Top 10 Singers Who Can Hit Whistle Notes

Hayley Williams is not only drop-dead gorgeous, she’s insanely talented as well. While Hayley is often more concerned with putting on a show than impressing people with her vocal register, she still has a killer voice that most of us would die for. Hayley’s ability to hit the whistle register was captured on video when she was practicing with her vocal coach before a show. The way she so nonchalantly hits the note tells us that she is quite confident in her abilities, and we don’t blame her. That is some impressive stuff right there. And of course, she looks cool as hell doing it.

Tamar Braxton made a name for herself in the '90s by appearing as one part of The Braxtons, an R&B girl group consisting of Tamar and her four sisters. She then ventured off on her own and released various solo albums while appearing as a co-host on BET Her’s “The Real.” Tamar proved her incredible vocal abilities on her song “Let Me Know”, where she can be heard hitting the whistle register. Music critics praised the song and singled out Braxton’s vocals, with many comparing her to Mariah Carey. Now that is high praise, indeed.

JoJo was first noticed on “America’s Most Talented Kids” and was immediately signed to Blackground Records. Her debut single, “Leave (Get Out)”, reached #1 on the Billboard Pop Songs chart in 2004. As JoJo was just 13 years old when the song was released, this made her the youngest solo artist in Billboard history to top that specific chart. Her early success and amazing voice definitely shows up the competition. JoJo has an incredible vocal range that spans four octaves, including the whistle note, although she rarely utilizes that specific register. No one said that it was easy.

Tori Kelly has come a long way from posting videos on YouTube as a teenager. While she initially auditioned for “American Idol,” she failed to reach the top 24. It clearly didn't set her back much. Tori has been known to hit whistle notes on a few occasions, like when she performed “Expensive” at Toronto’s Massey Hall. But perhaps the most famous instance is when she seemingly surprised herself with the note while singing with Mitch Grassi and Scott Hoying. The way she surprises herself and curls into a ball is just adorable, but their faces say it all. Even she can’t believe it.

Chanté Moore never really attained the commercial success that she is deserved. She had a few moderate hits in the 90s, including her first top ten hit “Chanté’s Got a Man”, but someone who can sustain the whistle register for minutes at a time deserves to be a household name. Moore can be heard sustaining whistle notes for extended periods of time during live performances, most notably during the crowd favorite “It’s Alright”. It’s not rare to see heated discussions online comparing Moore to Mariah Carey, with some even arguing that Moore is the more talented singer due to her penchant for sustaining whistle notes.

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#5: Adam Lopez

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Adam Lopez is the only man on this list, but here's here with good reason – he broke the Guinness World Record for singing the highest note by a male singer. For those who haven’t heard of him, Adam Lopez is a pop artist from Australia and a vocal coach at Sheldon College’s Australian School of the Arts. Lopez has demonstrated his whistle abilities numerous times throughout his YouTube videos and absolutely nailed a C-sharp on “Australia’s Guinness World Records.” Our throat hurts just watching it.

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#4: Kelly Clarkson

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Now this is how you win a talent competition. Kelly Clarkson stunned America when she performed Aretha Franklin’s “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” on “American Idol.” Near the end of the song, Clarkson belts out a beautiful whistle that stuns the crowd and earns her loud cheers from everyone in attendance. Even the judges couldn’t contain their excitement, with Randy showing surprise, Paula calling Kelly phenomenal, and the usually-critical Simon labeling her “a great singer.” She hasn’t really gone back to the whistle, but hey, she has nothing to prove. Millions of people saw it for themselves on live television.

While Riperton was most well-known in her time for the single “Lovin’ You”, she is now regarded as quite possibly one of the greatest singers in the history of music. She had a four-octave coloratura soprano range and was known as The Queen of the Whistle Register, The Songbird, and The Nightingale for her incredible ability to sing in the whistle register. While most whistle-singers use the register briefly as a fun supplement to their songs, Riperton could actually enunciate and sing various phrases in the register. It’s an extremely rare ability that has ensured her place in music history.

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#2: Ariana Grande

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Ariana Grande is often considered one of the greatest singers working today. She is often compared to Mariah Carey, which is an easy comparison to make – her voice is absolutely breathtaking. Grande has a four-octave soprano vocal range, and while she doesn’t utilize the whistle register on a consistent basis, she has proved her ability to do so in the past. She nailed it while performing a cover of Mariah Carey’s “Emotions” and again while proving to the doubters that the whistle didn’t come from studio interference. She’s an unbelievable talent, and she has a long and successful career ahead of her.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Betty Wright

Shanice

Jill Scott

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#1: Mariah Carey

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Surprise! Yes, of course Mariah Carey is number one. Words cannot convey the genius that is Mariah Carey. She has an astounding five-octave vocal range and can sing unbelievably high due to nodules in her vocal cords. Carey was heavily influenced by Minnie Riperton, and she took Riperton’s penchant for the whistle register and ran with it, becoming the most popular artist to utilize the superhuman skill. She has inspired a generation of musical artists and is rightfully regarded as one of the greatest singers of all time. When it comes to the whistle register, no one compares to Mariah.