring a guest rapper. Her recordings span a period of almost 40 years. Ironically, she is perhaps best known for her 1994 Christmas album,Merry christmas.
4. Julie Andrews
Julie Andrews is one of the most decorated artists of all time. In addition to being made a Dame by Queen Elizabeth II in 2000, her long list of awards includes an Academy Award and numerous Golden Globe, Grammy and Emmy Awards.
Dame Julie is both a singer and an actress. She began her career as a child actress in her native England before heading to Broadway. Her success as a Broadway star led to her iconic roles inMary PoppinsInThe sound of music, demonstrating her amazing voice.
5. From Salonga
Hailed as The Pride of the Philippines, Lea Salonga is a Filipino singer and musical theater actor who first achieved international fame in England's West End and then on Broadway.
You may not recognize her face, but you know her voice if you grew up in the 1990s and early 2000s. Her perfect voice is that of two Disney princesses:Aladdin'Jasmine and Mulan.
6. Brian Wilson
Brian Wilson is the singer, songwriter and creative director of the beloved West Coast surf rock group The Beach Boys. No one can dispute Wilson's genius as a producer and musical innovator, nor can they deny the perfect harmony of voices in every Beach Boys song.
Wilson sang the high soprano notes and reached the most difficult pitches for a man.
7. David Foster
Nominated for 47 and winner of 16 Grammys, David Foster is a Canadian musician, singer, producer and record executive. He is a better known keyboardist and producer than a singer, proving that perfect pitch is a skill that reaches all aspects of musicianship and the music industry.
His stellar career includes being president of the Verve Records label, appearing as a guest musician on numerous famous talk shows, and recording nine albums.
8. Celine Dion
Another Canadian talent, Celine Dion, is a singer from Quebec and the best-selling recording artist in Canadian history. Her music style spans genres such as rock, pop, gospel and classical, but it is her powerful voice that makes her a legend.
Dion came into the international spotlight in the late 1980s as a participant and winner of the Eurovision Song Contest. She went on to record some of the best-selling albums in North America in the 1990s. Her biggest hits include 'Because You Loved Me', 'It's All Coming Back to Me' and the blockbuster theme songTitanic, “My heart will live on.”
9. Florence Henderson
While she may be best known for her role as Carol Brady on the hit '70s TV show,Brady Bos, Florence Henderson started her career as a singer on Broadway.
Her perfect pitch led to countless musicals in the 1950sWish you Were HereUnpleasantFanny. Her success as a Broadway actress paved the way for her roles inThe partridge familyInBrady Bos.
10. Whitney Houston
Whitney Houston's voice is so iconic that her honorary pop culture name was simply "The Voice." Houston is one of the best-selling female pop, soul and R&B singers of all time and has had the longest consecutive reignBillboardthe top of any woman in history.
Not only does she have multiple Grammys and Emmys, but she also holds 28 Guinness World Records. There is no more iconic and soulful example of her amazing voice than her most famous song of them all: 'I Will Always Love You'.
11. Elton John
Sir Elton John is anotherroyally baptized artistwith perfect pitch. He is one of the best-selling musicians of all time and has sold more than 300 million records. His countless albums and life-changing songs have all been given spaceRock-'n-roll Hall of Fame's list of the best albums and songs of all time.
He is also one of the most prolific artists of all time with more than 30 solo albums, ten soundtrack albums and numerous collaborations.
12. Frank Sinatra
The leader of the Rat Pack and ultimate heartthrob of the 40s, 50s and 60s, Frank Sinatra, is as famous a singer as he is an actor. His music style is the epitome of easy listening, his low voice is a tribute to loving lyrics, accompanied by soft jazz.
His singing career includes iconic songs and recordings, along with Las Vegas' most critically acclaimed and popular live performance in decades.
13. Ella Fitzgerald
Ella Fitzgerald is a pioneer in both the music industry and the civil rights movement. Her perfect pitch was just one of her many talents that earned her nicknames such as "The First Lady of Song" and "Queen of Jazz."
She began her career singing on the streets of Harlem at the age of 17 and got her big break during an amateur night at the Apollo Theater in 1934. For decades, she would become the most famous jazz singer of all time.
Her voice is so pure and perfect that she is as famous for her scatting as she is for singing real words.
Sider:1 2
