Mezzo-Soprano
A mezzo-soprano is the middle-ranged female voice type. Mezzos are the second most common female voice type, but are not as common as many think. Mezzo-sopranos are not just lazy or underdeveloped sopranos, but women with a naturally lower tessitura and strong low range. Typical mezzos have stronger and richer voices than sopranos (not always though). Mezzos typically shine in their lows and mid belts. As contraltos are so rare, mezzo is most often the lowest female voice type you will see. Most every low voiced female is a mezzo, not contralto (eg. Adele, Miley Cyrus, Anastacia). The mezzo-soprano label is often given to chesty, weighty and/or dark sopranos- remember a true mezzo-soprano is defined by her lower tessitura. People also seem to believe that mezzos cannot belt well into the upper 5th octave and 6th octave. Anastacia, for example, is a mezzo-soprano who can belt up to a B5. There are also many mezzos who can sustain in the soprano range (P!nk, Beyonce, Miley Cyrus). Being a mezzo does not limit ones range, it just defines their tessitura. Some famous mezzo-sopranos include: Lady Gaga, Sara Bareilles, Adele and Beyonce. The mezzo fach has far less sub types than sopranos, they include:
Coloratura Mezzo-Soprano
Lyric Mezzo-Soprano
Dramatic Mezzo-Soprano
Note: There is no spinto mezzo-soprano, full/light-lyric mezzo and lyric/dramatic coloratura mezzo.