The female voice. Nothing perhaps enjoys as much audiophile veneration than music that spotlights the feminine pipes. Here then is a sampling of WorldMusic divas that anyone who is serious about such heartfelt musical devotion to the more beautiful sex should make acquaintances with. If it's glorious voices you're after, this is the page for you.
Greece & Italy: Glykeria, Eleftheria Arvanitaki, Eleni Tsaligopoulou, Christiane Légrand
  • Glykeria and the Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra | Sony 89034 - A major home-coming event
  • Eleftheria Arvanitaki - The Bodies and the Knives | Polydor 314 527 059-2 - Stunning arrangements of traditional Armenian songs by Ara Dinkjian of NightArk
  • Eleni Tsaligopoulou - Live '98 | Sony /AKTH 491407-2 - George Dalaras' backup singer goes solo
  • Abed Azrié - Venessia | l'empreinte digitale13124 - A mystical suite to the goddess of Venice for female solo vocals, men's voices and instrumental ensemble

Portugal: Dulce Pontes, Cristina Branco, Misia, Mafalda Arnauth
  • Dulce Pontes - Lagrimas | BMG 74321 25787 2 - One of the best modern Fado albums ever recorded
  • Cristina Branco - Sensus | Universal 067 16802 - Achingly beautiful like a cool blue diamond with fire
  • Misia - Canto | Warner 2564-60895-5 - Sets to song and bowed string accompaniment some of the most famous melodies of Portuguese guitar legend Carlos Paredes
  • Mafalda Arnauth - Encantamento | Narada World 7243 5 84608 2 7 - Her US debut

Mexico, Venezuela, Brazil : Lila Downs, Lhasa, Maria Marquez, Alcione
  • Lila Downs - Tree of Life | Narada World 72438-49798-2-9 - This world-class singer became famous through her performance and appearance in the Frida Kahlo movie
  • Lhasa - La Llorona | Atlantic 83120-2 - Stunningly arranged modern ballads
  • Maria Marquéz - Eleven Love Stories/Once Cuentos de Amor | Palm Pictures LLC 2061-2 - Traditional Venezuelan boleros that haven't been sung in ages, now set to very sparse but thoroughly arresting arrangements; very slow, dreamy and seductive
  • Alcione - Ao Vivo | Indie Records/Universal 325912004172 - One of the biggest Sambista stars with a hugely powerful voice and stage presence - high-energy Carneval music in a live setting

Brazil, Cape Verde, Turkey, Kurdistan: Paula Morelenbaum, Cesaria Evora, Sezen Aksu, Aynur
  • Morelenbaum²/Sakamoto - Casa | Universal 325912003942 - The perfectly realized Brazilian Jazz album
  • Cesaria Evora - Miss Perfumado | Lusafrica 79540-2 - The album that made her famous
  • Sezen Aksu - Sarki Söylemek Lazim | DMC 8 697407 050848 - Turkey's super star in one of her best albums
  • Aynur - Keçe Kurdan | Kalan 293 - Powerful Kurdish melodies in modern ambiance

Russia, Uzbekistan: Sœur Marie Keyrouz, Irina Mihailova, Yulduz Usmanova, Sevara Nazarkhan
  • Sœur Marie Keyrouz - Chant Byzantin | Harmonia Mundi 901315 - Ethereal lithurgical songs
  • Irina Mikhailova - Russian Twilight | WellTempered Productions 5184 - Minimalist settings, haunting vocals, superior mastering; a true show-off album in other words
  • Yulduz Usmanova - Yulduz | DTM 912612-2 - One of the biggest stars in the EthnoPop arena
  • Sevara Nazarkhan - Yol Bolsin | RealWorld 7243 543206 20 - Plaintive vocals in modern ambiance compliments of crafty French arranger Hector Zazou

Israel, Egypt, Lebanon, India: Ofra Haza, Natacha Atlas, Warda, Najma
  • Ofra Haza - Kirya | Shanachie 64043 - Perhaps her best album
  • Natacha Atlas - Something Dangerous | Mantra 1035 - Her latest and an excellent introduction to this very modern singer of traditional Egyptian Shaabi
  • Warda | Metro Blue 7243 8 55649 2 5 - One of the Middle-East's greatest living voices
  • Najma - Ghazals | Nivako 001 - A modern Indian voice here captured singing traditional Indian love songs

Pakistan, Cuba, Africa: Abida Parveen, Bobi Cespédes, Angélique Kidjo, Khadja Nin
  • Abida Parveen - Visal | World Village 479010 - Sacred Sufi songs from Nusrat Ali Fateh Khan's alter ego
  • Bobi Cespédes - Rezos | Six Degrees 657036 1076-2 - Bona fide Yoruban priestess living in Oakland/CA, sings traditional and modern Cuban songs in very modern settings
  • Angélique Kidjo - Black Ivory Soul | Columbia 85799 - Her name is synonymous with AfroPop and rightly so - this album is part of a trilogy exploring the African/Brazilian/Peruvian connection
  • Khadja Nin - Ya | Mondo Melodia 186 810 062 2 - A female African Sting with monster soul

Australia, USA, Norway: Lisa Gerrard, Azam Ali, Deva Premal, Kari Bremnes
  • Lisa Gerrard & Pieter Bourke - Duality | 4AD 9 468512 - The sorceress from Dead Can Dance goes solo
  • Azam Ali - Portals of Grace | Narada World 72438-11390-2-8 - The voice of Vas in a new setting
  • Deva Premal - Love is Space | Prabhu Productions - The female polarity of Kirtan prince Jai Uttal
  • Kari Bremnes - Norwegian Moods | Kirkelig Kulturverksted 221 - The first English lyrics from this Diana Krall of Scandinavia

Listeners in the know will be shocked about what's missing from this list. If it had any ambitions of being complete, it'd be an outrage plain and simple. Alas, to get started it'll do just fine. On a personal acquaintance level, I'm admittedly weak on Brazil, Scandinavia, France and India and would love to learn more. Readers who consider themselves experts in any of these fields are herewith encouraged to submit names and album details of WorldMusic divas they consider vital for inclusion. This is a work in progress which, with your help, could easily grow into something far more colorful yet. Halleluja.

Mexico, Peru & Argentinia: Ana Gabriel, Susana Baca, Eva Ayllon and Mercedes Sosa
  • Ana Gabriel - Joyas de Dos Siglos | Sony CDZ 81678/2 - Mexican diva as recommended by reader Petri Mutanen of Finland
  • Susana Baca - Susana Baca | Luaka Bop 27 - Afro-Peruvan vocalist of quite legendary standing
  • Eva Ayllon - Eva! Leyenda Peruana | Times Square 9040 - Rather unknown to US audiences, this album introduces a fiery Peruvian vocalist who is revered elsewhere as a bona fide mega star
  • Mercedes Sosa - 30 Anos | Polygram 518 789 - First Lady of Argentinean Nueva Cancion in a "Best of" concert