Amy Winehouse to Beyonce: Mel C chooses her top ten greatest female performers

From a great artist with a self-destructive streak that ultimately killed her at the age of 27, to a modern superstar who recently made the headlines with news of her pregnancy, here MEL C picks her most inspiring singers

Janis Joplin was a fantastic performer who really transformed on stage

1. JANIS JOPLIN

Janis had one of the most distinctive voices ever. It sounded like it came from the very depths of her soul, and could go from a whisper to a raw rasp. She was a fantastic performer who really transformed on stage. She suffered from low self-esteem and was very insecure by all accounts, but she came alive for an audience, and having performed myself I can understand how music gave her the freedom to express herself and become someone else. I love Piece Of My Heart, her breakthrough single, and Cry Baby has such a raw quality. People always focus on her sandpaper vocal, but she could sing very softly and soulfully.

2. ADELE

Adele's made it on talent alone, and for someone so young to express such depth of emotion is remarkable. Rolling In The Deep is an exceptional song and will become a staple

Adele has dominated this year with her album 21, and it’s wonderful to see a young British artist enjoy global success. The market is saturated with pop and sex right now, and to see an artist do well without any of that is so refreshing. She’s made it on talent alone, and for someone so young to express such depth of emotion is remarkable. Rolling In The Deep is an exceptional song and will become a staple. She sounds like she has lived so much, but sings effortlessly. And she’s so down to earth. She’s the polar opposite of an artist like Madonna: she doesn’t want a superstar image. I love that she rejected playing all the festivals because she wanted to spend summer with her mates. I wouldn’t have the courage to do that. She’ll be around for a long time.

Tina Turner (left) is exceptional in a way because her career really exploded when she was in her forties. Amy Winehouse (right) was a superb singer, with great timing, pitch and phrasing

3. TINA TURNER

You can’t have a list like this without Tina Turner. My mother sang in a tribute band called River Deep for a while, so I became incredibly familiar with her songs. Hers is an incredible story of female resilience, and to have a career for so long is inspirational. She’s exceptional in a way because her career really exploded when she was in her forties. She dominated the Eighties, and the album I always think of is Private Dancer with those fabulous legs on the cover and those massive singles. The one thing husband Ike did for her was to really push her voice and it went from strength to strength. It had such power and yet you could hear the pain, too. I saw her at Wembley in the late Nineties and the energy she demonstrated, strutting around the stage, was inspiring.

4. AMY WINEHOUSE

First and foremost Amy was a superb singer, with great timing, pitch and phrasing. Her style was rooted in jazz and soul, but she had a very contemporary way with a lyric. Because of the media attention these days, we’ve witnessed some of her sadder moments on stage, and that unfairly tarnishes someone who was a great performer. It’s incredibly sad to lose such a great artist. When you experience success quite early it can be a lot to deal with. You’re still finding out who you are as a person, and if you develop problems with drugs and drink it can become a downward spiral. As you get older you accept who you are, but I don’t think Amy had time to learn to cope.

5. BEYONCE

To sing and dance at the same time and do it in heels that big is awesome. Beyonce can do soul, R&B and hip-hop and she's always moving forward musically and prepared to push boundaries

I must confess I still haven’t seen Beyoncé live, which is a shame, but for me she’s the full package. She has a huge voice, a great set of songs, she looks great and she can really move. To sing and dance at the same time and do it in heels that big is awesome. She’s every inch the modern superstar and stands up next to any of the great soul singers of yesteryear. She can do soul, R&B and hip-hop and she’s always moving forward musically and prepared to push boundaries. It doesn’t hurt that her husband, rapper and actor Jay-Z, is so talented, either. That’s a real dream team.

Dusty Springfield (left) had a powerful soul voice for a Catholic girl from north London and didn't have to resort to tricks or screaming. Shirley Bassey (right) really lives a song as she performs it

6. DUSTY SPRINGFIELD

My music taste came from going through my mum’s vinyl collection, which is where I discovered Dusty, the ‘White Queen of Soul’. She had a powerful soul voice for a Catholic girl from north London and didn’t have to resort to tricks or screaming. I can reel off my favourite songs, but Dusty In Memphis stands up as a great album. I’ve been lucky enough to sing I Just Don’t Know What To Do With Myself and I Close My Eyes And Count To Ten, but I can’t touch her. Sadly, she suffered problems with drink and drugs brought on by depression. The Pet Shop Boys helped revive her career and it was great that more people realised what an icon she was before she died.

7. SHIRLEY BASSEY

Shirley seemed to be ever-present on TV variety shows when I was growing up and she left a huge impression on me. She’s almost impossible to compare to anyone else, with a powerful Welsh voice that can handle standards as well as pop hits, and she’s the ultimate Bond theme artist. You can’t think of her without hearing Goldfinger or Diamonds Are Forever. She is such a dramatic performer, too, with those big dresses and flourishing hand movements, and she really lives a song as she performs it. I was fortunate enough to share a bill with her at the concert for Mikhail Gorbachev at the Royal Albert Hall in March and she is one of those people you know has arrived the moment she enters the room. There’s a real aura about her. Shirley really walks the walk.

Annie Lennox (left) possesses such a truly huge voice. I love white soul voices and hers is one of the best. Madonna (right) did all the groundwork for artists like Lady Gaga. She's completely in control of her career

8. ANNIE LENNOX

I first came across Annie when she was in the Eurythmics. I loved her voice and the androgynous image she projected in those great Eighties videos. She’s a really beautiful woman, but she possesses such a truly huge voice. I love white soul voices and hers is one of the best. She’s a very strong character and a good role model for young women, especially where the music industry is concerned. When the Spice Girls were looking for a new manager, we chose Simon Fuller because he looked after her. I thought, ‘If he’s good enough for Annie, he’s good enough for me.’ We ended up meeting her, and she gave me a lot of good advice in those early days.

9. MADONNA

I go way back with Madonna. I remember being embarrassed by the lyrics to Like A Virgin as a child, but I was secretly blown away. She’s the artist who made me want to be a pop star, and as a kid I learnt all the songs and routines. She’s a performer who really pushed the boundaries. People compare Lady Gaga to Madonna, but while I have a lot of respect for Lady Gaga, Madonna did all the groundwork for artists like her. She’s completely in control of her career, has an amazing work ethic and pays real attention to every aspect of her image. Her videos have always been spectacular; her shows are massive events. I’ve seen her several times – the first was The Girlie Show in 1993. That was a really breathtaking show. If I had to pick one of her albums it would be Ray Of Light.

10. KT TUNSTALL

KT Tunstall's one of the few performers in this list who can strap on a guitar and stand there alone on stage and hold an audience's attention, and I have total respect for her because of that

I absolutely loved Eye To The Telescope when it came out and played it non-stop. KT is a smart, funny and clever artist, a really talented songwriter who has music coming out of every pore and a wonderful sexy, husky voice. She’s one of the few performers in this list who can strap on a guitar and stand there alone on stage and hold an audience’s attention, and I have total respect for her because of that. I’ve been lucky enough to get to know her, and she’s great fun. I went to her birthday party a couple of years ago. She had a band and she was encouraging people to stand up and sing, but I didn’t have the bottle to get up there. I think I needed a bit of Dutch courage, but I was a new mum at the time and completely sober.


Mel C’s single ‘Think About It’ and album ‘The Sea’ are out tomorrow. melaniec.net


Mel C picture byline: Picture Alliance/Photoshot