Playback singer facts for kids
A playback singer is a person who sings songs for movies, but they don't appear on screen. Their singing is recorded beforehand. These recorded songs are then used in the movie's soundtrack.
When you watch a movie, the actors you see on screen often pretend to sing along to these pre-recorded songs. This is called lip-syncing. So, the voice you hear is the playback singer's, not the actor's.
Playback Singers in Movies
Playback singing is very popular in movies made in South Asia, like those from India and Pakistan. Many Indian and Pakistani movies usually have six or seven songs. In these countries, famous playback singers are often as well-known and respected as the movie stars themselves.
Most playback singers start by learning classical music. Two very important playback singers in South Asia are Mohammed Rafi and Ahmed Rushdi. They are known for their amazing voices and many hit songs.
Playback Singing in Hollywood
In Hollywood (the American movie industry), playback singing is not as common today because there are fewer musical movies. However, it was used more often in the past.
Here are some famous examples of playback singing in Hollywood:
- Marni Nixon sang for Natalie Wood in West Side Story. She also sang for Deborah Kerr in The King and I and for Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady.
- Bill Lee sang for John Kerr in South Pacific and for Christopher Plummer in The Sound of Music.
- Lindsay Ridgeway sang for Darla Dimple in the animated movie Cats Don't Dance.
- Claudia Brücken provided the singing voice for Erika Heynatz in L.A. Noire.
- Betty Noyes sang for Debbie Reynolds in the movie Singin' in the Rain. This movie actually has a big part of its story about playback singing!
Images for kids
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Indian playback singer Lata Mangeshkar recorded thousands of songs
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Pakistani playback singer Ahmed Rushdi performing live on stage in 1954
See also
In Spanish: Cantante de playback para niños
