41 Hardest Songs To Sing For a Female - Music Grotto (2024)

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 calledI 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 movieThe 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 album21, which featured the massive hitRolling 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 movieI Am Number Four.

3. I Have Nothing – Whitney Houston

Another song by Whitney Houston that’s difficult to sing isI 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 onThe Bodyguardsoundtrack.

4. Defying Gravity – Idina Menzel & Kristin Chenoweth

In 2003 Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth releasedDefying Gravity, oneof 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 showWicked,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 songChandelierin 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 releasedWomanizerin 2008 on her sixth albumCircus, 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.Womanizerpeaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and Mainstream Top 40 charts and has been featured on several episodes ofRuPaul’s Drag Race.

7. All By Myself – Celine Dion

In 1996 Canadian superstar releasedAll 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 songEmotionsfrom 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 theStar Spangled Banneris 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 songDangerous Womancame 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 hitHurtis 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 releasedAlonein 1987 off of the albumBad 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 songWuthering Heightsfrom 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 releasedTotal Eclipse of The Heartin 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 asDiary Of A Wimpy Kid.

15. Just A Little Bit Of Your Heart – Ariana Grande

Ariana Grande releasedJust A Little Bit Of Your Heartin 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 releasedLove On Topin 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 knowTitanicandMy Heart Will Go Onby 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 releasedMy 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 songDon’t Rain On My Paradeshows 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 releasedBlown Awayin 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 releasedHelloin 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 releasedQueen 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, andYou Make Me Feel Like A Natural Womanfrom 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 withLivin’ On A Prayerin 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, includingThe GoldbergsandCharlie’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 singingStay 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 withLove 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 isLovin’ Youby 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 releasedGeneration Loveon 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 releasedStone 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 onSiesta KeyandThe Masked Singer.

Demi performed this song onSaturday 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 releaseGive 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 releasedM.I.Aand 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 releasedDancing 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 releasedAnd I am Telling You I’m Not Goingas part of theDreamgirlsmusical. 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 songVideo GamesfromBorn To Die,which was released in 2011, is difficult for most female singers. This song appeared inGossip Girl, Ringer, andMisfits, 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 songMy Once Upon A Timewhich 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 movieDescendants 3.

37. You Raise Me Up – Josh Groban

While Josh Groban is a male,You Raise Me Upis 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 inFamily Guyas well as the movieFun Size.

38. Calm Down – Rema & Selena Gomez

In 2022, Rema and Selena Gomez releasedCalm 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 calledMariah Carey,we got the songVision 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 Bangwas part of the albumSweet TalkerAndMy 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 recordedListen,which was part of the albumDreamgirls: 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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