[Lazarus Short]

Lavra Tima Daviz Mustapha of 3 Mustaphas 3.
 
Ulla Bendixen of Sorten Muld.
 
All the ladies of Varttina.
 
Sanna Kurki-Suonio of Hedningarna.
 
I don't suppose many of you have heard or heard of these singers or bands.  They're all well worth a listen.

 

[BoyNamedSue]

Just spent the evening checking out these artists on youtube - there are so many great recommendations! I was taken aback by Eva Cassidy's voice - so beautiful and moving. Her rendition of Field of Dreams was particularly moving. It was sad to find out she passed away at such an early age.

 

[BlackbeardBen]

Alright, here we go...
 
Julie London
Björk
Janis Joplin
Keely Smith
Dolores O'Riordan (of The Cranberries)
Annette Strean (of Venus Hum)
Sabina Sciubba (of Brazilian Girls)
Nil Karaibrahimgil (as she sings on Wax Poetic's song Girl - I'm not fond at all of her Turkish pop)

 

[TheGhostWhoWalks]

On the topic of foreign female vocalists, I do love Maaya Sakamoto. It probably helps that she's worked so much with Yoko Kanno.

 

[Unfie]

Marie Digby is currently my favorite jackass with a guitar. Her recent stuff has been a little more on the poppish sound, but still nice vocals. She can sing both English and Japanese fluently. That's...kinda hot.

 

[BlackbeardBen]

Well, Sabina Sciubba sings (fluently) in German, French, Italian, Spanish, and English...  : P
 
Not quite as disparate languages as English and Japanese though.  That's certainly not easy either...

 

[JoetheArachnid]

Quote:

On the topic of foreign female vocalists, I do love Maaya Sakamoto. It probably helps that she's worked so much with Yoko Kanno.

This. Maaya Sakamoto has some awesome tracks.
 
...I've also been listening to quite a bit of Hatsune Miku lately, but I don't know if that really counts. I think robot girls have rights too, but I don't know what you guys think.

 

[yyoo]

Quote:

Just spent the evening checking out these artists on youtube - there are so many great recommendations! I was taken aback by Eva Cassidy's voice - so beautiful and moving. Her rendition of Field of Dreams was particularly moving.

She has that effect on people.  Sting, who normally dislikes the idea of people covering his songs, is said to have been moved to tears when he heard Eva's rendition of "Fields of Gold."
 
There may be vocalists with better technique or even better instruments, but I haven't found another who can move me like she does.
 

 

[yyoo]

Quote:

Marie Digby is currently my favorite jackass with a guitar. Her recent stuff has been a little more on the poppish sound, but still nice vocals. She can sing both English and Japanese fluently. That's...kinda hot.

I love songs that combine languages ... fluently.  The throwaway foreign phrase with a bad accent can be grating, but when languages flow one into the other, it can be breathtaking.  The first transition from the English to the Japanese in this little Rie Fu classic floors me every time I listen...
 

 
When I first saw this video I thought they must have gotten someone else to dub either the English or Japanese part.  But it's all Rie Fu.  She also composed the music and lyrics, both Japanese and English.

 

[geoxile]

Johnette Napolitano
Sara Bareilles

 

[Justin Uthadude]

Quote:

Johnette Napolitano

The Secretary of Homeland Security can sing ?
.

 

[3602]

Quote:

Quote:

Johnette Napolitano

The Secretary of Homeland Security can sing ?
.

:facebrick:
That's Janet. Janet Napolitano.

 

[BoyNamedSue]

Another song that I love that blends English and Japanese well is Utada Hikaru's Final Distance:
 
http://www.guba.com/watch/3000027200/Utada-Hikaru-Final-Distance

The Rie Fu song is great. I feel like I've heard it before but can't remember from where.
 
Quote:

I love songs that combine languages ... fluently.  The throwaway foreign phrase with a bad accent can be grating, but when languages flow one into the other, it can be breathtaking.  The first transition from the English to the Japanese in this little Rie Fu classic floors me every time I listen...
 

 

[geoxile]

Quote:

Quote:

Johnette Napolitano

The Secretary of Homeland Security can sing ?
.

Lol...

 

[yyoo]

Quote:

Another song that I love that blends English and Japanese well is Utada Hikaru's Final Distance:
 
http://www.guba.com/watch/3000027200/Utada-Hikaru-Final-Distance
 
The Rie Fu song is great. I feel like I've heard it before but can't remember from where.
 

 
Thanks for the vid.  I like Utada Hikaru too, though I haven't listened to a whole lot of her.  
 
Some may recognize the Rie Fu piece as one of the end themes for the anime Bleach.  Rie Fu doesn't have a big range and her voice isn't powerful, but there is a sweet (not treacly) quality to it and her songwriting.  A lot of her songs are 50/50 Japanese/English though she has some that are 100% one or the other.  
 
A live performance in English...
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWph9H963Kg
 
A music vid (mostly) in Japanese...
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKkUd8uxg8I&feature=related