vocalist

American  

[voh-kuh-list] / ˈvoʊ kə lɪst /

noun

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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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

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

From Barron's • May 16, 2026

Meanwhile, Keith, Boy Talk’s most talented vocalist, vibrates with rage at his showboating bandmates, particularly his irksome younger brother, and is mourning the sorry state of his marriage.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 15, 2026

Miles Doughty, vocalist for Slightly Stoopid, said the band is excited to return after first playing the festival in 2019.“BeachLife has really grown since we first played,” Doughty said.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 30, 2026

"I remember one time we were performing, and we saw one lady holding a sign that said: 'Your music saved my life'," says Ibrahem Mahmoud, the co-founder and lead vocalist.

From BBC • Apr. 18, 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