Singers across the world train for years so that they could develop powerful voices similar to Whitney Houston or Patti LaBelle. Yet, despite their numerous vocal exercises, they find themselves utterly overwhelmed by the massive lung power that their favourite artists pack into their famous performances.

Of course, the most important facet of any vocal performance isn’t power. Rather, the key concept that many singers fail to grasp is that a booming voice without direction is simply loud.

This week’s Way Back Wednesday depicts singers who demonstrate an incomparable mix of power and control. So, turn off those Jennifer Hudson and Christina Aguilera records because it’s time for truly skilled vocalists to teach you the fundamentals of belting!

Watch some of the most powerful voices of popular music in action below:

Aretha Franklin – ‘Spirit in the Dark’

Barbra Streisand – ‘A Piece of Sky’

Celine Dion – ‘All by Myself’

Mariah Carey – ‘Anytime You Need a Friend’

Michael Bolton – ‘When A Man Loves A Woman’

Patti LaBelle – ‘Forever Young’

Steve Perry (from Journey) – ‘Don’t Stop Believing’

Whitney Houston – ‘I Have Nothing’

When people criticise Christina Aguilera and Jennifer Hudson for yelling their songs, their fans get offended. However, what those people fail to realise is that their is a difference between being gifted  with a powerful voice and have the talent to apply it to music.

In her prime, Whitney Houston had a remarkably powerful with a rich tone and stunning clarity. Similarly, Aretha Franklin – in my opinion, the person with the most powerful of the last 50 years of recorded music – literally shook her audiences with thunderous belts and brilliant timing while Mariah Carey soared to the top of her range without strain.

Now, with that said, watch Jennifer Hudson and Jennifer Holiday scream ‘And I’m Telling You’ for six uninterrupted minutes below:

Thoughts?