[For Women] When in Doubt, Choose This! Easy-to-Sing Western Songs

drivers licenseOlivia Rodrigo

Olivia Rodrigo – drivers license (Official Video)

Olivia Rodrigo is a female singer-songwriter who has gained popularity for her wide-ranging musicality.

Even those who aren’t very familiar with Western music have probably heard her songs or her voice at least once.

Her renowned track “drivers license,” released in 2021, became popular for its emotional vocals.

While it features a lot of falsetto and requires delicate pitch control, it doesn’t incorporate much of the advanced technique known as ‘fakes’ (improvisational runs).

So as long as you can accurately follow the pitch, it’s not an especially difficult song to perform.

toxic till the endROSÉ

ROSÉ – toxic till the end (OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO)

Rosé is an artist who’s extremely popular in Japan as well.

As you know, she’s a member of the K-pop group BLACKPINK and is also enjoying worldwide success as a solo artist.

Among her songs, the one I especially recommend is “toxic till the end.” It’s a track with strong pop-rock elements, featuring a catchy melody that evokes the earlier styles of Taylor Swift and Avril Lavigne.

The verses and pre-chorus follow a progression common in Japanese pop, so you likely won’t find the typical difficulties often associated with Western pop music.

Call Me MaybeCarly Rae Jepsen

Carly Rae Jepsen – Call Me Maybe

This song, which always ranks high in the Western music karaoke charts, is definitely recommended.

Many of the English pronunciations are easy, and the vocal range isn’t very high.

If you focus on keeping the rhythm, you should be able to sing it well.

It’s also very well-known, so everyone can get hyped during the chorus!

Die With A SmileLady Gaga, Bruno Mars

Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars – Die With A Smile (Official Music Video)

The song “Die With A Smile” by Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars.

Perhaps in line with the revival boom, this piece is crafted to evoke the neo-soul of the 1970s.

Since it falls under Black music genres, it might seem challenging, but because it doesn’t feature much of the technique known as “fake” in Western music—similar to the “kobushi” ornamentation in enka—the overall difficulty is relatively low.

If you can’t hit the falsetto in the chorus, try raising the key instead until you can produce a clear falsetto.

Make You MineMadison Beer

Madison Beer – Make You Mine (Official Music Video)

Madison Beer is a female singer who’s also very active as an actress.

Her glossy vocals perfectly match her highly sexy look, and they really shine on Make You Mine.

This track is sung in a mix voice that’s just short of falsetto, but because it’s not the kind of mix voice where you belt, anyone can sing it.

The range is on the narrower side, so if you adjust it to your own key, you should be able to aim for a high score at karaoke.

I Can Do It With A Broken HeartTaylor Swift

Taylor Swift – I Can Do It With A Broken Heart (Official Video)

Taylor Swift is a female singer-songwriter who has been active at the forefront of the scene for many years.

In her early days she was a leading figure in country music, but from her mid-career onward she has also explored electropop and pop rock.

Among her songs, the one I especially recommend is I Can Do It With A Broken Heart.

It shows touches of synth-pop and new wave, and throughout the track it feels grand in scope while featuring a calm vocal line within a relatively narrow range.

We Are Never Ever Getting Back TogetherTaylor Swift

Taylor Swift – We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together

If you’re a woman taking on Western pop at karaoke, you can’t leave out Taylor Swift.

Her songs are easy to sing with great melodies, so you can enjoy yourself while singing.

This track was also used as the theme song for the Japanese TV show Terrace House, so it’s very well-known.

It’s an easy pick even when you go to karaoke with people who aren’t familiar with Western music.