Etta James
Etta James rose from rags to riches. Her mother gave birth to her when she was only 14 years old, and little Etta (who went by Jamesetta at the time) was raised in foster care. She began singing as a child at church, and it wasn’t long until people saw her potential.
During her decades-long career, James has released 29 studio albums, won three Grammys, been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and of course, gave us the dreamlike song “At Last.”
Alicia Keys
Alicia Keys is one of the most revered musicians of our time. She is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and philanthropist. She was trained to play the classical piano, started composing songs at the age of 12, and got her contract with Columbia records by age 15.
We could even say that she's a musical genius, but maybe we’re getting ahead of ourselves. What we can confirm is that Ms. Keys has an IQ of 154, which wasn't much of a surprise, given her musical achievements.
Annie Lennox
Sweet dreams are made of Annie Lennox's voice and people who say anything else are simply lying. Lennox is known as the lead singer in the band Eurythmics but she has a prolific career as a solo artist too.
She is greatly appreciated worldwide, but this England native is even more appreciated in her homeland. Who needs an Oscar and four Grammys when the late Queen Elizabeth herself asked that you come to perform at Buckingham Palace?
Beyoncé
Beyoncé Knowles did not gain her success overnight. She grew up in Texas where she lived with her parents. She was a student at a Performing Arts School, where she worked on her voice and other talents. It was there that she formed the beginnings of her girl group. She rose to fame in the 1990s as the lead singer of the ever-popular R&B girl group Destiny's Child.
Throughout her expansive career, Beyoncé has sold over 100 million records worldwide, making her one of the world's best-selling music artists. She currently has 24 Grammy Awards and holds the record for the most nominations received by a woman in the history of the award.
Madonna
Everyone knows Madonna. She has been revered in the music world as the Queen of Pop since the '80s. Her music has always pushed the boundaries of songwriting, film, and mainstream art. The reason behind her being so successful throughout the years is her ability to reinvent her music, and herself, every time.
Her work has inspired hundreds of musicians today. She has sold over 300 million records across the globe, which makes her the top-selling female recording performer of all time, as recorded by the Guinness World Records. Not only is she filthy rich and famous, but she also has a high IQ of 140. Well, at least according to her.