For years, people have been asking, can Johnny Depp sing? It seems like the actor can do it all, he’s starred in countless big blockbusters, he has a look that is memorable and unlike anyone else, and he even plays in a band that includes several famous rockstars.
Well, he’s a man with many talents—because Johnny Depp can sing. While his musical talent took the form of a garage band in his teens, it eventually evolved to include singing—in roles for films, in his current band, and even for charity events.
Johnny Depp can impress fans for a variety of reasons. While he wasn’t always sure of his singing abilities, his voice has certainly been well received in the movies he’s sung in and has earned him a new group of fans after he’s sung in his band.
A Musical Man
Johnny Depp has been involved with music for most of his life—even before he got his start in acting. In his teen years, Depp had dreams of becoming a rockstar. He was in a garage band after he dropped out of high school. His band, the Kids, was pretty successful, opening for big music names like the Talking Heads, Iggy Pop, and The Ramones.
Depp’s music career took a small detour after a chance trip to L.A. put him in touch with Nicolas Cage and his acting career began. Throughout the 80s and 90s, Depp played guitar in different bands and even played backup for big artists like Oasis and Marilyn Manson.
In 2015, along with Alice Cooper and Aerosmith’s Joe Perry, Depp started the band Hollywood Vampires.
Sweeney Todd
The 2007 film Sweeney Todd is where Johnny Depp got his first real taste of singing. The musical slasher film was directed by Tim Burton and was an adaptation of the award-winning 1979 musical of the same name.
Before Depp was cast for the role he had never sung a complete song in public before. The score was a complex one and it would certainly be a challenge—even for such a talented actor.
He had some experience singing backup vocals which certainly came in handy because his pitch was perfect in the film. He took a unique approach to preparing for the role because he didn’t seek the help of any voice teachers.
Viewing the songs as a new acting challenge, he worked terribly hard to prepare for the songs in Sweeney Todd. While some of the hardcore fans of the first Sweeney Todd could notice his inability to reach the highest notes, many critics and viewers alike were more than impressed with his singing.
Even more, Depp’s acting abilities played a role in the film’s songs and many viewers were blown away by the emotions conveyed in each song.
Heroes
Even more recently, Johnny Depp’s voice has made an appearance in another very special way. His supergroup Hollywood Vampires recently performed a cover of one of David Bowie’s top hits, “Heroes.”
Ironically forgetting that he had sung before in the film Sweeney Todd, Depp was convinced by band member Alice Cooper to do the singing for the song. Cooper’s encouragement worked and Depp agreed to cover the lyrics for the song.
Depp, a longtime friend of David Bowie, was the one who suggested that they cover the song. His emotional connection to his old friend also played a role in his decision to sing it. He knew him better than some of the other band members and it made more sense for him to cover the lyrics.
His performance of the song can show anyone, even those sceptical of his range of talents, that the actor and guitarist can certainly sing.
He Can Do it All
Well, there you have it. Johnny Depp can pretty much do anything. He’s not only one of the best actors alive today, but he’s also a very accomplished guitarist and vocalist, too. We’re hoping to be able to hear more of his voice in a new movie or song soon.