Mercedes Sosa

What is Mercedes Sosa’s vocal range?

Mercedes Sosa's vocal range is commonly cited as E3 to E5 — about 2.0 octaves, or 24 semitones, and is usually classified as contralto.

Dark chest-dominant contralto; little vibrato, plain declamation, weight on the vowel. That cited span is wider than 8% of the 357 voices in this library.

Signature song

Gracias a la Vida

Reading the numbers

• ·The span is 8 semitones short of the library median (32 semitones) — a compact working range.
• ·2 other voices here carry the identical cited range — at the resolution these figures are quoted in, those voices are indistinguishable on the chart.
• ·No separate full-voice ceiling is cited, so the figures describe a range worked largely in full voice across its 24 semitones.
• ·Ranked by bottom note, it is the 257th lowest of the 357 voices here; by top note, the 214th highest.

Commonly cited figures, not lab measurements — extreme notes are one-off recorded moments, not the singer’s everyday range.

• Judy GarlandContraltoF3–D#5
• Toni BraxtonContraltoA#2–A#5
• Etta JamesContraltoG#2–B5
• Fiona AppleContraltoC3–A5
• Mahalia JacksonContraltoE3–F5
• Grace SlickContraltoE3–D5