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

Etymology

Origin of vocalist

First recorded in 1605–15; vocal + -ist

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

Bonnie Tyler, the husky-voiced powerhouse vocalist who delivered memorable and dramatic pop-rock songs including ‘Total Eclipse of the Heart’ in the 1980s, has died.

From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 10, 2026

Even its lead female vocalist, Cory Daye, sounded like a cross between Ella Fitzgerald and Diana Ross.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 15, 2026

Scotland's first edition was due to include London-based reggae vocalist and songwriter Hollie Cook, Pakistani instrumentalist Ustad Noor Bakhsh and Stornoway folk-rock trio Peat and Diesel.

From BBC • Jun. 2, 2026

Austrian vocalist Johannes Pietsch, known as JJ, triumphed at Basel in 2025 with his operatic song "Wasted Love".

From Barron's • May 16, 2026

A good example of slurring occurs when a vocalist sings more than one note on the same syllable of text.

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