Aretha Franklin
(1942 – 2018)
Known as the Queen of Soul, she was a singer and songwriter who literally defined the essence of soul music in the 60’s. She was also an actress, pianist, and civil rights activist. Franklin performed in diverse genres such as vocal jazz, blues, doo-wop, and rhythm and blues. Amongst other prizes, in 2019 she was awarded a Pulitzer Prize Special Citation “for her indelible contribution to American music and culture for more than five decades”.
Adele
(1988 – 〜 )
This English singer and songwriter with a deep and soulful voice is one of today’s world best-selling music artists. Adele became the first female in the history of the Billboard Hot 100 to have three simultaneous top-ten singles as a lead artist, with “Rolling in the Deep”, “Someone Like You”, and “Set Fire to the Rain”. She won 15 Grammy Awards, 9 BRIT Awards and has sold over 10 million albums!Amy Winehouse
(1983 – 2011)
Amy Winehouse became internationally famous after the release of her multiple Grammy Award-winning album Back to Black (2006). She is also one of the best-selling albums in UK’s history. English singer and songwriter, Amy was known for her expressive, deep, contralto vocals and her eclectic mix of musical genres, including soul, blues, rhythm and jazz. After her death at the age of 27, Back to Black temporarily became the UK’s best-selling album of the 21st century.Aya Nakamura
(1995 – 〜 )
Aya Nakamura is a French-Malian pop singer influenced by urban and afrobeat music. She was born in Bamako, Mali, into a family of griots (west African oral storytellers) and moved to France at a young age. Her song “Djaja” stayed number 1 on the French charts for several weeks and has now over 700 million views on YouTube.Anoushka Shankar
(1981 – 〜 )
Trained on the sitar by her father, the Indian sitar maestro Ravi Shankar, this prominent British Indian sitar player and composer worked to strengthen the bridge between Hindustani classical music and the West, through performing and touring with musicians from all around the world. She was the first Indian woman to be nominated for a Grammy. And the youngest-ever nominee in the World Music category.Barbra Streisand
(1942 – 〜 )
American singer, actress and filmmaker, Barbra Streisand is one of the few artists who have been awarded an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony Award (EGOT), Golden Globe, Directors Guild of America and France’s Légion d’Honneur. Streisand established herself as a major Broadway star. With fifty-two gold albums, she is second in the all-time charts, ahead of The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, exceeded only by Elvis Presley.Beth Carvalho
(1946 – 2019)
Brazilian singer, guitarist, and composer, she is among the most important female samba artists, along with Gal Costa and Clara Nunes and a historical figure in Brazilian culture, who worked to drive the modernization of the samba genre in the 80s, while preserving its roots. She won a Latin Grammy for Best Samba/Pagode Album and received a Latin Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award.Beyoncé
(1981 – 〜 )
Beyoncé is one of the world’s best-selling recording artists, having sold 118 million records worldwide as a solo artist. Her music includes R&B, pop and hip hop and also soul and funk. With her songs “Crazy in Love” and “Dangerously in Love”, she became the first female artist (and the fifth artist ever) to top both the singles and albums charts in the US and the UK simultaneously. She has won 24 Grammy Awards, both as a solo artist and member of Destiny’s Child and The Carters, making her the second most honored female artist by the Grammys.Billie Eilish
(2001 – 〜 )
Her music blends pop, trap, hip-hop, electronic dance music and jazz. Pop singer-songwriter Billie Eilish is the first artist born in the 2000s to have a No. 1 album on the Billboard 200 Chart. She is also the youngest person and the second in history to win the four main Grammy categories—Best New Artist, Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Album of the Year—in the same year.Billie Holiday
(1915 – 1959)
Considered the greatest jazz singer of the 20th century, Billie Holiday was one of the finest jazz artists from the 1930s to the 50s. She was known for her unique vocal style, defined by a deeply moving dramatic intensity and by a distinct way of utilizing diction, phrasing and tempo. Billie used her voice as an expressive musical instrument. She once said: “I do not think I’m singing. I feel like I am playing a horn”.
Björk
(1965 – 〜)
Björk is an Icelandic singer-songwriter, actress and DJ. Her eclectic music style integrates electronic and organic sounds: it includes a range of influences and genres spanning electronic, experimental, trip hop, classical, pop and avant-garde music. In 2010, Björk was awarded the Polar Music Prize (known as the “Nobel Prize for Music”) for lifetime achievement by the Royal Swedish Academy of Music.Barbara
(1930 – 1997)
Barbara was a French singer-songwriter and actress from jewish origins and survivor of World War II. Influenced by the French chanson, she developed her own unique style which made a significant contribution to French popular music. Her song L’Aigle Noir sold 1 million copies in only 12 hours (1970).
Brenda Navarrete
(1981 – 〜)
Brenda Navarrete is a Cuban jazz player, singer-songwriter, percussionist, composer and dancer. With a solid foundation of Latin Jazz and Afro‐Cuban influences, her music also explores the World Music genre.Celia Cruz
(1925 – 2003)
Known as the “Queen of Salsa,” Celia Cruz was a Cuban-American singer who electrified audiences with her powerful voice and dynamic stage presence. Born in Havana, she began her career in the 1950s with the band La Sonora Matancera. After leaving Cuba in 1960, she settled in the United States, where she became a central figure in the salsa movement, collaborating with artists like Tito Puente and the Fania All-Stars. Her signature catchphrase, “¡Azúcar!” became a symbol of her vibrant personality and Afro-Cuban heritage. Throughout her career, she recorded over 70 albums and received numerous accolades, including multiple Grammy and Latin Grammy Awards.Carmen Amaya
(1913 – 1963)
Carmen Amaya was a groundbreaking Spanish Romani flamenco dancer and singer, born in Barcelona’s Somorrostro district. Renowned for her electrifying footwork and commanding stage presence, she broke gender norms by performing in trousers and incorporating powerful, traditionally male dance elements into her style. Amaya’s international acclaim led her to perform for audiences worldwide, including a notable performance at the White House for President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Her legacy endures as a transformative figure who revolutionized flamenco dance.Clara Schumann
(1819-1896)
Clara Schumann was one of the most recognized pianists of the 19th century. Born in Germany, Clara performed for over six decades across Europe. She played some of her own music as well as Beethoven’s, Bach’s, or Chopin’s. Chopin himself described Clara as: “the only woman in Germany who can play my works”. Clara was married to composer and pianist Robert Schuman, with whom she had 8 children.Concha Buika
(1972 – 〜)
The music style of this Spanish singer, poet, composer, and music producer is influenced by flamenco, jazz, pop, funk, soul, and African rhythms. And also by 2 different worlds: Spain, where she was born, and Equatorial Guinea, the native country of her parents. Her album *El Último Trago*, with the collaboration of Chucho Valdés, won the Latin Grammy as the Best Traditional Tropical Album.Consuelo Velazquez
(1916 – 2005)
Mexican concert pianist, songwriter, and recording artist, Consuelo Velazquez was the songwriter and lyricist of many popular songs in Spanish. Her romantic ballad “Besame Mucho” was an international hit that was recorded by artists around the world, including The Beatles, Frank Sinatra, and Luis Miguel. It is the only Mexican song ever to have topped the U.S. hit parade for 12 straight weeks.Cesaria Evora
(1941 – 2011)
She was a prominent singer-songwriter from Cape Verde who performed in the genres of coladeira, folk, and morna (a traditional music and dance genre from Cape Verde that often includes cavaquinho, clarinet, accordion, violin, piano and guitar. It was approved by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity). In 2003, her album *Voz d’Amor* was awarded a Grammy in the World Music category.Dolly Parton
(1946 – 〜)
Dolly Parton is an American singer, songwriter, and actress, known for her major influence on country music. She wrote hits like “Jolene,” “9 to 5,” and “I Will Always Love You,” which became a global hit when covered by Whitney Houston. With over 100 million records sold, she’s a Grammy winner, Hall of Fame inductee, and beloved for her philanthropy.Edith Piaf
(1915 – 1963)
“La Vie en Rose” (“Life in Pink”, 1946) and “Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien” (“No, I Don’t Regret Anything”, 1960) are among her signature songs. Edith Piaf is one of France’s most-loved singers and internationally celebrated for her interpretation of the chanson or French ballad. And she was one of the most prominent performers in France during World War II. Piaf was also a remarkable theatre and film actress.Esperanza Spalding
(1984 – 〜)
American jazz bassist, singer, songwriter, and composer. She was the first jazz artist to win a Grammy Award in the category Best New Artist. Esperanza was invited by President Barack Obama, as per the tradition of one laureate-invited-artist, to perform during the Nobel Peace Prize Ceremonies.Ella Fitzgerald
(1917 – 1996)
Also referred to as the First Lady of Song, Queen of Jazz, and Lady Ella, Ella Fitzgerald was the most popular female jazz singer in the US for more than half a century. Her singing was worldwide famous for her purity of tone, wide vocal range, impeccable diction, rhythm, intonation, and a unique “scat” improvisational ability. She won 13 Grammy Awards and performed with some of the best jazz musicians, including Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra, Dizzy Gillespie and more.Etta James
(1938 – 2012)
Famous for hits such as “At Last” or “Something’s Got Hold of Me”, Etta James was an American singer and R&B icon who performed in various genres, including R&B, blues, soul, jazz, rock and roll, and gospel. She was recognized with six Grammy Awards, including one in 2003 for lifetime achievement, and 17 blues awards.Fatoumata Diawara
(1982 – 〜)
Fatoumata Diawara is an emblem of modern African music. Malian singer-songwriter and guitarist, she sings predominantly in Bambara, the national language of Mali and her music mixes Malian Wassoulou folk with blues, funk, jazz, and soul. Her songs address issues such as the struggles of African women, the need for mutual respect, or the pain of immigrating.France Gall
(1947 – 2018)
France Gall was a French pop singer who became an international success with her song “Ella, Elle l’a”, a tribute to jazz legend Ella Fitzgerald. At only 17 years old, Gall had won the Eurovision Song Contest for Luxembourg, then became a star of the ‘Ye-yé’ during the sixties and from the 1970’s she started to collaborate with composer Michel Berger, who became her husband.Janis Joplin
(1943 – 1970)
She was an American singer-songwriter who sang rock, soul, and blues music. Her distinctly raspy voice and uninhibited, intense, and fierce performing style have made her an icon of ’60s American music. Janis Joplin died of an overdose at the age of 27, after releasing only one solo album. Her second solo album, “Pearl”, was released in January 1971, just over three months after her death. She was posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995.Joan Baez
(1941 – 〜)
Joan Baez is an American singer, songwriter, and activist who played a pivotal role in the 1960s folk music revival. Known for her clear soprano voice and commitment to social justice, she brought attention to civil rights and anti-war movements through her music. Baez also helped popularize Bob Dylan by performing and touring with him during the early stages of his career.La Lupe
(1936 – 1992)
La Lupe, born Lupe Victoria Yolí Raymond, was a Cuban singer renowned for her energetic and passionate performances. After moving to New York, she became a prominent figure in Latin soul music during the 1960s and 70s, earning the title “Queen of Latin Soul.” She collaborated with artists like Tito Puente and Mongo Santamaría, leaving a lasting impact on Latin music.:contentReferenceOmara Portuondo
(1930 – 〜)
Omara Portuondo is a Cuban singer with a career spanning over 70 years, exploring genres like jazz, son cubano, and bolero. Known as the “girlfriend of feeling,” she was a key figure in the post-WWII blend of jazz and Cuban bolero. Since 1996, she has been part of the Buena Vista Social Club project, recording several albums and touring internationally.Oumou Sangaré
(1968 – 〜)
Oumou Sangaré is a Grammy Award-winning Malian singer and songwriter who gained prominence in the early 1990s. An ambassador of Wassoulou culture, her music draws from traditional southern Malian styles. Many of her songs advocate for women’s rights and address themes like love and freedom of choice in marriage.Madonna
(1958 – 〜)
Madonna, born Madonna Louise Ciccone, is an American singer, songwriter, and actress who became the “Queen of Pop” in the 1980s. By 1991, she had achieved 21 top ten hits in the U.S. and sold approximately 70 million albums worldwide. Her influence extended beyond music, as she challenged societal norms and redefined the role of women in the entertainment industry.María Teresa Carreño
(1853 – 1917)
María Teresa Carreño was a Venezuelan pianist, composer, soprano, and conductor who gained international acclaim in the late 19th century. She toured globally, performing as a virtuoso pianist and composing approximately 75 works, including pieces for voice, piano, choir, and orchestra.Mahalia Jackson
(1911 – 1972)
Mahalia Jackson, known as the “Queen of Gospel,” was an American gospel singer with a powerful contralto voice. Her 1947 recording of “Move On Up a Little Higher” sold two million copies and became the best-selling gospel record of all time. Jackson’s music played a significant role in the civil rights movement, inspiring audiences worldwide.Mercedes Sosa
(1935 – 2009)
Mercedes Sosa was an Argentine singer who was very popular all across Latin America. Her musical roots were in Argentine folk music and she also gave voice to songs written by many Latin American songwriters. The great part of her music dedicated to social justice made people refer to her as the “voice of the voiceless ones”. She worked with different performers such as Joan Baez, Luciano Pavarotti, Sting, Caetano Veloso, Silvio Rodriguez, among many more.Miriam Makeba
(1933 – 2008)
Miriam Makeba is best known for the popular song “Pata Pata” and for a version of the traditional Xhosa song “Qongqothwane” (“The Click Song” in English). Nicknamed as `Mama Afrika’, Makeba was a South African-born and Grammy Award-winning singer, civil rights activist, and advocate against apartheid. Her music includes Afropop, jazz, and world music genres.Nina Simone
(1933 – 2003)
Nina Simone’s style fused gospel and pop with classical music, blues, folk, and jazz. Her musical career was deeply rooted in activism and protest against racism and injustice. By the mid-1960s, Simone had become known as the voice of the Civil Rights Movement. She released over 40 albums, was nominated 15 times for the Grammys, and received a Grammy Hall of Fame Award in 2000 for her interpretation of “I Loves You, Porgy.”Sade
(1959 – 〜)
Helen Folasade Adu, known professionally as Sade, is a Nigerian-British singer-songwriter renowned for her smooth blend of soul, jazz, and pop music. Born in Ibadan, Nigeria, and raised in England from the age of four, she studied fashion design at Saint Martin’s School of Art in London. Sade began her music career as a backup singer for the band Pride before forming her own band, Sade, in 1983. Their debut album, Diamond Life (1984), was a commercial success, featuring hits like “Smooth Operator” and “Your Love Is King”. Over the years, Sade has released several acclaimed albums, earning multiple Grammy Awards and widespread recognition for her distinctive voice and timeless style.
