Want a challenge? Below we’ve compiled some of the hardest songs for females to sing!
Some of these songs are from movies or musicals, but others are standalone singles or album releases.
Check them out, and see if you want to give these difficult songs a go.
1. Defying Gravity by Idina Menzel and Kristen Chenoweth
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MslDnwerQRA
Song Year: 2003
One of the hardest songs to sing for females has to be Defying Gravity. This song has some high notes, and it’s emotional.
Menzel does an excellent job singing the melody. That’s another part that makes it hard since she set such a high bar for others to meet.
2. Don’t Rain on My Parade by Barbra Streisand
Song Year: 1964
Another musical song that’s hard to sing is Don’t Rain on My Parade. The melody leaps around often, and that’s much harder to sing than simple scales.
You also have to have good energy throughout the song, and the rhythm isn’t always easy. But if you can pull it off, you may be able to star in Funny Girl.
3. Chandelier by Sia
Song Year: 2014
Sia’s Chandelier lives in the high range of a woman’s voice. That can make it almost impossible for some mezzo sopranos and many contralto singers.
Even some sopranos may struggle to maintain the high notes throughout the song. The tone also has to be light and flexible, which adds even more difficulty.
4. Emotions by Mariah Carey
Song Year: 1991
Mariah Carey has one of the most famous female voices. So it makes sense that Emotions would be one of many hard songs to sing for women.
This song involves some whistle tones, which are higher than the standard female voice range. The song also requires good energy to perform.
5. Lovin’ You by Minnie Ripperton
Song Year: 1974
Another song that has plenty of whistle tones is Lovin’ You. Ripperton was able to execute the whistles well, especially when switching between whistles and regular vocals.
Aside from those high notes, this song can seem easy at first. But that’s what makes it so tricky because you may not think you need to practice it that much.
6. I Will Always Love You by Whitney Houston
Song Year: 1992
Dolly Parton may be the original artist, but Houston’s version is more famous. In it, she uses a lot of stamina to get through the melody.
You have to adapt your voice to fit different “characters” throughout the song. The massive vocal range required can also keep many singers from trying it.
7. All By Myself by Celine Dion
Song Year: 1996
This song starts quietly, and that can make it seem simple. However, there are key changes and plenty of high notes that make it hard.
Dion’s version is a cover of Eric Carmen. But this song is much more famous, and not many people have tried to sing it since.
8. Total Eclipse of the Heart by Bonnie Tyler
Song Year: 1984
The thing that makes this song hard is the fact that it’s a power ballad. You need to have plenty of energy to get through over four minutes of music.
Tyler does this very well, and that can make the song even more intimidating. You can attempt this song, but prepare to listen a lot and practice the notes slowly.
9. And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going by Jennifer Holliday
Song Year: 1982
From Dreamgirls, this song is almost impossible for many. The tune happens at a dramatic part of the musical, and it’s very emotional.
Musically, the song has a lot of high notes, specifically high belting. You’ll need a lot of practice to attempt this song.
10. Dangerous Woman by Ariana Grande
Song Year: 2016
Unlike many songs, this one is in 3/4, while most pop songs are in 4/4. The time signature can make it hard to keep time and follow the rhythms.
However, the melody is also tricky due to some high notes and belting. There are also low notes that you need to hit to sing the verses.
11. imagine by Ariana Grande
Song Year: 2019
Grande’s imagine is another complex song but for different reasons. For one, it’s not as popular, so you may not have much experience singing it in the car.
It also has many fast and blunt staccatos that can be tricky to execute. You have to follow that rhythm throughout the song.
12. Just a Little Bit of Your Heart by Ariana Grande
Song Year: 2014
One of her earlier songs is just as difficult. This song is emotional, and it pushes and pulls with some high notes.
Near the end, you have to switch from your chest voice to your head voice quickly. That way, you can sing the low and high notes well.
13. Give It Up by Elizabeth Gillies and Ariana Grande
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDFajqHKQmo
Song Year: 2010
This song starts with some low notes that require a lot of energy. After a line from Gillies, Grande comes in with some higher notes.
There are some long phrases that you have to get through. The two former Broadway stars do an excellent job that can be hard for others to replicate.
14. Bang Bang by Jessie J, Ariana Grande, and Nicki Minaj
Song Year: 2014
Both Jessie J and Ariana have to sing high notes in this song. But the melody also requires some lower notes that sound a bit airy.
While it’s not technically singing, the rap is fast and takes a lot of practice. So if you want to perform the whole song, you’ll need skills and a good range.
15. Generation Love by Jennette McCurdy
Song Year: 2011
This song has some low, airy notes, which can be tricky to sing. Another potential difficulty is the country style, which many singers aren’t used to.
It requires a lot of energy to get through the whole song. While there are places to breathe, it’s still not the best song for beginners.
16. Blown Away by Carrie Underwood
Song Year: 2012
Another hard country song for women to sing is Blown Away. It starts soft and in the middle of the range, which may not be too hard.
However, the chorus requires control of both the lower and higher registers. It’s also emotional because it’s about a daughter under her father’s control.
17. Dancing With the Devil by Demi Lovato
Song Year: 2021
Lovato has sung a lot of impactful numbers. What makes this song hard is that there are both low and high notes throughout the chorus and verses.
Like many other songs on this list, the emotions can also be hard to convey. But you don’t have to have gone through addiction to try and sing the song.
18. Hello by Adele
Song Year: 2015
Adele’s Hello is a popular song, and that can add stress to singing it. She did such a good job that many singers can’t compare, even with practice.
The song is a ballad and uses a wide range of notes. You have to have good control over your voice to sing it.
19. Rolling in the Deep by Adele
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYEDA3JcQqw
Song Year: 2011
Another Adele song that can be tough is her breakout hit. Rolling in the Deep requires good control of your low register, which can be hard even for contraltos and mezzos.
But you also need to sing high notes well, and that can be tricky for lower female voices. It takes practice to do a good job singing this tune if you’re not singing along with the singer.
20. Listen by Beyonce
Song Year: 2006
In the movie adaptation of Dreamgirls, Beyonce sings Listen, which is difficult. The song has a bit of belting and some runs that are hard to execute.
It occurs at an emotional part of the movie, which can also make it hard to sing on its own. But watching the movie can help you embody the emotions to sing this tune.
21. Hurt by Christina Aguilera
Song Year: 2006
Hurt can be difficult to sing due to some dramatic pauses. That means you have to control your voice and know when to stop the air and tone.
You also have to navigate through key changes throughout the song. Key changes can be difficult for beginners and even some experienced singers.
22. Womanizer by Britney Spears
Song Year: 2008
Womanizer is difficult due to both low and high notes. The chorus is low and requires a lot of energy to sing the right notes.
This song can also be hard to sing thanks to how fast it is. You’ll need to figure out when you can breathe and to take in enough air for each phrase.
23. Calm Down by Rema and Selena Gomez
Song Year: 2022
This song has African beats that many singers aren’t used to. Gomez’s part starts low and soft, which can make it sound easy.
At the end of her chorus, she has to sing repeated “oh” sounds that may not be that low. But they’re repeated, and that can be hard to execute without time to breathe.
24. Breakthrough by Bridgit Mendler, Hayley Kiyoko, and Naomi Scott
Song Year: 2011
The verses of this song go as low as Db3, which is well into the tenor territory. That can make it almost impossible to sing for sopranos and even some mezzos.
However, the chorus has notes around Ab and Bb4, almost two octaves higher. The massive range adds to the difficulty for women who want to sing this song.
25. Evil Like Me by Kristin Chenoweth and Dove Cameron
Song Year: 2015
Kristin Chenoweth plays Maleficent in Disney’s Descendants. Sopranos aren’t usually the villain, so it can be hard to make the higher range sound creepy.
This song is a mother-daughter duet, but Cameron’s part is short. Of course, Chenoweth’s vocals are hard to replicate, and that includes a long, high note at the end.
26. My Once Upon a Time by Dove Cameron
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdxARQoF_C4
Song Year: 2019
Another song for a soprano, this song has some musical theater elements. It involves plenty of high notes that can be hard for mezzos and contraltos.
The song also occurs at an emotional part of the third Descendants movie. Cameron does an excellent job, and it can be hard for others to beat her.
27. Queen of Mean by Sarah Jeffrey
Song Year: 2019
Another song from Descendants is Queen of Mean. This song alternates between singing and rapping, which makes it difficult.
When it comes to the singing parts, it spans a range of about G3 to F#5, so almost two octaves. The half-step key change near the end can also be tricky.
28. Come Back Home by Sofia Carson
Song Year: 2022
From Purple Hearts, this song starts soft and slowly gets louder and higher in energy. It spans a vocal range of close to two octaves as well, which makes it complicated.
You have to pull back on the energy and volume for the verses. However, the chorus requires more of that energy, and you have to sing over the rock instrumentals.
29. Love Is the Name by Sofia Carson
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuyVJYP7GJk
Song Year: 2016
This song has some intricate aspects, such as the separated notes in the verses. You have to sing repeated C4s with breaks in between, and it can be hard not to breathe each time.
The chorus is also strenuous as it goes about an octave higher and has to feel bouncy. There’s also a Latin instrumental underneath that may be hard at first.
30. Cómo, Cuando y Donde by Sofia
Song Year: 2022
This is another Sofia Carson song that can be tricky, and part of that is the Spanish lyrics. If you’re not proficient, you’ll want to read a lyric sheet as you sing.
The range can also be troublesome since it starts at an Eb4 but jumps to an Eb5 in the first verse. If you have a lower voice type, you may struggle to sing some of the notes.
31. Antes de las Seis by Shakira
Song Year: 2010
Another Spanish song, this one is hard for slightly different reasons. Of course, Shakira’s lyrics can be tricky, but they’re clearer to hear.
However, you have to master both soft and loud singing. That way, you can match the stylistic changes between the start and end of the song.
32. I Have Questions by Camila Cabello
Song Year: 2018
This song is slow and has quite a few emotional elements. You need to express those without singing too quietly or too loudly.
The version people know is probably the one that leads into Crying in the Club. If you sing the songs together, you have to master the switch to a more upbeat tune.
33. MIA by Cher Lloyd
Song Year: 2019
The opening almost feels restrained, though that could be due to vocal editing. When Cher Lloyd sings more fully, it’s a bit easier.
Another confusing part is remembering when to sing higher or lower. Some instances of “night” are at different pitches throughout the verses, and there are plenty of large leaps because of that.
Hardest Songs To Sing For Females, Final Thoughts
There are tons of amazing songs out there, but some are much harder than others. If you want a challenge, you can give the songs on this list a try.
Otherwise, you may want to stick to listening to them. Then, you can find other songs that are more achievable for you based on your range and singing experience.