Sainkho Namtchylak

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Diamanda Galas

Shelley Hirsch (strong with this one the force is, Master Yoddel says)

Billie Holiday

Nina Hagen

Björk

Blixa Bargeld

Gry

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What do these people have in common? Besides the obvious fact that they're all women (yes, Blixa too). Oh, and they're all singers (yes, Blixa too). Well, apart from Billie Holiday, they're all pretty experimental and all of them - Billie included - have unique, memorable voices. Yes, they can be annoying sometimes, that's why I said memorable.

You know who else has a voice that makes my glasses break? Sainkho Namtchylak. Yep.

Says here Diamanda Galas has only a 3½ octave-range to brag about, whereas this woman has, like, 7. Seven! Chihuahuas are furibundly digging back to China, fetus jars just crack and burst, man!

She's into overtone chanting, which basically means that one of her is never enough. She talks to you with several different voices one on top of the other, simultaneously. Let's see, does she have kids?..............Hm, can't find anything, I'll take it as a good sign.

Anyway, she's Mongolian, she's 50something, she wasn't supposed to learn all these singing techniques when she was young, because back in her village only men were allowed to know them, in '97 she's been attacked by some mad Tuvinians and slipped into a coma for weeks, then came out of it, felt scared for a while, but then recovered and continued singing. You go, girl! Frida Kahlo would be proud.

Here's two songs. One that I like and one which demonstrates many of the above (except maybe the coma thing). OMG, which is which is which is which?

Sainkho Namtchylak - Who Stole The Sky



Sainkho Namtchylak - Lonely Soul