Vocal Range: C3 – D5 – Eb6 (3 octaves and a minor third)[1]https://therangeplanet.proboards.com/thread/287/annie-clark
Vocal Fach: Light Lyric Soprano
Vocal Rating: Singer-Songwriter
Analysis: A dramatic performer and artist, St. Vincent stretches and bends her voice to match her typically distorted instrumentation. Unlike many vocalists profiled on this site, St. Vincent’s primary instrument is undoubtedly not her voice, but the guitar. As a result, it’s unclear if she’s ever received (extensive) vocal training, but nevertheless, as a talented musician, she’s also a considerable vocalist whose talent and stature warrant evaluation.
While she has been repeatedly marked as a mezzo-soprano, it seems more likely that she is an underdeveloped soprano. She often sings in her middle range which can be deceptive as the middle range of one’s voice is naturally darker than a higher register, but St. Vincent’s tone is that of a soprano; light, bright, and feminine, lacking a weight to it even in the lower register (“Smoking Section”). Her tessitura is relatively low, finding its home in the B4 – D5 region, but her ease in reaching notes in the sixth octave – “Digital Witness” (Live at Letterman) and “Young Lover” – suggest that she’s a soprano.
One of the highlights of Clark’s voice is her coordination: she’s capable of seamlessly carrying a melody from using her head voice to her chest (“Masseduction”). Clark typically approaches her upper register with a “crying” sound, in contrast to a more neutral style in her middle range (“Live In The Dream”). Her head voice is thin and often tense and nasal as she tries to subdue the volume, but Clark has demonstrated that she can achieve both volume and range with her flageolet under the right circumstances (“Young Lover”).
St. Vincent’s vocal quality often comes with a little amount of air or even bite – verses of “Down” – to meet her expressive style. It often sounds like her voice isn’t resting on the breath as soon as she leaves the fourth octave (rather sounding out of it), and her inconsistent application of vibrato makes this even more apparent. Nevertheless, she has adapted herself to this approach and as a disciplined musician maintains a decent sense of intonation even when her technical footing could be better.
What do you think of St. Vincent’s voice? Would you add anything to our analysis? Let us know by commenting below!
St. Vincent’s vocal range spans C3 – Eb6, three octaves and a minor third.
St. Vincent is a light lyric soprano.
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