# Non-english singing females...want more...need more **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 15, 2002, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-english-singing-females-want-more-need-more/132347 "2002-10-15T16:14:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![moodtobestewed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3ab097/32.png) [@moodtobestewed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moodtobestewed)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2002, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-english-singing-females-want-more-need-more/132347/1 "2002-10-15T16:14:06Z")
I’ve recently been enjoying a lot of music performed by women in foreign languages. I’m not sure how I got on this kick, but here are some of the performers I’m already familiar with: Tish Hinajosa Amalia Rodrigues Edith Piaf Ute Lemper Paris Combo Astrud Gilberto Ofra Haza Nana Mouskouri Can anyone suggest other performers or bands along these lines? Musical style or time period really isn’t that important, just that they be talented, as I enjoy just about anything that’s well-performed. ---
**Author:** ![Skippman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Skippman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skippman)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2002, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-english-singing-females-want-more-need-more/132347/2 "2002-10-15T16:19:25Z")
FinKL is great stuff if you don’t mind the whole “J Pop” genre. And Hyori is a a REAL hottie! ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2002, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-english-singing-females-want-more-need-more/132347/3 "2002-10-15T16:22:04Z")
**Ute Lemper**. . . _Uuuuuute_ . . . I go see her everytime she performs in NY, I play her cassettes till the neighbors are ready to file suit . . . May I also add the late, great **Marlene Dietrich**? ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2002, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-english-singing-females-want-more-need-more/132347/4 "2002-10-15T16:23:16Z")
I fell in love for a while with a song called “Certamente” by [Madreblu](http://www.cdnow.com/cgi-bin/mserver/SID=490045074/pagename=/RP/CDN/FIND/popsearch.html/clickID=tn_srch_txt). I don’t know if it’s “along these lines,” but it sure is a hell of a song. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2002, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-english-singing-females-want-more-need-more/132347/5 "2002-10-15T16:24:47Z")
Sorry, bad link. My search at [CDNow](http://www.cdnow.com) did work, though, so you should be able to pull it up. ---
**Author:** ![Judith\_Prietht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b19c9b/32.png) [@Judith\_Prietht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Judith_Prietht)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2002, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-english-singing-females-want-more-need-more/132347/6 "2002-10-15T16:37:52Z")
The late [Ofra Haza](http://home.global.co.za/~jvd/ofra.htm); some songs are in English but you’ll find some great stuff that’s not. ---
**Author:** ![Legomancer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/779978/32.png) [@Legomancer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Legomancer)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2002, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-english-singing-females-want-more-need-more/132347/7 "2002-10-15T16:41:16Z")
Check out Ofra Haza and Sheila Chandra. ---
**Author:** ![Fibonacci](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/df788c/32.png) [@Fibonacci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fibonacci)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2002, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-english-singing-females-want-more-need-more/132347/8 "2002-10-15T17:00:04Z")
I really like [Angelique Kidjo](http://www.angeliquekidjo.com) and [Bebel Gilberto](http://www.bebelgilberto.com/home.html). Another good place to explore would be [Putumayo World Music](http://www.putumayo.com). They have a great selection of compilations, so you can sample a bunch of different artists from around the world. They also have a weekly syndicated radio show that may be broadcast in your area. Check their station list. Others I listen to besides those already mentioned include Ekova, Uman, Dissidenten, Miriam Makeba, Rita Ribeiro, and Agricantus to name just a few. Enjoy your search! ---
**Author:** ![Legomancer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/779978/32.png) [@Legomancer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Legomancer)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2002, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-english-singing-females-want-more-need-more/132347/9 "2002-10-15T17:32:28Z")
Sorry, just noticed I suggest Ofra Haza, who someone else beat me to and who was in the OP. Duh. How about some Ofra Haza? So I’ll add the Cocteau Twins. She’s English, but you’ll never know, because most of the lyrics are gibberish, chosen only for the sounds. “The Pink Opaque” is a good CD to start with. ---
**Author:** ![Judith\_Prietht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b19c9b/32.png) [@Judith\_Prietht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Judith_Prietht)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2002, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-english-singing-females-want-more-need-more/132347/10 "2002-10-15T17:50:21Z")
Yep, I did the same thing as **Legomancer** ; apologies. ---
**Author:** ![Juggler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/juggler/32/3194_2.png) [@Juggler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Juggler)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2002, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-english-singing-females-want-more-need-more/132347/11 "2002-10-15T18:36:33Z")
Lisa Ekdahl ---
**Author:** ![Tars\_Tarkas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tars\_Tarkas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tars_Tarkas)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2002, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-english-singing-females-want-more-need-more/132347/12 "2002-10-15T19:01:28Z")
Karen Mok, Anita Mui, Gigi Leung, Park Ji Yoon (3 Cantapops and a Korean) ---
**Author:** ![OxyMoron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9a140/32.png) [@OxyMoron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OxyMoron)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2002, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-english-singing-females-want-more-need-more/132347/13 "2002-10-15T19:35:27Z")
I’m not very fond of his voice, but a huge name back in the 60s was the Belgian **Jacques Brel** , whose songs include “Ne me quitte pas” and “Fils de.” Rod McKuen translated many of the songs into English - often interesting, but generally bearing little resemblance to the originals. (“Ne me quitte pas,” which literally means “Don’t leave me,” became “If You Go Away.”) From the same period, I recommend Francoise Hardy, a sweet voice that was the rage of France. Well known for “Comment te dire adieu.” ---
**Author:** ![arara123](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/41988e/32.png) [@arara123](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/arara123)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2002, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-english-singing-females-want-more-need-more/132347/14 "2002-10-15T19:56:36Z")
**Madredeus** , with singer Teresa Salgueiro. [http://madredeus.mind.pt/ingles/default.htm](http://madredeus.mind.pt/ingles/default.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Kilt-wearin\_man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/82dd89/32.png) [@Kilt-wearin\_man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kilt-wearin_man)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2002, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-english-singing-females-want-more-need-more/132347/15 "2002-10-15T20:10:51Z")
Mary Jane Lomond performs in Gaelic and she’s pretty darn good. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2002, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-english-singing-females-want-more-need-more/132347/16 "2002-10-15T20:27:15Z")
Try [Zap Mama](http://www.zap-mama.com/), particularly the recent album A Ma Zone. The album _Mouth Music_ (1991) has some unusual Gaelic singing by Talitha MacKenzie, as does the second Mouth Music album, _Mo-di_, with Michaela Rowan and Jackie Joyce. You might also try Linda Ronstadt’s albums in Spanish, \*Canciones de mi Padre, Mas Canciones, \* and _Frenesi_. ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2002, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-english-singing-females-want-more-need-more/132347/17 "2002-10-17T13:00:26Z")
Two Japanese pop stars who were popular when I was in Japan (1996): Seiko Matsuda and Maya Okamoto ---
**Author:** ![Lodrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@Lodrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lodrain)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2002, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-english-singing-females-want-more-need-more/132347/18 "2002-10-17T16:38:32Z")
Meret Becker is amazing. She shatters any preconception that German is a harsh and guttural language with her crystalline voice. I recommend her wholeheartedly. And if her voice weren’t enough to make me quiver, her lyrics are exemplars of the sung word. Listen to _Marsch #666_ and tell me that she’s a hack. Another good singer is a very obscure Danish lass named Gry Bagøien, specifically, her works with former Einstürzende Neubauten member FM Einheit. I don’t really know what she’s up to right now, but her two albums created while working with Einheit were simply masterpieces. Her singing is divided fairly evenly between English and Danish, sometimes mixing the two languages in the same song, and her versatility impresses. These two are hard to find, but they are available. ---
**Author:** ![FlyingDragonFan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c89c15/32.png) [@FlyingDragonFan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlyingDragonFan)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2002, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-english-singing-females-want-more-need-more/132347/19 "2002-10-17T19:28:45Z")
Try Lisa Gerrard, either alone or with Dead Can Dance. She doesn’t actually sing in another language, but makes up a chant-sounding fake language. She has a beautiful voice, which was featured prominently on the Gladiator soundtrack. Also try Lumin. They’re sort of Celtic/Gypsy/Goth sounding. I don’t know what language the singer is using, but I think it’s something central or eastern European. ---
**Author:** ![cckerberos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@cckerberos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cckerberos)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2002, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-english-singing-females-want-more-need-more/132347/20 "2002-10-18T06:06:51Z")
Naww… if it’s J-pop, it should be the undisputed Queen, Ayumi Hamasaki. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/non-english-singing-females-want-more-need-more/132347.md?page=2)