Vocal Points: When Two Voices Become One

posted in: Country • Features

Lady Antebellum has a spark. There’s something about the way that Hillary Scott’s clear voice meshes with fellow lead vocalist Charles Kelley’s rougher tones. The way that the two of them sing, weaving their voices back and forth to tell a story, combined with the way that these two powerful voices can give and take seamlessly is so special. The combination of their voices creates an effect which evokes double the emotion, showcases double the talent and makes for an all-around great listen.

There have been many country acts who use both male and female vocals to add variety to their sound, but few have been able to mesh the voices as successfully and as consistently as Lady Antebellum. Many artists choose to create a solo album and then feature duets with other singers, for example Jason Aldean, who collaborated with Kelly Clarkson for a track on his album My Kinda Party, or Brad Paisley‘s duet “Remind Me” with Carrie Underwood. But it is truly remarkable that every song by Antebellum utilizes both Kelley’s and Scott’s voices to their full potential.

Although less well-known than Lady Antebellum, The Civil Wars”an alternative country/folk duo”also blends the voices of two singers (Joy Williams and John Paul White) into every song. Both Lady Antebellum and The Civil Wars feature voices that could easily stand alone, but together create something much more magical. Because these singers are equally incredible at harmonizing and keeping a balance where neither is over-powering, they can create a sound which is phenomenal.

Sugarland is an yet another example of a successful country duo who uses both male and female vocalists. However, unlike the equal split in Lady A, Sugarland chooses to feature Jennifer Nettles’s strong and unmistakable voice as the lead and Kristian Bush as the back up vocals. This set up is pretty typical for a male/female voice collaboration, since there tends to be one voice which is more distinct or works better as lead. In addition, drawing a clear line between the leader and follower makes it easier for one member to match vowel sounds, phrasing and cutoffs.

Either way, there has to be chemistry between the male and female singers for a song to work. Each singer needs to pull his or her own weight, while still being able to help showcase all the talent of his or her partner. A singer in a duo has twice the work that a solo singer has. Not only does the singer have to know the ins and outs of his own voice, he or she needs to be very familiar with their partner’s voice. For Thompson Square, the vocal chemistry comes from the fact that the male and female leads, Keifer and Shawna Thompson, are married. But for duos without the romantic spark, the connection must be just as easy and flawless.