Rihanna is a powerful alto singer that has a lot of richness to her tone and power behind her chest voice.
Technically, she can be considered a lyric contralto since she has a very great low range with a light head voice that can also reach some great high notes.
Many people sleep on Rihanna's vocal abilities, but she can hang with some of the best and has grown a lot as a singing professional over the last decade of her fame.
Rihanna's voice spans nearly 3 octaves. Her range can go as low as C3 to An Eb6 in a heavy belt and as high as a B5 in her head voice. She may have stretched beyond these notes in live performance adlibs and key changes.
Rihanna can sing lower than most famous singers. For her recorded vocals, she has gone as low as a C3 in the example shown below at the highlighted timestamp for the song "Wild Thoughts".
While her voice range can reach very low, it doesn't sound unnatural. She actually makes low notes sound easier than they really are for a woman. Most female singers that can hit at C3 sound like they are struggling a bit to do it (like me, haha).
Rihanna has a very powerful belt that has been heard and felt with songs like "Higher" from the album ANTI. She often belts around a high C at the climax of her emotionally resonant songs, which really fits her rich tone.
Many people wouldn't think to consider Rihanna in talks of whistle tone, AKA head voice, but she sneakily has the range for some great high notes and tried not to show it off too much, but we've heard it!
A good example of this is her hook on Eminem's song "Monster" which features her very high layered vocals at the timestamp highlighted below.
Rihanna's vocal tone is often described as distinct and recognizable.
Her voice has a smooth and sultry quality, with a hint of huskiness, which adds depth and character to her singing style. Her unique timbre sets her apart and contributes to her recognizable sound.
Rihanna has successfully ventured into different musical genres throughout her career, including pop, R&B, reggae, dancehall, and more.
Her vocal versatility allows her to adapt to the specific requirements and styles of each genre, showcasing her ability to bring her signature sound to a variety of musical landscapes.
Rihanna is known for her ability to convey intense emotion through her singing performances, especially live ones.
Whether it's capturing vulnerability in heartfelt ballads or exuding confidence in upbeat anthems, she has a knack for delivering powerful and captivating performances that resonate with listeners on an emotional level.
Rihanna has gained a lot of power and control in her high notes over the years. When she first came out, many people complained that she was nasally and could not sustain high notes well, especially in live performances.
Rihanna didn't let these criticisms cripple her and continued to work on her vocal skills to the point where you could tell the difference when she sang live more recently.
Her range hasn't widened per se, but she's definitely learned how to make her voice range work for her and her song releases.
Her vocal edge really comes from her energy, her ability to go from a belt to a sweet whisper tone, her unique sound, and her rich low and mid-range notes.
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