Top 10 American Singers Who Performed Songs in Other Languages

MsMojo

From heartfelt ballads to vibrant Latin rhythms, some American singers have amazed fans by performing beautifully in languages beyond English. Discover the captivating talents of iconic artists who embraced Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, and more, showcasing their versatility and connection to diverse cultures. Their linguistic flair adds a rich layer to their already impressive musical legacies.

Transcript

00:00Welcome to Ms. Mojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the best American singers

00:11who sound great in other languages, not just English.

00:22Number 10. Linda Ronstadt. This award-winning singer has done it all. Country, pop, the great

00:28American songbook, light opera, and of course, Latin music. Ronstadt was in fact of Mexican descent,

00:42with a Mexican-American father and a Mexican citizen mother. Her 1987 album Canciones de

00:47Mi Padre saw her singing Mexican folk songs, a feat that won her the Grammy for best Mexican

00:52slash Mexican-American album. Ronstadt also expanded to other Latin American standards

01:03and boleros. Her 1993 album Frenesi, which included the songs of famed Cuban composer Alberto Dominguez,

01:10among others, also won a Grammy. What a talent.

01:22Number 9. Beyoncé. Queen B's preternatural talent is apparent no matter the language.

01:27She released several Spanish-language versions of her songs, including 2007's Irreplaceable

01:32and listen, singing in very understandable Spanish.

01:48Classical music fans were charmed by her 2024 song Daughter, where Beyoncé sings a little

01:53bit of Caromio Ben, a popular Italian areata. At the Academy Awards in 2005, Beyoncé sang Voix sur ton

02:07chemin from the 2004 film Les Coristes. In 2017, Beyoncé featured in the remix of Mi Gente, singing in

02:14English and Spanish, donating the proceeds to hurricane relief funds from Mexico, Puerto Rico,

02:19and other Caribbean islands. Now that's queen behavior.

02:30Number 8. Nat King Cole.

02:39No list would be complete without the mention of this legendary crooner. By the time of his tragic

02:44death at 45, Nat King Cole had countless hit singles in even his own NBC variety series.

02:50With his velvety voice and flawless phrasing, Cole even branched out into the Latin American standards.

02:56His 1958 album Cole Español has Cole singing in very charmingly accented Spanish,

03:01with excellent arrangements by Nelson Riddle of Frank Sinatra fame.

03:05Cole also sang in Portuguese for the 1959 album A Mis Amigos, including Náutenho Lágrimas,

03:18known as Come to the Mardi Gras in English.

03:27Cole is king indeed.

03:29Number 7. Barbra Streisand.

03:31Speaking of award-winning singers, here comes Barbra Streisand singing in French.

03:42Her 1966 album Je M'appelle Barbra sees Streisand tackling the works of Gilbert Bécaud,

03:48Michel Legrand, and Charles Dumont.

03:50Switching effortlessly between French and English, Streisand's meteoric voice switches

04:01from slow, ponderous ballad arrangements to high-spirited, big-band ones.

04:05These arrangements were done by none other than Michel Legrand himself with Ray Ellis.

04:09The album peaked at number 5 on the Billboard 200 and became certified gold in 2002.

04:14Streisand also recorded some of her songs in various languages, including her hit Evergreen in Spanish.

04:21We love to see it!

04:33Number 6. Connie Francis.

04:36This underrated Italian-American diva has sung in all the languages.

04:40And we do mean all.

04:42English and Italian are a given.

04:44But Francis has also sung in Neapolitan, Spanish, French, German, Japanese.

04:49There are more to be sure.

04:50Like Nana Muscuri and Caterina Valente,

05:06Francis' powerfully melodic voice makes her sound good in almost every language she's tried.

05:11Her rendition of Ernesto Lecuona's Malagueña is particularly impressive in its soaring passion.

05:16In later 2025, her 1962 hit Pretty Little Baby became viral on TikTok.

05:37And its various other versions have resurfaced.

05:40Shortly afterward, though, Francis passed away due to complications with pneumonia.

05:50At least the world has a new appreciation of her talent.

05:54Number 5. Marvin Gaye.

05:56This R&B legend sings with just as much soul in other languages as in English.

06:00Gaye rose to prominence in the 60s, with iconic hits such as Let's Get It On and Sexual Healing.

06:05He even recorded a German-language version of his 1964 Motown hit, How Sweet It Is To Be Loved By You,

06:17as well as Sympathica.

06:25When he toured Europe in 1980, he ended up succeeding in international charts, especially the UK.

06:38Gaye was posthumously awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award for his work.

06:42This is the Prince of Soul, alright.

06:43Number 4. Lady Gaga.

06:53This extravagant pop diva has already flexed her multilingual skills in hits such as Bad Romance,

06:58sprinkling in some choice French.

07:00In 2016, Gaga sang La Vie en Rose entirely in French for Tony Bennett's 90th birthday concert.

07:23She also performed in French during the 2024 Olympics in Paris.

07:27Gaga has also continued mixing English in other languages in her music, including Shiza and Americano.

07:48For Pablo Beltrán Ruiz's Quien Será, known in English as Sway,

07:53she sang a verse in Spanish in a lively Latin arrangement,

07:56though obviously taking a leaf out of Rosemary Clooney's book.

07:59Other dancers may be on the floor, but our eyes see only Gaga.

08:04Number 3. Christina Aguilera.

08:06This pop diva is best known for hits such as What a Girl Wants,

08:09and Lady Marmalade.

08:17She did, however, embrace her Ecuadorian roots for her Spanish album from 2000,

08:27Mi Reflejo, spending 19 weeks on the Billboard Top Latin Albums and Latin Pop Albums charts.

08:33Notable tracks include the famous bolero Contigo en la Distancia,

08:37and a Spanish-language version of Reflection from Disney's Mulan.

08:51Aguilera has gone on to sing with other multilingual singers,

08:54including with Andrea Bocelli in his interpretation of Armando Manzanero's Somos Novios.

09:00It is impossible not to appreciate these multilingual skills.

09:03Number 2. Gloria Estefan.

09:05This Cuban-born singer first came on to the dance scene with the catchy conga.

09:16Estefan, of course, is fantastic in her native Spanish,

09:19but she has since sung in other languages, including English, Portuguese, Italian, and French.

09:25Estefan is particularly impressive in Antonio Carlos Jobim's

09:29Eu Sei Que Vou Te Amar in the original Portuguese and its French version.

09:35Sometimes, Estefan does three languages in one song,

09:42such as in Charlie Chaplin's Smile.

09:49And on her 2020 album Brazil 305,

09:54Estefan tackles Brazilian rhythms in samba, sung in English and Spanish.

09:58What a flex!

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10:17Of course, no pop singer can beat crossover singers when it comes to singing in multiple languages.

10:27Groban not only excels in his native English,

10:29but also handles Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, and French like the pro he undoubtedly is.

10:35Groban even sings Latin classical selections like Schubert's Ave Maria,

10:39and a musical setting of Panis Angelicus.

10:48Groban's silky smooth voice and great range are especially suited for pop classical crossovers,

10:53such as Nino Rota's love theme for The Godfather in Sicilian,

10:56and Le Temps des cathédrales from the musical Notre-Dame de Paris.

11:21From Latin to Latin America, Groban can do it all.

11:24We love to see it.

11:26What other American singer do you know to be a multilingual powerhouse?

11:37Let us know in the comments down below.

11:38Malaga!

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