Anthology, Volume 18: Pop/Rock Uptempo (Women)

If you’ve been following our “Anthology” series, you know we’ve been featuring awesome contemporary musical theatre songs by genre: Story Songs, Dramatic Up-Tempo, Dramatic Ballad, Comedic Up-Tempo (Women), Comedic Up-Tempo (Men), Comedic Ballad (Women), Comedic Ballad (Men), Pop/Rock Uptempos (Men). Click on the corresponding link to check them out.

This week, we are highlighting five of our favorite pop/rock up-tempos for women. We’ve got songs for Legit and Belt Mezzos, High Belt Mix-ers, and even a couple of songs for teen girls. If you like hear something you like, you can buy the sheet music and download it right now. Just subscribe to ContemporaryMusicalTheatre.com!

The First Day Without You
Music by: Julia Meinwald
Lyrics by: Gordon Leary
Performed by: Krystina Alabado

It’s her first day without him and what does she do? Sing this awesome pop rock breakup song! Julia Meinwald & Gordon Leary’s fun and feisty song for a soprano with a good mix takes us through all the raw emotions of a breakup – from funny to poignant. It could easily be cut and would make a great 16 bar audition song.

Smile For Free
Music & Lyrics by: Anna Dagmar
Performed by: Anna Dagmar

We love Anna Dagmar’s singer songwriter vibe on this song. Her match of poetic storytelling and airy melody is mesmerizing.  It paints a beautiful picture of a greasy spoon diner in Brooklyn, a lovingly maternal short-order cook, and her husband, “the master of the chocolate egg-creams!” The vocal line on this song is so simple over Anna’s soul satisfying accompaniment. We promise this song will stay with you. We dare you to listen just once!

Just Because
Music & Lyrics by Jeff Blumenkrantz
Perfomed by: Gillian Goldberg

Jeff Blumenkrantz was commissioned to write this song to audition to be the composer of an upcoming musical. Though he didn’t end up getting the gig, luckily we still get the song! A great uptempo song for a teen girl, it’s filled with angst and gives a young performer a great opportunity to show their ability to build a character as well as show off some meaty mezzo belting.

Blue Horizon
Music by: Michael Kooman
Lyrics by: Christopher Dimond
Performed by: Elizabeth Stanley

From their show, Homemade Fusion, Michael Kooman and Christopher Dimond give us this driving pop rock song for a belt mezzo. There is something so satisfying about how the words ‘blue horizon’ are set the first few times they’re sung in this song. Instead of reaching up vocally, they made the “goal” for this character — the blue horizon — go down lower. To me this makes her choice to leave town so definitive and much more dramatic without being vocally taxing. And when she sings “moving on” at the end of the bridge it soars and opens up. Such a great well written pop rock song!

All My Devices
Music & Lyrics by: Stephanie Salzman
Performed by: Juliette Carbonnier, Mathew Gumley & Bailey Grey

Stephanie Salzman has written a real rock anthem to modern love. In her song, the character sings passionately about “all her devices:” “I love you iPhone so much, I feel connected. iPod, iTouch you and you touch me.” Complete with a rap section this could be is a great audition song for a young performer who wants to show off their rock chops.

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Visit www.contemporarymusicaltheatre.com for more information on over 180 contemporary musical theatre writers and 550+ songs, all searchable by voice and song type.