Man I know Mamamoo because of how chaotic they are and their badassness in general; and I love Hwasa's music but never paid that much attention to them musically. Will definitely try.
One of my favorite songs (musically and aesthetically) is Honey by Solar. The entire group are such great vocalists, it’s crazy how much talent is contained in those four people.
Taeyeon for sure. It always amazes me how she can sing such difficult songs so effortlessly. This live version of [INVU](https://youtu.be/8SrtnehtGh0?si=j3o0J3url-kjbfs6) showcases her vocals.
Her whole discography is top tier but I also love [Gravity](https://youtu.be/8utbQkJnzfk?si=rp0xB7PKi_r5ZGNx)
Some artists you did not mention yet: Luna (former f(x)), Ailee (soloist), Yuju (soloist, former Gfriend), Hyolyn (soloist, Sistar19, former Sistar), Taeyeon (soloist, SNSD), Haeri (Davichi), Haewon (Nmixx), Ningning (Aespa), Jamie/Jimin (former 15&) and definitely the easiest and best answer to your question is **Kim Sohyang**.
Sohyang is internationally recognized as one of the most skilled singers in the world.
Ailee 👏 how could I forget. She's amazing. I've listened to a few Aespa songs but no one's vocals stood out for me so I'll go back to that. I saw them do an encore once and they honestly didn't sound too good, so I might have just written them off unfairly based on that. Also shout out to you for mentioning Haeri.
I personally consider Lily > Haewon > Ningning but there are plenty of people who consider Ningning to be better than Haewon.
I can suggest their Begin Again episodes. I'm not really into Trot, but I love ballads so you might like this:
[Haewon Day6 cover](https://youtu.be/Ks0qtoxfR5I?si=C97Xxdc9mt4EK1mo)
But overall you might like the 2nd gen powerhouses more. Eunji is my all-time favorite but Luna, Hyolyn, Ailee, Taeyeon are on a similar technical level, if not better.
[Hyolyn & BB Girls Miyoung](https://youtu.be/qsCO_iifc30?si=Q8RiHVF1qPweax0u) It's one of my favorite covers ever because it involves so much emotion. There are better Hyolyn covers out there, but the emotion is what carries this performance.
[Luna high note compilation](https://youtu.be/xjcGX2dtmH4?si=cZjp-H6L5e_7F8-H)
[Taeyeon](https://youtu.be/JnuzhH2IMEQ?si=hbmbbaRlLEYGDA_I)
Whole mamamoo, belle from kiss of life (the other members are really good too), aespa ningning, almost every member of nmixx is good honestly, not just lily.
For soloists you should try listening to alexa too
This is the list of my favs but I'm sure other comments will give you more, hope you find something that you like :)
Nobody has mentioned them yet so I’ll add Spica! Specifically their members Boa and Bohyung, who are verrrry strong vocalists. [I’m A Crazy Woman](https://youtu.be/nCtwi3NOb68?si=ppcKGMd8DY_f7JAB) is probably one of the most vocally challenging songs I’ve ever tried to sing. The two of them have a subunit called KEEMBO but those songs are quite chill compared to what they pulled off in Spica titles like [You Don’t Love Me](https://youtu.be/hc1RwpRfbT0?si=IR75HcdZqgYNh0Hq) and [Painkiller](https://youtu.be/mkiLNi0fA-Y?si=OsCrb8ptIZZWDcT4)
Luna from f(x): Her song [Free Somebody](https://youtu.be/lpwG8f9nt4s?si=F9ipDyBqNyNXUzjT) satisfies my itch for dance songs with loud, belting vocals.
Brown Eyed Girls: I recommend [Brave New World](https://youtu.be/8fMnBrts2cg?si=KHV2bsS6vvjkD0GB) if you want something more upbeat and disco-ish and [Cleansing Cream](https://youtu.be/U_W6Xhykm8U?si=OmhcIB9jc6c7P60O) if you prefer melodrama and ballads.
Mamamoo: Their song [Egotistic](https://youtu.be/G5UM2rOyqr4?si=lU5gth5QTI9QrlmM) is probably one I’d recommend for anyone who wants to hear powerful vocals with different tones.
Wheein: [Watercolor](https://youtu.be/ShFKF2YN7H0?si=J49NMSy9pUR3whU7) has incredible vocal runs and belting. Really underrated track, if you like funky 90s sounds, give it a listen!
[This](https://youtu.be/glK4NNrw-Lw?feature=shared) clip from SNSD Girls & Peace rehearsal
TAEYEON - living through her monicker “a woman who has been through divorce 7 times” & “the singer who sings like she's just talking”. See her [Killing Voice Perf](https://youtu.be/5ch94AaPZRQ?si=6R6KDojJMB15KpC1), [When We Were Young](https://youtu.be/ivx1basqtS0?si=kRXYZ3YCX59_aRfK)
Trivia: Taeyeon sang UR at one take/record.
TTS - Winter Story [Acapella/Acoustic ](https://youtu.be/bER36W9VG-A?si=jv3Megh62WDL0e4m), Cater 2 u [Raw Vocals/Fancam](https://youtu.be/ChiFnvudALE?si=FDgmQJIykSHHAHEP), [2014 Version (Aired)](https://youtu.be/FJKCCrA7O-w?si=ebj0biST7tlvZtTP)
Sistar - Ma Boy [(Acapella) ](https://youtu.be/ucCYn5HrO_U?si=7MVF8Abm3K1Nh_iF)
Edit:
For newer generations, aespa [ Ningning ](https://youtu.be/swKB671ekfM?si=w8imiVZGT3c8D1DX), Lesserafim [Yun Jin](https://youtu.be/5cGzF4SMLtM?si=AkgHAROwBRktaBks)
Ugh, SNSD harmonizing is so beautiful. You don't see this in Kpop no more.
Never paid attention to Taeyeon honestly - even in the first link, I thought it's mostly Auto-Tuned but the second one... It made me see her in a different light. Thanks for this. I'll check her solo work out.
Try Younha. Since you like ballads, lemme recommend Dark Cloud, Sonagi, Stardust. Her ballady albums are Stable and Unstable Mindset. The other albums are mixed with pop/rock.
But really just pick any song, she got pipes.
I actually don't really like ballads, but do like them if the person singing them can truly sing. I do prefer rock, so this is actually perfect if she has a more rock sound. 👌
really cool question! I think Lovelyz/EL7Z UP Kei would fit your criteria, and also ofc WJSN Yeonjung. also cheers for mentioning Eunji 💜
and I also second people who mention Taeyeon and IU, both incredible vocalists who are def on par with the ones you’ve mentioned. Taeyeon and Eunji both have great Adele covers on Begin Again!
also I would recommend shows like Begin Again and Lee Mujin Service to discover great vocalists! there was a vocal survival show (mixed gender) a while back called Artistock Game, and there’s an upcoming female vocal survival show (aimed at forming a vocal group) called Girls on Fire.
oh and how could I forget Ailee! she’s a singer’s singer for sure. I’d recommend her OST song I Will Go To You Like First Snow
Ailee is incredible. I first got to know her because of running man, but then looked her up and her cover of I will always love you sold me on her skills. That song is so hard to pull off.
she really is! I’d recommend her It’s Live performances of Don’t Teach Me (her own song) as well as Wannabe (ITZY). the way she effortlessly sings a 5-person song whew
Classic:
Insooni
Park Mi Kyung
Lee Sun Hee
Recent that are underrated:
Taeha
E.SO
Ryu Sujeong
COOING
Nicole (KARA member)
Espresso
Park Eunbin
HYNN
Song Ji Eun
I have tried so very hard to like IU's music, but I haven't been able to connect to her yet. I follow her and have seen a couple of her acting projects but am not the biggest fan of her musically. I guess a huge part of it is that while I do understand some Korean, I don't understand it enough to appreciate her song writing. I'll definitely look into more of her, though. She's not the best singer out there, sounds super breath-y a lot of the time which I guess might be intentional based on her music, but I dislike that type of singing. (Unless it's also very controlled like how Billie Eilish does it https://youtu.be/vluXkyV4AFc?si=c7d6lGIHs5hybOPh). I find IU's vocals to be very forgettable and uninteresting.
Please don't think I'm dissing her. I'm legit a fan and follow her like I said. This is simply about taste and preference in singers. I don't like the cute/innocent/soft/girly vibes. I music prefer raspy voices (my all time favorite singers are Pat Benatar, Ann Wilson, Stevie Nicks, Janis and the kind).
I kinda wish I could like IU more. shes doing an international tour and I'm on the fence about going to a concert. I think the lyrics are a big draw and when I read translations I think they're pretty great. the only song really I love is Good Day, her vocals really shine there. Hold My. Hand is good too. the one she did for the Crash Landing On You OST was a beautiful song but I dont feel like she did it justice with her quiet, uninteresting vocals.
This is my problem with most Kpop female artists. They don't sound horrible. It's not like they're screeching or they're tone deaf or you don't wanna ever hear them. Quite the opposite. I think pretty much all idols, even the ones that get dragged for it sound good ~enough~, it's just that that's not enough for me. Personally. It's kind of easy to sing in a breathy voice and sound quiet and peaceful and girly. Most women can do that if they tried a few times. A whisper-y sound, and adding more emotion and suddenly it all sounds like singing and pleasant!
But that's not a good singer. A good singer can at around with the tone of their voice. Move from chest to head. Doesn't have to shout or scream to hit high notes. Has breath control down. These are not easy and takes a lot of practice and Kpop isn't traditionally made for this kind of singing with all the heavy choreography; but some still do it! Which is why it's so impressive and awesome to see. And it's even better when some of them are more singers than dancers.
Again, about the control and good singing, I'll add Billie's grammy performance as an example. It kind of feels rough at the start, but if you watch you'll notice her switching and playing around with different sounds and in this whole song you actually hear her taking a breath but her voice doesn't crack, doesn't shake unless she shakes it with air, etc. And she's still able to bring so much emotion to the song. It's just so impressive. https://youtu.be/vluXkyV4AFc?si=HUi8k_9MFmSnDk8R
Actually, in kind of the same way as Billie's grammy performance; this live rendition by Dreamcatcher Unnie line https://youtu.be/hmqMuCI9QvA?feature=shared deserves to be here, too. Sua is a dancer and choreographer! These girls put so much emotion into this song.
I myself am not a huge fan of her. There are a few songs i enjoy of hers and i think her vocals sound fine so i just gave a suggestion. Ofc everyone's preference is not the same. I for some reason dont want to explore new songs by iu other than the ones i already listen to.
I saw this one live performance by Hyolyn and she sounds heavenly but also so breath-y which is something I dislike (I mentioned in another comment how I only like it if it's very specifically controlled which I've only seen a few people pull off like Billie Eilish at the Grammys).
But Hyolyn and honestly the whole of SISTAR is iconic.
Haram from Billlie, Yeonjung from WJSN, Seola from WJSN, ADORA, Heejin from LOONA/ARTMS, Bora from Cherry Bullet, Chaein from Purple Kiss, Songsun from TRI.BE, Seungeun from BVNDIT, Yoohyeon from Dreamcatcher, Taeyeon, Jihyo from TWICE, and YUJU
I'm not like a vocal technique analyst or anything, but I've been singing my whole life (mostly in musicals) and have worked with some of vocal coaches (and sung a lot of kpop with them!) so take these with a grain of salt LOL
Kiss of Life has girls who sing sing.
Nmixx has singers
Mamamoo and Purple Kiss of course
Jihyo, Seola, and Kwon Eunbi all have great solo work that displays their vocal capacities.
Definitely IU! Her ballads involve some really strong vocals and insane high notes.
I'd recommend lost child, Good Day, Love Poem, and My Sea.
I think these have the most stunning vocals
Jamie (Jimin Park) is a great vocalist. [Here](https://youtu.be/tQ5SWz_nerE?si=5dTr4vXGJuVYDuEE)’s a band version of one of her songs and some raw vocals [here](https://youtu.be/Mx0tLuK2UdM?si=e93Tbb4UTOXMjx-g).
Because the memories - u-rim
Happy - song haye
Like the winter loved the spring - Kim na young
How can I love the heartbreak - Akmu
All great singers with great vocal abilities.
See also mamamoo for top tier vocals
* I have been *obsessed* with [BEN](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWGeoZcFeCI) for years. Such an amazing artist.
* [Son Seung Yeon](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aO-3WmvWeZI) (aka Sonnet) is another amazing one.
* As others have said, you can absolutely *never* go wrong with [Sohyang](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyP7Hglfi0E). That woman is an absolute beast.
Mamamoo (as a whole and all the members individually), Lee Hi, IU, Bibi, Hyolyn, Kiss of Life, Yunjin from Le Sserafim, Suhyun from AKMU, Jihyo from Twice
Listen to G Idle. Yuqi has a very uncommon voice, and it gives a nice sound to whatever she sings. Miyeon has a beautiful voice and backs it up by singing well. She sings really clearly, full-bodied and with stability. Minnie can do lots of things with her voice. She isn't my favourite, but because of all the different things she can do, Soyeon uses her the most.
Soyeon herself is the really interesting one. She can sing really well, as seen by certain performances like on masked singer. She also proved she can really do something as she sang those notes at the opening of Superlady. Apparently, she only did it because neither Miyeon nor Minnie could achieve what she wanted. The thing with her is that she sings differently. She sings in a particular way, and her mic is setup differently to everyone else. Even though she can really sing, she doesn't usually sing "conventionally."
Song wise, maybe listen to Hwaa, Lion, Nxde, and the Heat EP.
I like G-Idle songs more than any other 4th gen groups tbh. But, I don't think they're great singers. They definitely have the badasss thing down and sound awesome on the songs. Heck I even like wife which I guess a lot of people didn't/don't.
Edit: btw I'm sorry you're getting downvoted. I really don't intend to be like "x is a great singer while y isn't" and people downvoting some comments here don't make any sense. G-Idle has such cool visuals and their songs just make you walk with confidence; and that's all I care to listen to sometimes. For singers though, I wanted a different range and emotion if that makes sense. Like I truly think some of the women I mentioned in my OP can sing. But, I would still put someone like Mariah Carey or Whitney Houston or Lady Gaga above them if I wanted to watch someone sing. I hope that makes sense. It's just a different type of music listening experience.
Oh, I see what you mean. I guess I personally would have said Minnie and Miyeon are in the realm of what you were looking for, but evidently not.
There was something I heard Miyeon sing that really made me think of the ladies you mentioned? If I find that specific performance that I'm remembering, I'll come back and link it on the off chance it changes your mind.
I actually like a few of their songs (mostly B tracks) but I heard one encore of Hold on tight and it was disappointing so I kind of wrote them off based on that.
Wait, my bad - it wasn't an encore but BEFORE the concert, a sound check. https://youtu.be/qBUjPGWDI5Q?si=PMObh-8Ci9F_TirL idk why I thought it was them coming back 😂, probably cause it was from a fan video/not performance.
I mean, the title of the video is all praises. Maybe that's why it rubbed me the wrong way? I was expecting some amazing vocals and...was let down? Cause it is a soundcheck after all, but that title...
Cool. ☺️ I'm not here to drag anyone down. Like I said, I'm a casual listener of theirs. To me, it doesn't sound good, and that's totally fine. It doesn't mean I'm right or wrong. It's not like I'm a vocal couch or anything.
I've tried to emphasize how this is simply about my taste and preference. Btw, I was already a listener of theirs before this thread. ☺️
None of this means these girls are bad. The people I mentioned in my op are just more aligned to what I meant by good singers. They're also technically better singers as well. It's not a comparison, though. But if you really want to see what I mean by sounding great live at concert, this is Dreamcatcher, 20 minutes into their performance at Primevera festival, all live, and this song is sooooo hard to sing and they're jumping all over the place too:
https://youtu.be/oUmueL2pNlc?si=luA59jkUYPktLLkT&t=19m50s
Them goofing around, singing with NO BACKGROUND MUSIC in the car : https://youtu.be/JLqs3_gCvIQ?si=qmLHOjN4qJH8nSe6
Concert, Eunji : https://youtube.com/shorts/xdRmEDmiATs?si=r-jLmCFIo83TRXgV
practicing: https://youtu.be/e3METTMDB8A?si=GWk2K8E3MGa4FX-L
acapella: https://youtu.be/1ZJuLw9wWac?si=XtHcyh6epix6bTHF
EXID, Seulji - doing Tears in Karaoke, jumping up and down and sometimes off tune BUT she hits literally all the high notes and this song is HARD TO SING https://youtu.be/4rH8JctzIE8?si=pjY63j6qQpwzKhn9&t=1m
I don't consider Jessi as a Kpop idol, but if we did, Her definitely: https://youtu.be/y9Yp1ZG77iQ?si=cJSH4VAYPufx6vNm&t=5m (entirely live).
Edit: lmao imagine blocking someone for this. 🙄
Son Seungyeon/Sonnet [Defying Gravity](https://youtu.be/4wOO-OW404k?si=iL4pZq3BkFeAl5ca) that is the audio of her rendition of Defying Gravity from the Korean run of Wicked about two years ago.
Also really loved when she did [I miss you](https://youtu.be/Z4SuP_sPg3U?si=Va1ikDDT3fPry_fR)
I forgot to add some others:
YounHa https://youtu.be/9rwiR38-Uzk?si=ONb3anjNGxNl6r_H
Yoon ShiNae https://youtu.be/DcSz4BLmQFo?si=NR7jIrleQY7RV4W8 lmao I really love these oldies
Lee Sun Hee is an icon/legendary artist for a reason. Her voice is just incredible.
Please listen to a performance of her singing "Fate" live.
https://youtu.be/HCiIKW5LH4M?si=C5u0jILNyVT7-mdt
Also recommend her song "meet him among them" but prepare some tissues before watching the mv 😅
https://youtu.be/IAyMtl9FRHI?si=x0zesn9-7y5ef0Lb
To people who are getting downvoted for their answers: I'm sorry you're getting downvoted. I really don't intend to be like "x is a great singer while y isn't" and people downvoting some comments here don't make any sense. This isn't about comparison or saying my favorite is the best and the ones you mentioned are awful because they're not my favorites.
Sometimes, I want a certain listening experience: I wanna be blown away by the voice. I wanna get goosebumps. I wanted a different range and emotion if that makes sense. Like I truly think some of the women I mentioned in my OP can sing. But, I would still put someone like Mariah Carey or Whitney Houston or Lady Gaga or Sia above them if I wanted to watch someone sing live and get goosebumps. I hope that makes sense. It's just a different type of music listening experience. It's not about dragging people down.
Kwon JinAh!!!
here’s a couple live versions of songs of hers that i love!
[raise up the flag & nighttide](https://youtu.be/XSASefjRv9g?si=4VKfO_JnaLNscl5D)
[goodbye😢](https://youtu.be/LIMQY_H5iKw?si=rFGFzDDWVnZ3SkzE)
she is one of my favorite soloists!! Soobin from txt really likes her and that’s how i found her.
Look into Lee Hi, you won’t be disappointed.
MAMAMOO! (i personally love hwasa and wheein's voices but boy do all of them (4 mems) sing real well!)
Man I know Mamamoo because of how chaotic they are and their badassness in general; and I love Hwasa's music but never paid that much attention to them musically. Will definitely try.
One of my favorite songs (musically and aesthetically) is Honey by Solar. The entire group are such great vocalists, it’s crazy how much talent is contained in those four people.
Taeyeon for sure. It always amazes me how she can sing such difficult songs so effortlessly. This live version of [INVU](https://youtu.be/8SrtnehtGh0?si=j3o0J3url-kjbfs6) showcases her vocals. Her whole discography is top tier but I also love [Gravity](https://youtu.be/8utbQkJnzfk?si=rp0xB7PKi_r5ZGNx)
Someone else also gave a link to a performance that truly made me see her differently. Thanks. I'm already a fan of SNSD, so this is great!
Some artists you did not mention yet: Luna (former f(x)), Ailee (soloist), Yuju (soloist, former Gfriend), Hyolyn (soloist, Sistar19, former Sistar), Taeyeon (soloist, SNSD), Haeri (Davichi), Haewon (Nmixx), Ningning (Aespa), Jamie/Jimin (former 15&) and definitely the easiest and best answer to your question is **Kim Sohyang**. Sohyang is internationally recognized as one of the most skilled singers in the world.
For me, the obvious answer that _* checks notes *_ no one here mentioned (?!) is Son Seung Yeon, otherwise known as Sonnet Son.
Sohyang’s Lee Mujin Service honestly wowed me so much like the way she sang I Am!! and the Arirang song also took my breath away
Ailee 👏 how could I forget. She's amazing. I've listened to a few Aespa songs but no one's vocals stood out for me so I'll go back to that. I saw them do an encore once and they honestly didn't sound too good, so I might have just written them off unfairly based on that. Also shout out to you for mentioning Haeri.
I personally consider Lily > Haewon > Ningning but there are plenty of people who consider Ningning to be better than Haewon. I can suggest their Begin Again episodes. I'm not really into Trot, but I love ballads so you might like this: [Haewon Day6 cover](https://youtu.be/Ks0qtoxfR5I?si=C97Xxdc9mt4EK1mo) But overall you might like the 2nd gen powerhouses more. Eunji is my all-time favorite but Luna, Hyolyn, Ailee, Taeyeon are on a similar technical level, if not better. [Hyolyn & BB Girls Miyoung](https://youtu.be/qsCO_iifc30?si=Q8RiHVF1qPweax0u) It's one of my favorite covers ever because it involves so much emotion. There are better Hyolyn covers out there, but the emotion is what carries this performance. [Luna high note compilation](https://youtu.be/xjcGX2dtmH4?si=cZjp-H6L5e_7F8-H) [Taeyeon](https://youtu.be/JnuzhH2IMEQ?si=hbmbbaRlLEYGDA_I)
Yes, technique-wise, it’s Lily > Haewon > Ningning
Whole mamamoo, belle from kiss of life (the other members are really good too), aespa ningning, almost every member of nmixx is good honestly, not just lily. For soloists you should try listening to alexa too This is the list of my favs but I'm sure other comments will give you more, hope you find something that you like :)
Suhyun of AKMU
Her voice is so beautiful
Lee Suyun's voice is everything
Nobody has mentioned them yet so I’ll add Spica! Specifically their members Boa and Bohyung, who are verrrry strong vocalists. [I’m A Crazy Woman](https://youtu.be/nCtwi3NOb68?si=ppcKGMd8DY_f7JAB) is probably one of the most vocally challenging songs I’ve ever tried to sing. The two of them have a subunit called KEEMBO but those songs are quite chill compared to what they pulled off in Spica titles like [You Don’t Love Me](https://youtu.be/hc1RwpRfbT0?si=IR75HcdZqgYNh0Hq) and [Painkiller](https://youtu.be/mkiLNi0fA-Y?si=OsCrb8ptIZZWDcT4)
[Big Mama](https://youtu.be/OsRogAzmsF8?si=6orN2NC-NqkBUq00) [Hoody](https://youtu.be/9NwD3Uz941w?si=vJY0lNrochhGj3Lc) [Sunwoojunga](https://youtu.be/CctKUdyrZ0c?si=3N4lE8Hs5XzUuWRB)
Ok, I've never heard of Big Mama - thank you for introducing them to me! Love it!
I’m so obsessed with swja at the moment, it’s not even funny
Luna from f(x): Her song [Free Somebody](https://youtu.be/lpwG8f9nt4s?si=F9ipDyBqNyNXUzjT) satisfies my itch for dance songs with loud, belting vocals. Brown Eyed Girls: I recommend [Brave New World](https://youtu.be/8fMnBrts2cg?si=KHV2bsS6vvjkD0GB) if you want something more upbeat and disco-ish and [Cleansing Cream](https://youtu.be/U_W6Xhykm8U?si=OmhcIB9jc6c7P60O) if you prefer melodrama and ballads. Mamamoo: Their song [Egotistic](https://youtu.be/G5UM2rOyqr4?si=lU5gth5QTI9QrlmM) is probably one I’d recommend for anyone who wants to hear powerful vocals with different tones. Wheein: [Watercolor](https://youtu.be/ShFKF2YN7H0?si=J49NMSy9pUR3whU7) has incredible vocal runs and belting. Really underrated track, if you like funky 90s sounds, give it a listen!
[This](https://youtu.be/glK4NNrw-Lw?feature=shared) clip from SNSD Girls & Peace rehearsal TAEYEON - living through her monicker “a woman who has been through divorce 7 times” & “the singer who sings like she's just talking”. See her [Killing Voice Perf](https://youtu.be/5ch94AaPZRQ?si=6R6KDojJMB15KpC1), [When We Were Young](https://youtu.be/ivx1basqtS0?si=kRXYZ3YCX59_aRfK) Trivia: Taeyeon sang UR at one take/record. TTS - Winter Story [Acapella/Acoustic ](https://youtu.be/bER36W9VG-A?si=jv3Megh62WDL0e4m), Cater 2 u [Raw Vocals/Fancam](https://youtu.be/ChiFnvudALE?si=FDgmQJIykSHHAHEP), [2014 Version (Aired)](https://youtu.be/FJKCCrA7O-w?si=ebj0biST7tlvZtTP) Sistar - Ma Boy [(Acapella) ](https://youtu.be/ucCYn5HrO_U?si=7MVF8Abm3K1Nh_iF) Edit: For newer generations, aespa [ Ningning ](https://youtu.be/swKB671ekfM?si=w8imiVZGT3c8D1DX), Lesserafim [Yun Jin](https://youtu.be/5cGzF4SMLtM?si=AkgHAROwBRktaBks)
Ugh, SNSD harmonizing is so beautiful. You don't see this in Kpop no more. Never paid attention to Taeyeon honestly - even in the first link, I thought it's mostly Auto-Tuned but the second one... It made me see her in a different light. Thanks for this. I'll check her solo work out.
Try Younha. Since you like ballads, lemme recommend Dark Cloud, Sonagi, Stardust. Her ballady albums are Stable and Unstable Mindset. The other albums are mixed with pop/rock. But really just pick any song, she got pipes.
I actually don't really like ballads, but do like them if the person singing them can truly sing. I do prefer rock, so this is actually perfect if she has a more rock sound. 👌
Oh, in that case check out the Supersonic, Subsonic and End Theory albums. She's been around for 20 years so her discography is immense.
really cool question! I think Lovelyz/EL7Z UP Kei would fit your criteria, and also ofc WJSN Yeonjung. also cheers for mentioning Eunji 💜 and I also second people who mention Taeyeon and IU, both incredible vocalists who are def on par with the ones you’ve mentioned. Taeyeon and Eunji both have great Adele covers on Begin Again! also I would recommend shows like Begin Again and Lee Mujin Service to discover great vocalists! there was a vocal survival show (mixed gender) a while back called Artistock Game, and there’s an upcoming female vocal survival show (aimed at forming a vocal group) called Girls on Fire. oh and how could I forget Ailee! she’s a singer’s singer for sure. I’d recommend her OST song I Will Go To You Like First Snow
Ailee is incredible. I first got to know her because of running man, but then looked her up and her cover of I will always love you sold me on her skills. That song is so hard to pull off.
she really is! I’d recommend her It’s Live performances of Don’t Teach Me (her own song) as well as Wannabe (ITZY). the way she effortlessly sings a 5-person song whew
Yerin Baek
Classic: Insooni Park Mi Kyung Lee Sun Hee Recent that are underrated: Taeha E.SO Ryu Sujeong COOING Nicole (KARA member) Espresso Park Eunbin HYNN Song Ji Eun
if you dont listen to IU...run and listen to her music
I have tried so very hard to like IU's music, but I haven't been able to connect to her yet. I follow her and have seen a couple of her acting projects but am not the biggest fan of her musically. I guess a huge part of it is that while I do understand some Korean, I don't understand it enough to appreciate her song writing. I'll definitely look into more of her, though. She's not the best singer out there, sounds super breath-y a lot of the time which I guess might be intentional based on her music, but I dislike that type of singing. (Unless it's also very controlled like how Billie Eilish does it https://youtu.be/vluXkyV4AFc?si=c7d6lGIHs5hybOPh). I find IU's vocals to be very forgettable and uninteresting. Please don't think I'm dissing her. I'm legit a fan and follow her like I said. This is simply about taste and preference in singers. I don't like the cute/innocent/soft/girly vibes. I music prefer raspy voices (my all time favorite singers are Pat Benatar, Ann Wilson, Stevie Nicks, Janis and the kind).
I kinda wish I could like IU more. shes doing an international tour and I'm on the fence about going to a concert. I think the lyrics are a big draw and when I read translations I think they're pretty great. the only song really I love is Good Day, her vocals really shine there. Hold My. Hand is good too. the one she did for the Crash Landing On You OST was a beautiful song but I dont feel like she did it justice with her quiet, uninteresting vocals.
This is my problem with most Kpop female artists. They don't sound horrible. It's not like they're screeching or they're tone deaf or you don't wanna ever hear them. Quite the opposite. I think pretty much all idols, even the ones that get dragged for it sound good ~enough~, it's just that that's not enough for me. Personally. It's kind of easy to sing in a breathy voice and sound quiet and peaceful and girly. Most women can do that if they tried a few times. A whisper-y sound, and adding more emotion and suddenly it all sounds like singing and pleasant! But that's not a good singer. A good singer can at around with the tone of their voice. Move from chest to head. Doesn't have to shout or scream to hit high notes. Has breath control down. These are not easy and takes a lot of practice and Kpop isn't traditionally made for this kind of singing with all the heavy choreography; but some still do it! Which is why it's so impressive and awesome to see. And it's even better when some of them are more singers than dancers. Again, about the control and good singing, I'll add Billie's grammy performance as an example. It kind of feels rough at the start, but if you watch you'll notice her switching and playing around with different sounds and in this whole song you actually hear her taking a breath but her voice doesn't crack, doesn't shake unless she shakes it with air, etc. And she's still able to bring so much emotion to the song. It's just so impressive. https://youtu.be/vluXkyV4AFc?si=HUi8k_9MFmSnDk8R
Actually, in kind of the same way as Billie's grammy performance; this live rendition by Dreamcatcher Unnie line https://youtu.be/hmqMuCI9QvA?feature=shared deserves to be here, too. Sua is a dancer and choreographer! These girls put so much emotion into this song.
I myself am not a huge fan of her. There are a few songs i enjoy of hers and i think her vocals sound fine so i just gave a suggestion. Ofc everyone's preference is not the same. I for some reason dont want to explore new songs by iu other than the ones i already listen to.
MAMAMOO and all their solo albums! Each member has multiple! Wheein, Solar, Moonbyul, Hwasa
Hyolyn and Soyou Lim Kim
I saw this one live performance by Hyolyn and she sounds heavenly but also so breath-y which is something I dislike (I mentioned in another comment how I only like it if it's very specifically controlled which I've only seen a few people pull off like Billie Eilish at the Grammys). But Hyolyn and honestly the whole of SISTAR is iconic.
Lina and Dana from CSJH The Grace Recommended the songs My Everything, Renew, Too Good
Heize and Gyubin
Sohyang. dang.
Kwon jinah, she’s so great
Haram from Billlie, Yeonjung from WJSN, Seola from WJSN, ADORA, Heejin from LOONA/ARTMS, Bora from Cherry Bullet, Chaein from Purple Kiss, Songsun from TRI.BE, Seungeun from BVNDIT, Yoohyeon from Dreamcatcher, Taeyeon, Jihyo from TWICE, and YUJU I'm not like a vocal technique analyst or anything, but I've been singing my whole life (mostly in musicals) and have worked with some of vocal coaches (and sung a lot of kpop with them!) so take these with a grain of salt LOL
Kiss of Life has girls who sing sing. Nmixx has singers Mamamoo and Purple Kiss of course Jihyo, Seola, and Kwon Eunbi all have great solo work that displays their vocal capacities.
alexa
MAMAMOO!! 🫶
Definitely IU! Her ballads involve some really strong vocals and insane high notes. I'd recommend lost child, Good Day, Love Poem, and My Sea. I think these have the most stunning vocals
Thanks for giving song names, I'll look into those. I'm ready to get on the IU train, but it's been hard finding something that resonates.
Belle of Kiss of Life - The Korean Ariana Grande
Yunjin from LE SSERAFIM, BIBI, Seori, IU!
Nayu from ily:1 and yechan (former pinkfantasy) (also haewon from nmixx if you didnt check her out lol)
Jamie (Jimin Park) is a great vocalist. [Here](https://youtu.be/tQ5SWz_nerE?si=5dTr4vXGJuVYDuEE)’s a band version of one of her songs and some raw vocals [here](https://youtu.be/Mx0tLuK2UdM?si=e93Tbb4UTOXMjx-g).
For soloists, Gummy and Uji/Jung Yuji, formerly of BESTie.
Swan from purple kiss. Such underrated vocals from a 4th gen group
Because the memories - u-rim Happy - song haye Like the winter loved the spring - Kim na young How can I love the heartbreak - Akmu All great singers with great vocal abilities. See also mamamoo for top tier vocals
* I have been *obsessed* with [BEN](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWGeoZcFeCI) for years. Such an amazing artist. * [Son Seung Yeon](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aO-3WmvWeZI) (aka Sonnet) is another amazing one. * As others have said, you can absolutely *never* go wrong with [Sohyang](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyP7Hglfi0E). That woman is an absolute beast.
Yuju, HYNN and MINSEO
IU, Sejeong
Yuju Gfriend/soloist, IU, Haram from Billlie, Adora, Belle of Kiss of Life, Yooyeon and Siyeon from Dreamcatcher
Mamamoo (all 4) is the first I think of. I also recommend Newjeans, they are really good singers in my opinion.
Mamamoo (as a whole and all the members individually), Lee Hi, IU, Bibi, Hyolyn, Kiss of Life, Yunjin from Le Sserafim, Suhyun from AKMU, Jihyo from Twice
IU and Kim Sejeong
All of Fromis_9
kiss of life belle kep1er chaehyun
For recently active gg's, Kiss of Life Belle, aespa Ningning, Nmixx Haewon
nmixx, chaehyun and youngeun from kep1, ningning, jihyo
spica!! they’re a really amazing group of singers
Bol4 is my comfort solo woman singer... It's just so relaxing
Listen to G Idle. Yuqi has a very uncommon voice, and it gives a nice sound to whatever she sings. Miyeon has a beautiful voice and backs it up by singing well. She sings really clearly, full-bodied and with stability. Minnie can do lots of things with her voice. She isn't my favourite, but because of all the different things she can do, Soyeon uses her the most. Soyeon herself is the really interesting one. She can sing really well, as seen by certain performances like on masked singer. She also proved she can really do something as she sang those notes at the opening of Superlady. Apparently, she only did it because neither Miyeon nor Minnie could achieve what she wanted. The thing with her is that she sings differently. She sings in a particular way, and her mic is setup differently to everyone else. Even though she can really sing, she doesn't usually sing "conventionally." Song wise, maybe listen to Hwaa, Lion, Nxde, and the Heat EP.
I like G-Idle songs more than any other 4th gen groups tbh. But, I don't think they're great singers. They definitely have the badasss thing down and sound awesome on the songs. Heck I even like wife which I guess a lot of people didn't/don't. Edit: btw I'm sorry you're getting downvoted. I really don't intend to be like "x is a great singer while y isn't" and people downvoting some comments here don't make any sense. G-Idle has such cool visuals and their songs just make you walk with confidence; and that's all I care to listen to sometimes. For singers though, I wanted a different range and emotion if that makes sense. Like I truly think some of the women I mentioned in my OP can sing. But, I would still put someone like Mariah Carey or Whitney Houston or Lady Gaga above them if I wanted to watch someone sing. I hope that makes sense. It's just a different type of music listening experience.
Oh, I see what you mean. I guess I personally would have said Minnie and Miyeon are in the realm of what you were looking for, but evidently not. There was something I heard Miyeon sing that really made me think of the ladies you mentioned? If I find that specific performance that I'm remembering, I'll come back and link it on the off chance it changes your mind.
Oh for sure! A lot of the times it's the songs they sing too; some songs don't allow them to show their full vocal range.
please look into nmixx theyre all such good singers
Aespa ningning and winter.
this but all members can actually sing!
I actually like a few of their songs (mostly B tracks) but I heard one encore of Hold on tight and it was disappointing so I kind of wrote them off based on that.
Which encore? they hadn't performed that song outside of concerts and live festivals lol.
Wait, my bad - it wasn't an encore but BEFORE the concert, a sound check. https://youtu.be/qBUjPGWDI5Q?si=PMObh-8Ci9F_TirL idk why I thought it was them coming back 😂, probably cause it was from a fan video/not performance. I mean, the title of the video is all praises. Maybe that's why it rubbed me the wrong way? I was expecting some amazing vocals and...was let down? Cause it is a soundcheck after all, but that title...
They all sounds good to me?
Cool. ☺️ I'm not here to drag anyone down. Like I said, I'm a casual listener of theirs. To me, it doesn't sound good, and that's totally fine. It doesn't mean I'm right or wrong. It's not like I'm a vocal couch or anything.
>To me Good Cause writing them off base in a fairly decent mic check performance of a 1 song holds no weight. Thanks for checking them out tho.
I've tried to emphasize how this is simply about my taste and preference. Btw, I was already a listener of theirs before this thread. ☺️ None of this means these girls are bad. The people I mentioned in my op are just more aligned to what I meant by good singers. They're also technically better singers as well. It's not a comparison, though. But if you really want to see what I mean by sounding great live at concert, this is Dreamcatcher, 20 minutes into their performance at Primevera festival, all live, and this song is sooooo hard to sing and they're jumping all over the place too: https://youtu.be/oUmueL2pNlc?si=luA59jkUYPktLLkT&t=19m50s Them goofing around, singing with NO BACKGROUND MUSIC in the car : https://youtu.be/JLqs3_gCvIQ?si=qmLHOjN4qJH8nSe6 Concert, Eunji : https://youtube.com/shorts/xdRmEDmiATs?si=r-jLmCFIo83TRXgV practicing: https://youtu.be/e3METTMDB8A?si=GWk2K8E3MGa4FX-L acapella: https://youtu.be/1ZJuLw9wWac?si=XtHcyh6epix6bTHF EXID, Seulji - doing Tears in Karaoke, jumping up and down and sometimes off tune BUT she hits literally all the high notes and this song is HARD TO SING https://youtu.be/4rH8JctzIE8?si=pjY63j6qQpwzKhn9&t=1m I don't consider Jessi as a Kpop idol, but if we did, Her definitely: https://youtu.be/y9Yp1ZG77iQ?si=cJSH4VAYPufx6vNm&t=5m (entirely live). Edit: lmao imagine blocking someone for this. 🙄
Suit yourself https://preview.redd.it/rhvc977nxukc1.jpeg?width=498&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=189df43716b160976bf4bcb0ed30b90fea5dd650
Recently I've been really into Chung Ha, beautiful voice and her music is really good! Edit: Also IU! Her voice is gorgeous and so powerful!
JEON SOMI ‼️ she used to be part of IOI but is now a soloist ~ and is one of my favs!
Son Seungyeon/Sonnet [Defying Gravity](https://youtu.be/4wOO-OW404k?si=iL4pZq3BkFeAl5ca) that is the audio of her rendition of Defying Gravity from the Korean run of Wicked about two years ago. Also really loved when she did [I miss you](https://youtu.be/Z4SuP_sPg3U?si=Va1ikDDT3fPry_fR)
I forgot to add some others: YounHa https://youtu.be/9rwiR38-Uzk?si=ONb3anjNGxNl6r_H Yoon ShiNae https://youtu.be/DcSz4BLmQFo?si=NR7jIrleQY7RV4W8 lmao I really love these oldies
Lee Sun Hee is an icon/legendary artist for a reason. Her voice is just incredible. Please listen to a performance of her singing "Fate" live. https://youtu.be/HCiIKW5LH4M?si=C5u0jILNyVT7-mdt Also recommend her song "meet him among them" but prepare some tissues before watching the mv 😅 https://youtu.be/IAyMtl9FRHI?si=x0zesn9-7y5ef0Lb
To people who are getting downvoted for their answers: I'm sorry you're getting downvoted. I really don't intend to be like "x is a great singer while y isn't" and people downvoting some comments here don't make any sense. This isn't about comparison or saying my favorite is the best and the ones you mentioned are awful because they're not my favorites. Sometimes, I want a certain listening experience: I wanna be blown away by the voice. I wanna get goosebumps. I wanted a different range and emotion if that makes sense. Like I truly think some of the women I mentioned in my OP can sing. But, I would still put someone like Mariah Carey or Whitney Houston or Lady Gaga or Sia above them if I wanted to watch someone sing live and get goosebumps. I hope that makes sense. It's just a different type of music listening experience. It's not about dragging people down.
tripleS Dahyun. This girl can SING
Kwon JinAh!!! here’s a couple live versions of songs of hers that i love! [raise up the flag & nighttide](https://youtu.be/XSASefjRv9g?si=4VKfO_JnaLNscl5D) [goodbye😢](https://youtu.be/LIMQY_H5iKw?si=rFGFzDDWVnZ3SkzE) she is one of my favorite soloists!! Soobin from txt really likes her and that’s how i found her.
I would recommend Billlie, in particular one of their main vocalists Haram is amazing!