23 Best Singers Like Amy Winehouse

Amy Winehouse is sadly one of the latest additions to the 27 Club, which includes the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Kurt Cobain, and Jim Morrison. This isn’t exactly news, of course, but it’s always unfortunate when popular artists pass at a young age.

That said, Winehouse’s DNA is still very much alive in the music of many singers. Here we explore the best singers like Amy Winehouse.

Sarah Vaughan

Amy Winehouse specifically referenced American jazz singer Sarah “The Divine One” Vaughan as one of her key influences.

With two Grammy awards and over 45 studio albums to her name, Vaughan was a prolific artist from the 1950s all the way to the 1980s.

Winehouse liked to slur her phrases more than just about anyone that came before her, but listening to her, you can’t help the notice the similarities between her voice and Vaughan’s, especially with respect to their dynamic, “under control” articulation.

Dinah Washington

As with Sarah Vaughan, Amy Winehouse says she was specifically influenced by Dinah Washington.

If Winehouse got her dynamic control and the lower register of her voice from Vaughan, then it seems to me she got the higher register from Washington. And it makes for a deadly combination, of that there is no doubt.

American singer and pianist Dinah “Queen of the Blues” Washington became one of the most popular black female artists in the 1950s. She was inducted into the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame in 1983, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993.

Macy Gray

Winehouse’s vocals have been compared to Macy Gray’s on multiple occasions, and when you listen to Gray, you can’t help but feel that connection.

Rather than being influenced by each other, however, it’s more like they arrived at the same point in their vocal styles via similar paths. Macy Gray considers Billie Holiday her primary influence, and spoiler alert, Holiday's name appears again later in this guide.

Gray is still very much active at 55, and she has won a Grammy to boot.

The Ronettes

Amy Winehouse was inspired by soul girl groups like The Ronettes, whose style she adopted and took on as her own. It may seem irrelevant to this discussion, but it’s not. Winehouse was very much an intentional product of The Ronettes.

So much so, in fact, that you will find some similarities in the singing style as well.

The Ronettes had six Top 40 hits, headlined a tour in 1964 where The Rolling Stones were opening for them, and opened for The Beatles on their 1966 tour.

Adele

If you hadn’t thought of this before, this comparison probably just blew your mind. Even if Adele doesn’t generally sing jazz, listen closely to that voice – it’s very much like that of Amy Winehouse’s smooth, smoky pipes.

Adele has even said if not for Amy Winehouse’s 2003 release, Frank, she would have never picked up the guitar.

At 35, Adele continues to fill a gap left by Winehouse, and she has already had an exceptional career in music.

Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga may have initially wowed audiences with her Halloween antics, but beneath the meat dress it is a thoroughly trained musician. From electronic, to pop, to jazz, to soft rock, and more, she has proved her versatility through various releases and collaborations too.

Lady Gaga was among one of many artists to pay tribute to Amy Winehouse, the ranks of which include U2, Bruno Mars, Nicki Minaj, Rihanna, Adele, and Kelly Clarkson, among others.

Lady Gaga even said Amy Winehouse paved the way for her success, making it possible for unconventional female acts to rise to the top in the music business.

Duffy

Welsh singer, songwriter, and actress Duffy is well-known for having a sound closely matched to that of Amy Winehouse's, and it has been suggested that Winehouse paved the way for her and Adele’s success in the U.S. as well.

Personal troubles have kept Duffy out of the limelight for quite some time, though she had a good run between 2003 and 2011, winning a Grammy and three Brit Awards. She did reemerge briefly in 2015, but her hiatus continues.

It doesn’t take more than one listen to know that the DNA of Winehouse (and her many influences) has been injected into Duffy’s music too.

Lily Allen

English singer-songwriter and actress Lily Allen originally got her start in 2001. Having released some of her vocal recordings on Myspace in 2005, she received airplay on BBC Radio 1, which led to a contract with Regal Recordings.

Allen and Winehouse should be considered peers and perhaps even competitors rather than influences on each other. Allen has publicly bashed Amy Winehouse, though she had a penchant for controversy early in her career.

Allen would later remark that she found Winehouse smart, witty, and funny.

Nina Simone

American singer, songwriter, and pianist Nina Simone recorded 40+ albums between 1958 and 1974 alone. Her career, however, would continue well into the early 2000s.

Simone’s skillful contralto voice does sound a bit like Winehouse’s lower register (although it’s clearly the other way around, since Simone came first).

Also noteworthy is Simone's piano playing, which is largely inspired by J.S. Bach.

Aretha Franklin

Look for the list of female artists Aretha “Queen of Soul” Franklin didn’t inspire, and it might be considerably shorter than the list of artists she did inspire, especially in the realms of soul, R&B, gospel, jazz, and pop.

Franklin was a powerhouse singer. 112 of her singles charted, she won 18 Grammy Awards, and she was even awarded the National Medal of Arts.

If you’d like to dive into her extensive catalog, “Ain’t No Way,” “Don’t Play That Song (You Lied),” “Call Me,” “Jump to It,” “Freeway of Love,” and “Who’s Zoomin’ Who” are some good places to start.

Etta James

Perhaps not as pronounced as Sarah Vaughan, Dinah Washington, or The Ronettes, Etta James was nevertheless an influence on Amy Winehouse, not to mention Adele, Joss Stone, Rita Ora, and others.

James won six Grammy Awards, 17 Blues Music Awards, and she was even inducted into the Rock and Roll, Grammy, and Blues Hall of Fame.

Some of her classic moments include “I’d Rather Go Blind,” “At Last,” “Stormy Weather,” “Fire,” and “All I Could Do Was Cry.”

Billie Holiday

American singer Billie Holiday had a huge influence on jazz and pop vocal styles to come. Her approach was inspired by jazz instrumentalists, and the result was a dynamic singing style, which played with phrasing and tempo. Frank Sinatra counted her as one of his key influences.

Winehouse may not have thought of Billie Holiday as one of her top influences, but if not for Holiday, her approach to singing may have been very different indeed.

Check out “I’ll Be Seeing You,” “Solitude,” “Blue Moon,” “Gloomy Sunday,” and “Strange Fruit.”

Joss Stone

English singer, songwriter, and actress Joss Stone found success with her 2003 multi-platinum debut release, The Soul Sessions. In her relatively short career, she has already won one Grammy Award, and two Brit Awards.

Joss Stone has a singing style all her own, but that doesn’t mean there’s zero connection between her and Winehouse, especially considering the blue-eyed soul association.

Stone was also friends with Winehouse, and says she wishes she had done more for her.

Whitney Houston

American singer and actress Whitney “The Voice” Houston is nearly incomparable. As one of the best-selling artists of all time, she won many multiple Grammy Awards, Billboard Music Awards, Emmy Awards, and even Guinness World Records. She was inducted into multiple Halls of Fame as well.

As a female singer growing up in the 80s and 90s, it’s almost impossible to not have been influenced by Whitney Houston. So, while Winehouse may not have patterned herself after Houston, she would have been aware of her.

Some essential Whitney moments include “I Have Nothing,” “I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me),” “Run to You,” “I Look to You,” and “Higher Love.”

Kate Bush

English singer, songwriter, producer, and dancer Kate Bush topped the UK Singles Chart in 1978 with “Wuthering Heights.” The song stayed at the top of the charts for four weeks.

She has since released 25 UK Top 40 singles, won 13 Brit Awards, and has also been nominated for three Grammy Awards.

Also see – “Babooshka,” “Running Up That Hill,” “This Woman’s Work,” “Cloudbusting,” “Army Dreamers,” and “Never Be Mine.”

Sade

Nigerian-born British singer Sade is quantifiably one of the most successful British female artists ever. Sade’s career has been marked with long hiatuses, with her (and her band’s) most prolific periods being the 80s. That said, this doesn’t seem to have hurt their career.

Sade has won a Grammy Award and has also been inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Besides the essential “Smooth Operator,” you may also enjoy “The Sweetest Taboo,” “Cherish the Day,” “No Ordinary Life,” “Like a Tattoo,” “By Your Side,” and “Your Love Is King.”

Erykah Badu

Erykah “Queen of Neo Soul” Badu initially found fame in the late 1990s. Her voice has often been compared to that of Billie Holiday’s. That could be why, in some ways, she sounds a lot more like Winehouse compared to several other singers referenced here.

You might enjoy checking out her “Didn’t Cha Know,” “Next Lifetime,” “Bag Lady,” “Tyrone,” “Love of My Life,” and “Yun.”

Fiona Apple

Fiona Apple would release five albums between 1996 to 2020, all reaching the top 20 on the U.S. Billboard 200. Apple has also won multiple Grammy Awards.

Have a listen to “Pure Imagination,” “Fast as You Can,” “I Want You to Love Me,” “Sleep to Dream,” “Never Is a Promise,” and “Across the Universe.”

Lana Del Rey

American singer-songwriter Lana Del Rey has been influenced by many, like Britney Spears, Lou Reed, Leonard Cohen, Courtney Love, and Eminem. She also counts Amy Winehouse as one of her key influences.

Her music often has a melodramatic, cinematic quality to it, and she has a unique command over her voice as well. With a three-plus octave range and the ability to go from emotive to girlish to jazzy at a moment’s notice, Del Rey is a unique and versatile vocalist.

In addition to “Summertime Sadness,” also see “Doin’ Time,” “Young and Beautiful,” “West Coast,” “Ride,” “Born to Die,” and “Sad Girl.”

Paloma Faith

It doesn’t take more than one listen to hear the similarities between Paloma Faith, Adele, Duffy, and Amy Winehouse. For Faith, the slurring of every phrase is on demand, and her vocal range is comparable too.

Said Faith counts Etta James and Billie Holiday among her top influences – no surprises there.

Check out “Lullaby,” “Never Tear Us Apart,” “Guilty,” “Better Than This,” and “Picking Up the Pieces.”

Alicia Keys

American singer-songwriter and classically trained pianist Alicia Keys cites many of the singers already referenced here as influences – Whitney Houston, Sade, Aretha Franklin, and Nina Samone. If you’re getting Amy Winehouse vibes from her, that could be why.

Nelly Furtado

Canadian singer and songwriter Nelly Furtado hasn’t exactly been a part of the mainstream landscape in recent years, but she is one of the most successful Canadian artists of all time and she has won a Grammy, among an array of other awards.

Furtado has been influenced by a wide range of artists, including Ani DiFranco, Mariah Carey, Oasis, Radiohead, U2, and Beck, among others.

The somewhat nasal quality of her voice might remind you a bit of Amy Winehouse.

Christina Aguilera

Squint really hard and Christina “Voice of a Generation” Aguilera will start to look a little like Amy Winehouse.

The connection might not run a whole lot deeper than that (aside from the occasional overlap in fashion style), but we all know what Aguilera is capable of as a singer, and if she were to do an Amy Winehouse tribute, we all know she would pull it off with flare and style.

For a trip down memory lane, see “Genie in a Bottle,” “Beautiful,” “Candyman,” “Dirrty,” and “Can’t Hold Us Down.”

Singers Like Amy Winehouse, Final Thoughts

So, if you love Amy Winehouse, we hope you enjoyed this guide too. And we also hope you found some other great singers to follow.