[High-pitched warning!] Songs with high notes that are hard to sing

New meYOASOBI

YOASOBI「New me」Official Music Video

YOASOBI’s new song “New me.” When you think of YOASOBI, sparkling pop tunes come to mind, but this track, while retaining that flavor, features smooth vocals that incorporate elements of city pop.

Musically, it has frequent key changes and falsetto, with pronounced jumps in pitch.

It doesn’t demand powerful vocals, but it does require impeccably precise pitch control, almost like a Vocaloid.

Be sure to add it to your repertoire.

See you tomorrow…JUJU

JUJU “See You Tomorrow”

JUJU is a singer who masterfully performs music across all genres, from jazz to R&B.

Among her releases, a song that high-voiced female singers will especially enjoy is Mata Ashita, released in 2011.

Over a grand sound that incorporates beautiful strings, her emotional vocals unfold.

When singing it at karaoke, the key is to gradually build the intensity from the first verse to the pre-chorus and into the chorus.

Delivering supple, beautiful, and at times heartrending vocals will convey the emotional shifts.

Why not pour your feelings into this sentimental ballad that wishes happiness for a loved one?

Rising HopeLiSA

LiSA “Rising Hope” -MUSiC CLiP- (TV anime “The Irregular at Magic High School” opening theme)

Speaking of LiSA, it’s all about anisongs! She also has an image of singing mostly high-pitched songs, right? Among them, “Rising Hope” is probably one that many people feel is “so fast and so high… great to listen to, but tough to sing!” My students struggled with it, too.

Of course the high notes are challenging, but the tempo is also very fast at 190.

On top of that, there are lots of rap-like and intricate parts, so you want to make sure you don’t get left behind while singing.

Also, for the ends of phrases in the chorus, if you slightly lengthen them and articulate the vowels clearly, it adds to the vibe and sounds cool! There are lots of high notes in succession, but try to keep the sound resonating in your head so the pitch doesn’t drop.

Taisho RomanticismYOASOBI

YOASOBI “Taisho Romance” Official Music Video

This is a digital single by the Japanese music duo YOASOBI, released on September 15, 2021.

It is said to be based on the novel Taisho Romance by NATSUMI.

The day after the song was released, a significantly revised and expanded edition of the original novel, titled Taisho Roman: YOASOBI “Taisho Roman” Original Novel, was published as a book.

Although YOASOBI’s singer ikura does not possess an extraordinarily superhuman high-tone voice, she masterfully switches between various vocal techniques to express and deliver a song with a very wide range.

Some people may think that falsetto (head voice) is merely an escape for those who can’t hit high notes in chest voice, but that’s absolutely not the case! Accurately switching registers and singing smoothly is extremely difficult.

In that sense, this song showcases Ayase’s high level of vocal skill and expressive power.

If you’re confident in your singing, definitely give it a try! And of course, if you can sing all the high parts entirely in chest voice, challenging yourself to do so might be fun as well!

Who am I?TK from Ling tosite sigure

TK from Ling tosite sigure 'Daregawe' Music Video (TV anime 'My Hero Academia' Season 7 opening theme song)

TK, the frontman of Ling tosite sigure, has also found success as a solo artist, producing numerous hit songs since the 2010s.

Among his works, the one I especially recommend as a challenging high-register piece is Dare ga Tame.

This song maintains a high pitch from start to finish.

Depending on the singer, it may feel like you’re constantly pushing the limits of your chest voice.

Some people might even get a headache, so please be careful when singing it.

PINK BLOODHikaru Utada

Hikaru Utada 'PINK BLOOD'

This is a digital-only single by Hikaru Utada, released on June 2, 2021.

It was selected as the opening theme for the NHK E-TV anime “To Your Eternity.” Apparently, this is the first time Utada has handled a theme song for an anime.

Genre-wise, it falls under what’s called “alternative R&B,” featuring a distinctly floating, jazzy melody and a sinking, immersive beat that make for a very striking track.

When I first listened to it, my impression was, “It’s quite difficult to grasp the rhythm—or rather, the beat—of this song.” Utada’s vocal ability and her soft, gentle expressiveness in the high register are well-known, and they’re on full display here.

However, I think the most important thing when singing this song is first to firmly understand the rhythm of the backing track (karaoke) and lock into the beat before singing.

It’s a pretty high-bar choice for karaoke, but I’d love to see women who are confident in their singing give it a try.

Excessive synchronicityYU-KI

YUKI 'Excessive Synchronicity'

A single by YUKI, the singer from JUDY AND MARY, released in February 2019.

As you’d expect from YUKI, who’s been popular since the JUDY AND MARY days for her distinctive high-tone voice, that high register is alive and well in this song too! It’s an excellent choice for women with higher voices to sing at karaoke.

Be sure to pay close attention so the rhythm doesn’t tangle in the slightly fast-paced A-melody section.

Also, since YUKI’s own singing style is quite distinctive, another key point is to avoid turning it into an impersonation.

That said, it’s probably a fun song even if you do sing it like an impression, haha.