vocalist

American  

[voh-kuh-list] / ˈvoʊ kə lɪst /

noun

• vocalists
  plural

1. a singer.

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vocalist British  

/ ˈvəʊkəlɪst /

noun

1. a singer, esp one who regularly appears with a jazz band or pop group

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• vocalists
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of vocalist

First recorded in 1605–15; vocal + -ist

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Explanation

Another word for a singer is a vocalist. A large band might include a dozen musicians, a lead vocalist, and a couple of backup vocalists to harmonize. In jazz, it's particularly common to refer to singers as vocalists — it's a way to emphasize that they are musicians, just like the saxophonist and drummer, only a vocalist's instrument is her voice. A guest vocalist might appear on your favorite band's new album, or a band might hire backing vocalists when they perform live. In the early 17th century, this word meant "speaker." It wasn't until the 19th century that the meaning changed to "singer."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

vocalist vocalists

Anything from Yma Sumac, the Peruvian vocalist and songwriter, to David Bowie.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 1, 2026

Mr. Webb was never known as a vocalist, and his 80-year-old pipes are now pretty wobbly.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 27, 2026

"We are six different women, we have different hobbies... " says lead vocalist Pınar.

From BBC ● Oct. 17, 2026

Surkamp and his Pavlov’s Dog collaborators reunited in the early 2000s and Surkamp’s wife, Sara, joined as a vocalist and guitarist.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 16, 2026

The winning vocalist and instrumentalist would be invited to appear as soloists with the New York Philharmonic Orchestra during its popular summer season at the stadium.

From "The Voice That Challenged a Nation: Marian Anderson and the Struggle for Equal Rights" by Russell Freedman

Cipriano told BBC Wales last week that Miller was "one of the best vocalists I've ever heard", adding he had been a fan of Miller's voice "for years".

From BBC ● Oct. 23, 2026

Bey, one of jazz’s great male vocalists, made it sound both searing and soothing.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 22, 2026

"The original/real vocalists of Milli Vanilli…will NOT be performing their hits live at the Great American State Fair. Others using the name Milli Vanilli should be considered a tribute band," the group said.

From BBC ● May 30, 2026

Perry’s tangled love for her mother finds full expression in the film’s final act, in which she assembles musicians and backing vocalists to flesh out “What Lies With You,” written after her mother’s death.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 7, 2026

But there are vocalists whose strong, best-sounding range falls in a distinctly different place from any of these four voices.

From "Understanding Basic Music Theory" by Catherine Schmidt-Jones and Russel Jones

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