So after writing my recent post on INXS’ cover of Never Tear Us Apart and Annie Clark’s stunningly sensual vocal performance, I began thinking of my favorite female vocalists. Naturally, female vocalists have the ability to emote a level of scintillating feminine sensuality that men cannot. When mixed with the right lyrics, rhythm, and je ne sais quoi the effects can be devastating.
Here are my 5 favorite sexy female vocal performances of all time.
#5 Carla Bruni - You Belong To me
A fantastic Bob Dylan cover by none other than Italian supermodel turned singer turned First Lady of France. Would you expect anything less than a sexy cover by the woman who captured the eye of Nikolas Sarkozy?
#4 Julie London – ‘Round Midnight
I’ll leave it to Julie London herself to explain why she has such an amazing voice. In an interview with Life magazine in 1957 she stated, “It's only a thimbleful of a voice, and I have to use it close to the microphone. But it is a kind of oversmoked voice, and it automatically sounds intimate.”
#3 Astrud Gilberto – Corcovado (Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars)
Each of her songs is laced with such a delicate touch that suggests an underlying fragility that I find absolutely irresistible. Let’s not forget her adorable Brazilian accent and that sway in her voice that is so charming.
#2 Floetry - Say Yes
I don’t think I need to say much. Just listen to it. This song is dripping with sensuality, so it’s immediately obvious after a few hits of the snare why this song is so damn sexy.
#1 Ralph Myerz and The Jack Herren Band - L.I.P.S.T.I.C.K.
I don’t know what it is but something about her voice drives me wild. It’s not quite smoky, it’s not quite husky, but it certainly lacks vibrato or discernable emotion. I don’t know what it is, maybe it’s that detached cool that evokes lounging in a steamy red velvet bordello that just gets me.
