Teena Marie (4,323 views)

[kaji]

Teena Marie (5 March 1956 - 26 December 2010)
Known As: the Ivory Queen of Soul
Voice Type: Soprano
Vocal Range: E3-E6

Significant High Notes:

E6 ("Happy", "If I Were a Bell" studio / Riverside, California, 2005, "Where's California")
D6 ("Call Me (I Got Yo Number)", "Fire And Desire")
C♯6 ("Can It Be Love", "Emerald City", "Fire And Desire", "We've Got to Stop (Meeting Like This)", "Where's California")
C6 ("Alibi", "Climb the Walls" Birchmere, London, 2010, "Dear Lover" various live performances, "Deja Vu (I've Been Here Before)" various live performances, "Don't Turn Your Back On Me", "Every Little Bit Hurts", "Happy", "I Can't Love Anymore", "If I Were a Bell", "Lovergirl", "Still In Love")
B5 ("Aladdin's Lamp", "Batucada Suite", "Dear Lover", "Drama According to Bernadette Cooper", "It Must Be Magic", "Jammin", "Opus III (Part 2)", "Robbery", "Shangri-La", "Work It", "You Make Love Like Springtime (Reprise)" extended version, "Young Love")
B♭5 ("Crocodile Tears", "Here's Looking At You", "His Eye is on the Sparrow", "Just Us Two", "Naked To The World", "My Baby Loves Me", "Resilient (Sapphire)", "Since Day One", "Soul Mates", "Why Did I Fall In Love With You", "You Blow Me Away")
A5 ("Baby I'm Your Fiend", "Body Work", "Can It Be Love", "Definition Of Down", "Happy", "If I Were a Bell", "I Need Your Lovin'", "Mr. Icecream", "My Body's Hungry", "Ooo La La La", "Open", "Out On a Limb" various live performances, "Portuguese Love" various live performances, "The Ball", "The Perfect Feeling", "Vapors", "Work It", "You Make Love Like Springtime (Reprise)" extended version, "Young Love")
G♯5 ("Beautiful (For Alia)", "Crocodile Tears", "Cupid Is A Real Straight Shooter", "Drama According to Bernadette Cooper", "High Yellow Girl", "Hypnotized", "Miracles Need Wings to Fly", "Now That I Have You", "Resilient (Sapphire)", "The Once And Future Dream", "The Red Zone", "Tune In Tomorrow", "When It's Late", "Why Can't I Get Next To You", "Wishing on a Star", "You Baby")
G5 ("Alibi", "A.P.B.", "Baby I Love You", "Baby Who's Is It", "BBQ", "Beautiful (For Alia)", "Betcha I'll Prove", "Black Rain", "Business Doin' Pleasure", "Call Me (I Got Yo Number)", "Carte Blanche", "Climb the Walls" Birchmere, London, 2010, "Come On Over", "Cum On Over", "Cupid Is A Real Straight Shooter", "Definition Of Down", "Deja Vu (I've Been Here Before)", "Don't Look Back", "Every Little Bit Hurts", "Fire And Desire", "Fix It", "Here's Looking At You", "Hey Boy", "His Eye is on the Sparrow", "Hit Me Where I Live", "If I Were a Bell", "I Love Him Too", "I'm Gonna Have My Cake (And Eat It Too)", "It Must Be Magic", "Jammin", "Life Is So Hard", "Love Me Down Easy", "Maria Bonita", "Marry Me", "Midnight Magnet", "Mr. Icecream", "Ms. Coretta", "My Baby Loves Me", "Oh Love", "Ooo La La La", "Parking Music", "Portuguese Love" studio / various live performances, "Resilient (Sapphire)", "Shorty Down", "Since Day One", "Slow Grind", "Somebody Just Like You", "Someday We'll All Be Free", "Square Biz", "Starchild", "Still In Love", "The Pressure", "The Red Zone", "The Secret Garden", "The Sugar Shack", "Think", "Why Can't I Get Next To You", "Wild Horses", "Wishing on a Star", "Work It", "Yes Indeed", "You Blow Me Away", "You & I", "You Make Love Like Springtime", "You Make Love Like Springtime (Reprise)", "You So Heavy", "365")
F♯5 ("Aladdin's Lamp", "A Rose By Any Other Name", "Ask Your Momma", "Beautiful (For Alia)", "Body Work", "Breakfast in Bed", "Can It Be Love", "Cassanova Brown", "Climb the Walls", "Dear Lover", "Drama According to Bernadette Cooper", "Help Youngblood Get to the Freaky Party", "Hit Me Where I Live", "Hypnotized", "I Need Your Lovin'", "Just Us Two", "Love Starved", "Main Squeeze", "Once Is Not Enough", "Ooh Wee", "Out On a Limb", "Robbery", "Romantica", "Shadow Boxing", "Shangri-La", "Sleeping With The Enemy", "Snap Your Finger", "Square Biz", "Stop the World", "Sudan", "Sweet on You", "The Long Play", "The Once And Future Dream", "The Red Zone", "Tune In Tomorrow", "Turnin' Me On", "Vapors", "Warm As Momma's Oven", "We've Got to Stop (Meeting Like This)", "When It's Late", "Why Did I Fall In Love With You", "You Got The Love", "You're All The Boogie I Need", "8.18.01")
F5 ("Ain't a Damn Thing Changed", "Alibi", "Baby Who's Is It", "Bad Boy", "BBQ", "Behind The Groove", "Betcha I'll Prove", "Black Rain", "Body Work", "Can’t Last a Day", "Chains", "Congo Square", "Crocodile Tears", "Cupid Is A Real Straight Shooter", "Deja Vu (I've Been Here Before)", "Don't Turn Your Back On Me", "Fire And Desire", "Fix It", "Happiness Is In Your Soul", "Happy", "Harlem Blues", "His Eye is on the Sparrow", "Hypnotized", "I Love Him Too", "Just Us Two", "Ladies Choice", "La Doña (Intro)", "Latin Lullaby", "Lonely Desire", "Love Is A Gangsta", "Lover’s Lane", "Make You Surrey", "Maria Bonita", "Marry Me", "Miracles Need Wings to Fly", "Ms. Coretta", "Naked To The World", "Off The Chain", "Ooo La La La", "Parking Music", "Passion Play", "Playboy", "Portuguese Love", "Pretty Man", "Since Day One", "Slow Grind", "Smooth Tip", "Somebody Just Like You", "Someday We'll All Be Free", "Soul Mates", "Still In Love", "Sudan", "Sunny Skies", "The Air I Breathe", "The Ball", "The Once And Future Dream", "The Perfect Feeling", "The Pressure", "The Rose N’ Thorn", "The Secret Garden", "The Sugar Shack", "The Sugar Shack Prelude", "Tune In Tomorrow", "Wasn't I Good To You", "We've Got to Stop (Meeting Like This)", "What U Got 4 Me", "Why Can't I Get Next To You", "Why Did I Fall In Love With You", "Wild Horses", "Wishing on a Star", "Work It", "You Baby", "You Blow Me Away", "You Got Away", "365")
E5 ("A.P.B.", "A Rose By Any Other Name", "Ask Your Momma", "Baby I Love You", "Baby I'm Your Fiend", "Beautiful (For Alia)", "Can It Be Love", "Can You Do It", "Carte Blanche", "Climb the Walls", "Come On Over", "Co-Pilot To Pilot", "Cruise Control", "Cum On Over", "Dear Lover", "Definition Of Down", "Deja Vu (I've Been Here Before)", "Drama According to Bernadette Cooper", "Ear Candy 101", "Ecstasy", "Epilogue: Movie Produce Her", "Every Little Bit Hurts", "First Class Love", "Give Me Your Love", "God Has Created", "Happiness Is In Your Soul", "Happy", "Harlem Blues", "Help Youngblood Get to the Freaky Party", "Here's Looking At You", "Hey Boy", "Hey Love", "High Yellow Girl", "How Can You Resist It", "I Am Love", "I Can't Love Anymore", "If I Were a Bell", "I'm On Fire", "Jammin", "La Doña (Intro)", "Life Is So Hard", "Lips To Find You", "Love Is A Gangsta", "Love Me Down Easy", "Lovergirl", "Love Starved", "Love Just Wouldn't Be Right", "Luv Letter", "Main Squeeze", "Make It Hot", "Midnight Magnet", "Milk N’ Honey", "Mr. Icecream", "My Baby Loves Me", "My Body's Hungry", "My Dear Mr. Gaye", "Now That I Have You", "Ooh Wee", "Ooo La La La", "Opus III (Does Anybody Care)", "Opus III (Part 2)", "Portuguese Love", "Pretty Man", "Rare Breed", "Recycle Hate To Love", "Revolution", "Robbery", "Shadow Boxing", "Sleeping With The Enemy", "Snap Your Finger", "Soldier Boy", "Someday We'll All Be Free", "Square Biz", "Starchild", "Still In Love", "Stop the World", "The Ballad Of Cradle Rob And Me", "The Perfect Feeling", "Think", "Trick Bag", "Turnin' Me On", "Vapors", "Warm As Momma's Oven", "When It's Late", "Where's California", "White Soul", "Work It", "You Got Away", "You Make Love Like Springtime", "Young Girl In Love", "14k", "365", "8.18.01")
E♭5 ("Ain't a Damn Thing Changed", "Alibi", "A.W.O.L", "Baby I'm Your Fiend", "Baby Who's Is It", "Ball & Chain", "Black Cool", "Black Rain", "Breakfast in Bed", "Can’t Last a Day", "Chains", "Climb the Walls", "Cupid Is A Real Straight Shooter", "Don't Look Back", "Fire And Desire", "I Love Him Too", "I'm A Sucker For Your Love", "Irons In The Fire", "It Must Be Magic", "Just Us Two", "Ladies Choice", "Love Is A Gangsta", "Main Squeeze", "Make It Hot", "Make You Surrey", "Miracles Need Wings to Fly", "My Dear Mr. Gaye", "Naked To The World", "Oh Love", "Once Is Not Enough", "Playboy", "Resilient (Sapphire)", "Shangri-La", "Slow Grind", "Smooth Tip", "Snap Your Finger", "Somebody Just Like You", "Soul Mates", "Sunny Skies", "Sweet on You", "The Air I Breathe", "The Long Play", "The Once And Future Dream", "The Red Zone", "The Secret Garden", "The Sugar Shack", "Tune In Tomorrow", "Warm As Momma's Oven", "Wasn't I Good To You", "We've Got to Stop (Meeting Like This)", "What U Got 4 Me", "Wishing on a Star", "You Baby", "You Blow Me Away", "You Got The Love", "You & I")
D5 ("Aladdin's Lamp", "Alibi", "A.P.B.", "A Rose By Any Other Name", "Ask Your Momma", "Baby I Love You", "Bad Boy", "BBQ", "Behind The Groove", "Black Rain", "Can You Do It", "Carte Blanche", "Cassanova Brown", "Come On Over", "Congo Square", "Crocodile Tears", "Cruise Control", "Cum On Over", "Dear Lover", "Definition Of Down", "Deja Vu (I've Been Here Before)", "Don't Turn Your Back On Me", "Ear Candy 101", "Ecstasy", "Emerald City", "Every Little Bit Hurts", "Give Me Your Love", "God Has Created", "Happiness Is In Your Soul", "Happy", "Hey Love", "High Yellow Girl", "How Can You Resist It", "I Am Love", "I Can't Love Anymore", "I Got You", "I'm Gonna Have My Cake (And Eat It Too)", "I'm On Fire", "It Must Be Magic", "Jammin", "La Doña (Intro)", "Latin Lullaby", "Life Is So Hard", "Lonely Desire", "Love Me Down Easy", "Lovergirl", "Lover’s Lane", "Love Just Wouldn't Be Right", "Luv Letter", "Makavelli Never Lied", "Make It Hot", "Maria Bonita", "Marry Me", "Milk N’ Honey", "More Love", "Ms. Coretta", "My Baby Loves Me", "Naked To The World", "Now That I Have You", "Off The Chain", "Ooh Wee", "Ooo La La La", "Open", "Parking Music", "Passion Play", "Portuguese Love", "Pretty Man", "Rare Breed", "Recycle Hate To Love", "Resilient (Sapphire)", "Revolution", "Romantica", "Shorty Down", "Simmer Down", "Since Day One", "Slow Grind", "Soldier Boy", "Somebody Just Like You", "Someday We'll All Be Free", "Square Biz", "Still In Love", "Stop the World", "Sunny Skies", "Sweet Tooth", "The Air I Breathe", "The Ball", "The Ballad Of Cradle Rob And Me", "The Greatest Love Of All Time", "The Long Play", "The Mackin' Game", "The Pressure", "The Rose N’ Thorn", "The Sugar Shack Prelude", "Think", "Turnin' Me On", "White Soul", "Why Can't I Get Next To You", "Wild Horses", "Work It", "Yes Indeed", "You Blow Me Away", "You Got Away", "You Make Love Like Springtime", "You Make Love Like Springtime (Reprise)", "Young Girl In Love", "Young Love", "You're All The Boogie I Need", "You So Heavy", "365")
C♯5 ("Ain't a Damn Thing Changed", "Aladdin's Lamp", "A Rose By Any Other Name", "Ask Your Momma", "A.W.O.L", "Ball & Chain", "Betcha I'll Prove", "Body Work", "Breakfast in Bed", "Business Doin' Pleasure", "Can It Be Love", "Cassanova Brown", "Climb the Walls", "Co-Pilot To Pilot", "Cupid Is A Real Straight Shooter", "Dear Lover", "Don't Look Back", "Fire And Desire", "First Class Love", "God Has Created", "Help Youngblood Get to the Freaky Party", "His Eye is on the Sparrow", "Hypnotized", "I Need Your Lovin'", "Irons In The Fire", "It Must Be Magic", "King Holiday", "Love Starved", "Main Squeeze", "Miracles Need Wings to Fly", "More Love", "My Body's Hungry", "My Dear Mr. Gaye", "Once Is Not Enough", "Opus III (Does Anybody Care)", "Out On a Limb", "Playboy", "Robbery", "Romantica", "Shadow Boxing", "Shangri-La", "Simmer Down", "Sleeping With The Enemy", "Smooth Tip", "Snap Your Finger", "Sweet on You", "The Greatest Love Of All Time", "The Once And Future Dream", "The Way You Love Me", "Warm As Momma's Oven", "We've Got to Stop (Meeting Like This)", "Where's California", "Why Did I Fall In Love With You", "You're All The Boogie I Need")
C5 ("Ain't a Damn Thing Changed", "Alibi", "Baby, Do You Feel Me?", "Baby I Love You", "Baby I'm Your Fiend", "Baby Who's Is It", "Bad Boy", "Batucada Suite", "Behind The Groove", "Black Cool", "Black Rain", "Break Down", "Call Me (I Got Yo Number)", "Can’t Last a Day", "Cassanova Brown", "Chains", "Crocodile Tears", "Don't Look Back", "Don't Turn Your Back On Me", "Emerald City", "Every Little Bit Hurts", "Fix It", "Happiness Is In Your Soul", "Happy", "Harlem Blues", "Here's Looking At You", "Hey Boy", "High Yellow Girl", "How Can You Resist It", "Hypnotized", "I Can't Love Anymore", "If I Were a Bell", "I Love Him Too", "I'm A Sucker For Your Love", "I'm Gonna Have My Cake (And Eat It Too)", "Irons In The Fire", "It Must Be Magic", "Just Us Two", "Life Is So Hard", "Light", "Lips To Find You", "Lonely Desire", "Love Is A Gangsta", "Love Me Down Easy", "Lovergirl", "Makavelli Never Lied", "Make It Hot", "Maria Bonita", "Marry Me", "Midnight Magnet", "Mr. Icecream", "Ms. Coretta", "My Baby Loves Me", "Naked To The World", "Now That I Have You", "Off The Chain", "Oh Love", "Ooo La La La", "Open", "Opus III (Does Anybody Care)", "Parking Music", "Passion Play", "Playboy", "Portuguese Love", "Pretty Man", "Rare Breed", "Recycle Hate To Love", "Resilient (Sapphire)", "Revolution", "Shadow Boxing", "Shorty Down", "Since Day One", "Slow Grind", "Somebody Just Like You", "Soul Mates", "Starchild", "Still In Love", "Stop the World", "Sudan", "Sunny Skies", "Surrender", "Sweet Tooth", "The Air I Breathe", "The Ball", "The Long Play", "The Mackin' Game", "The Once And Future Dream", "The Perfect Feeling", "The Pressure", "The Rose N’ Thorn", "The Secret Garden", "The Sugar Shack", "The Sugar Shack Prelude", "The Way You Love Me", "Too Many Colors (Tee's Interlude)", "Trick Bag", "Tune In Tomorrow", "Wasn't I Good To You", "We've Got to Stop (Meeting Like This)", "What U Got 4 Me", "Where's California", "Wild Horses", "Wishing on a Star", "Work It", "Yes Indeed", "You Blow Me Away", "You So Heavy", "14k", "365")

Significant Low Notes:

B3 ("A.P.B.", "A Rose By Any Other Name", "Batucada Suite", "Beautiful (For Alia)", "Carte Blanche", "Come On Over", "Co-Pilot To Pilot", "Cruise Control", "Dear Lover", "Don't Turn Your Back On Me", "Ecstasy", "God Has Created", "Help Youngblood Get to the Freaky Party", "Here's Looking At You", "His Eye is on the Sparrow", "Hit Me Where I Live", "I'm Gonna Have My Cake (And Eat It Too)", "I'm On Fire", "I Need Your Lovin'", "Jammin", "Love Just Wouldn't Be Right", "Main Squeeze", "Midnight Magnet", "Milk N’ Honey", "My Dear Mr. Gaye", "Now That I Have You", "Ooh Wee", "Revolution", "Romantica", "Simmer Down", "Square Biz", "Soldier Boy", "Someday We'll All Be Free", "Starchild", "Surrealistic Pillow", "Sweet on You", "The Ballad Of Cradle Rob And Me", "The Greatest Love Of All Time", "The Perfect Feeling", "Turnin' Me On", "Up Jump Tha Boogie", "When It's Late", "White Soul", "Yes Indeed", "You Baby", "You Got The Love", "You Make Love Like Springtime", "Young Love", "You're All The Boogie I Need", "14k")
B♭3 ("Alibi", "Baby Who's Is It", "Crocodile Tears", "Emerald City", "Fix It", "Honey Call", "I Love Him Too", "Irons In The Fire", "Latin Lullaby", "Light", "Love Is A Gangsta", "Maria Bonita", "Miracles Need Wings to Fly", "Once Is Not Enough", "Playboy", "Shangri-La", "Shorty Down", "Smooth Tip", "Soul Mates", "The Pressure", "The Red Zone", "Up Jump Tha Boogie", "Why Can't I Get Next To You", "Wild Horses", "Yes Indeed", "You Make Love Like Springtime", "You So Heavy")
A3 ("Aladdin's Lamp", "A Rose By Any Other Name", "Ask Your Momma", "Baby, Do You Feel Me?", "Baby I Love You", "Bad Boy", "Cassanova Brown", "Come On Over", "Congo Square", "Co-Pilot To Pilot", "Cupid Is A Real Straight Shooter", "Dear Lover", "Don't Turn Your Back On Me", "Every Little Bit Hurts", "Happiness Is In Your Soul", "High Yellow Girl", "His Eye is on the Sparrow", "How Can You Resist It", "I Am Love", "I Can't Love Anymore", "I'm On Fire", "La Doña (Intro)", "Latin Lullaby", "Light", "Lips To Find You", "Love Me Down Easy", "Make It Hot", "Maria Bonita", "Midnight Magnet", "Mr. Icecream", "My Body's Hungry", "Now That I Have You", "Ooh Wee", "Parking Music", "Passion Play", "Portuguese Love", "Rare Breed", "Shadow Boxing", "Simmer Down", "Since Day One", "Sleeping With The Enemy", "Someday We'll All Be Free", "Stop the World", "The Air I Breathe", "The Perfect Feeling", "The Way You Love Me", "Trick Bag", "Turnin' Me On", "Where's California", "You Baby", "You Make Love Like Springtime", "Young Love", "14k")
G♯3 ("Ball & Chain", "Cassanova Brown", "Climb the Walls", "High Yellow Girl", "Irons In The Fire", "Playboy", "Robbery", "Shangri-La", "Soldier Boy", "Sweet on You", "Tune In Tomorrow", "Warm As Momma's Oven", "Yes Indeed", "You Got The Love")
G3 ("Baby, Do You Feel Me?", "Baby I'm Your Fiend", "Baby Who's Is It", "Crocodile Tears", "Cruise Control", "Cum On Over", "Deja Vu (I've Been Here Before)", "Ecstasy", "Harlem Blues", "Hit Me Where I Live", "I Can't Love Anymore", "If I Were a Bell", "I'm Gonna Have My Cake (And Eat It Too)", "Lips To Find You", "Love Just Wouldn't Be Right", "Midnight Magnet", "Mr. Icecream", "Resilient (Sapphire)", "Revolution", "Slow Grind", "Somebody Just Like You", "The Air I Breathe", "The Mackin' Game", "The Pressure", "The Rose N’ Thorn", "The Secret Garden", "Too Many Colors (Tee's Interlude)", "Trick Bag", "Why Can't I Get Next To You", "Young Girl In Love", "You So Heavy")
F♯3 ("Aladdin's Lamp", "Ask Your Momma", "Ball & Chain", "Climb the Walls", "God Has Created", "Luv Letter", "Make It Hot", "Once Is Not Enough", "Out On a Limb" various live performances, "Romantica", "Someday We'll All Be Free", "When It's Late", "Where's California")
F3 ("Cassanova Brown" various live performances, "Harlem Blues", "Smooth Tip", "Wild Horses", "You Blow Me Away")
E3 ("The Rose N’ Thorn")
........................................
Blue marks notes sung in head voice.
Underlines marks notes found in harmonies and backing vocals.
Italics mark non-melodic notes.
Boldface marks notes that are considered to be particularly notable examples of this person's vocal capabilities.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Questionable notes}
D7 ("Revolution" ^[2][3])
C7 ("Here's Looking At You" ^[2], "Portuguese Love" ^[4][5])
F6 ("Naked To The World" ^[1])
E6 ("Lovergirl" Live in 1996 ^[3])
B5 ("My Dear Mr. Gaye" ^[3])
A5 ("Trick Bag" ^[1])
F5 ("Irons In The Fire" ^[1])
G3 ("You Make Love Like Springtime" ^[1])
F3 ("Passion Play" ^[3], "You So Heavy" ^[1])
E3 ("Beautiful (For Alia)" ^[3], "Milk N’ Honey" ^[2], "Once Is Not Enough" ^[1])
E♭3 ("Baby Who's Is It" ^[2])
D3 ("Ask Your Momma" ^[1])
C3 ("Marry Me" ^[3])
.......................................................
[1] marks yelps and short trills in high range or anacrusis and short dips in low range.
[2] marks notes of questionable identity that cannot be confirmed to be the singer in question.
[3] marks non-melodic notes that don't have a significant enough pitch to warrant inclusion.
[4] marks notes that possess uncertain pitch or have been pitch-shifted.
[5] marks notes that do not fit the previous criteria but are not of a substantial enough quality to warrant counting towards the singer's range.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Discography}
Wild and Peaceful (1979) - G3 - G5 - C6
Lady T (1980) - F♯3 - F♯5 - C♯6
Irons in the Fire (1980) - G♯3 - G♯5 - B5
It Must Be Magic (1981) - F♯3 - B5 - E6
Robbery (1983) - F♯3 - G5 - B5
Starchild (1984) - A3 - G5 - C♯6
Emerald City (1986) - F♯3 - B5 - C♯6
Naked to the World (1988) - G3 - B5 - D6
Ivory (1990) - G3 - C6 - E6
Passion Play (1994) - F3 - G♯5
La Doña (2004) - G3 - C6
Sapphire (2006) - F3 - G5 - B♭5
Congo Square (2009) - E3 - G♯5
Beautiful (2013) - F3 - A5

[glo]

That E6... Jesus Christ

[kaji]

Apr 21, 2021 12:18:10 GMT glo said:

That E6... Jesus Christ

The ease is crazy. Even in her modal (belt) range it's pretty remarkable. That G5 right before the sustained D5 in the bolded Someday We'll All Be Free is basically speaking for her. Reminds me quite a bit of how Sandi Patty's G5s sound ( youtu.be/wFZGgSWMr2w?t=244 ). Just effortless. Teena, Sandi, Minnie Riperton, Debelah Morgan and Kristin Chenoweth are some of the highest sopranos out there. Higher than majority of sopranos by quite a bit. Not gonna lie, their voices are so high they deserve their own classification (well, sopranino exists but it is not really official). It's almost a childlike voice with a similar tessitura to a treble voice. 

[glo]

On a sidenote, these are some majestic songs. And she wrote them.

And you’re right. Teena’s on the lower end of those singers (in which case, wow), but it’s still like a twinkle-twinkle kind of voice. It’s coloratura soprano I guess I’d say. Really light and high and agile and powerful, though still lyric.

[kaji]

Apr 21, 2021 16:13:07 GMT glo said:

On a sidenote, these are some majestic songs. And she wrote them.

And you’re right. Teena’s on the lower end of those singers (in which case, wow), but it’s still like a twinkle-twinkle kind of voice. It’s coloratura soprano I guess I’d say. Really light and high and agile and powerful, though still lyric.

Hahaha yeah. Not many people are like Kristin Chenoweth who legit approaches her passaggio at... Bb5 unlike G5 for most sopranos. It's kinda crazy when you think about it. Still probably a semitone or two below a genuine high treble though. 

Some people tried to call Teena a 'spinto' under an old compilation of her high notes on Youtube and I wheezed when I saw that. 

Yess!!! Teena was AFAIK one of the few successful female songwriters at Motown. Honestly, I can't think of a single skip song from her. I'd listen to any of them. She's equally good (or better in some cases) live albeit unfortunately there aren't many performances of her in her prime on Youtube. Somewhere in the late 80s or early 90s she developed a wobble vibrato but that's the only major change in her vocal technique.