vocalist

American  

[voh-kuh-list] / ˈvoʊ kə lɪst /

noun

1. a singer.

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vocalist British  

/ ˈvəʊkəlɪst /

noun

1. a singer, esp one who regularly appears with a jazz band or pop group

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Etymology

Origin of vocalist

First recorded in 1605–15; vocal + -ist

Example Sentences

The vocalist credited his love for Boston’s original frontman Brad Delp and his desire to sing along with him on the radio for helping to develop his own singing voice.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 9, 2026

"Siembra," released in 1978 with vocalist Ruben Blades, addressed social issues faced by the growing Latino community in the United States.

From Barron's • Feb. 21, 2026

Spoken-word post-punk works best when the band surrounding the vocalist has an acute feel for melody—without a singer dispensing catchy musical phrases, the instrumentalists have to pick up the slack.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 6, 2026

During the chorus of their 1988 music video for “A Little Respect,” composer Vince Clarke hands vocalist Andy Bell a tiny printout of the word “RESPECT.”

From Salon • Dec. 31, 2025

As Dinah Washington was leaving with some friends, I overheard someone say she was on her way to the Savoy Ballroom where Lionel Hampton was appearing that night—she was then Hamp’s vocalist.

From "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey