Top 10 Solos That Give You Goosebumps (Every. Single. Time.)
- Garry Anderson
- Jun 12
- 8 min read
Some songs make you tap your foot. Others make you cry.
And then there are those rare, magical solos that send shivers down your spine - the ones that build, break, and breathe in all the right places.
These aren't just impressive vocal moments - they're emotional explosions, powered by lyrics, timing, and that one unforgettable beat where everything stops.
Whether you're looking for your next audition piece or just chasing that perfect chill, here are 10 musical theatre solos that give you goosebumps every single time.
Let's turn the volume up and dive in.
Why Do These Solos Give You Goosebumps?
We all know the feeling: the air shifts, your arms tingle, and suddenly you're completely still - caught in that moment of music. But what actually causes that reaction?
Here's what makes a musical theatre solo give you goosebumps:
Emotional Truth
When a performer completely means what they're singing, it hits different. The vulnerability, the honesty - that's what creates the chill.
Musical Build
Goosebumps often arrive in the climax of a song - a key change, a soaring note, a sudden drop to silence. It's about tension and release, and the journey to get there.
Surprise or Contrast
A shift from soft to powerful. A still moment after chaos. A lyrics that suddenly cuts deep. These changes jolt the audience into feeling.
Connection
The best goosebump songs speak to something universal - grief, hope, identity, longing. You feel seen, even when the character's nothing like you.
Ready to relive some of those moments? Let's dive into 10 solos that deliver full-body chills.
The Top 10 Solos That Always Hit Hard
These are the songs that stop you in your tracks. The ones where a single note, pause, or lyric makes your heart skip and your skin prickle.
Whether it's raw grief, soaring hope, or that quiet moment of truth - these solos deliver chillds, every single time.
Even if you've heard them a hundred times before.
Let's count them down.
1) She Used to be Mine - Waitress
This is the modern goosebump solo. Sara Bareilles' heart-wrenching ballad from Waitress is a masterclass in emotional storytelling - raw, exposed, and devastatingly relatable.
Why it gives you goosebumps:
The build is everything. It starts soft, almost like a whisper - and slowly swells into a full-body cry for self-worth and lost identity. That final belt? Instant chills. Every. Time.
The moment to watch for:
"She's imperfect, but she tries..."
It's the emotional turning point, and when delivered honestly, it lands like a punch to the chest.
Performance tip:
Don't over sing it. The power is in the restraint. Let your voice crack. Let the lyrics lead. It's not about perfection - it's about truth.
Perfect for:
Mezzo-sopranos
Performers who lean into vulnerability
Solo showcases, emotional audition moments, or stripped-back cabaret sets
[Links]
2) Gethsemane - Jesus Christ Superstar
This isn't just a solo - it's a spiritual breakdown set to music. Gethsemane captures Jesus in his most human moment: desperate, angry, terrified, and completely alone. It's a raw explosion of faith, doubt, and surrender.
Why it gives you goosebumps:
The emotional journey is epic. It moves from stillness to anguish to acceptance, all within a few minutes. The soaring vocals at the climax - especially the sustained high notes - are literal spine-tinglers.
The moment to watch for:
"Why should I die?!"
That cry of confusion and fear, delivered with full force, hits hard - even when you know it's coming.
Performance tip:
Don't just treat this as a vocal challenge - it's a theatrical meltdown. Start grounded and let the emotion (and volume) build. It should feel like an unravelling.
Perfect for:
Tenors with power and stamina
Intense, emotionally fearless performers
Roles requiring vulnerability, control, and vocal daring
[Link]
3) I'll Cover You (Reprise) - Rent
This is one of the most unexpectedly heart-breaking solos in musical theatre. Following the death of Angel, I'll Cover You (Reprise) is sung by Collins at their funeral - a quiet love song transformed into a devastating elegy.
Why it gives you goosebumps:
It's the perfect collision of grief and love. Collins sings with so much ache and devotion that even the simplest lines hit hard. It doesn't need belting - it needs soul.
The moment to watch for:
"I can't believe you're gone..."
The line drops like a weight - heavy, raw, and utterly honest.
Performance tip:
Let the silence do the work. Don't rush. Let your voice shake. This isn't about perfect pitch - it's about showing what it feels like to love and lose.
Perfect for:
Baritones and tenors with emotional depth
Introspective, grounded performers
Anyone who wants to connect, not just impress
[Link]
4) With You - Ghost the Musical
Sometimes, the quietest songs cut the deepest. With You is a tender ballad of mourning, sung by Molly as she grieves Sam - the man she loves who's not only a ghost.
Why it fives you goosebumps:
It's heartbreak in its purest form. No theatrics, no belts - jump simple, honest melody and aching loss. The stillness of the song is its power.
The moment to watch for:
"You took my world away..."
It's so understated, but when sung with emotional clarity, that one line can shatter a room.
Performance tip:
Stay in the moment. This song doesn't want vibrato or volume - it wants truth. Sing it like you're saying goodbye to someone for real.
Perfect for:
Sopranos or mezzos with subtle control
Performers who excel in stillness and intimacy
Small stage settings or emotional audition pieces
5) Being Alive - Company
Stephen Sondheim's Being Alive is a slow-burn anthem of vulnerability and human connection. Sung by Bobby, a character who's spent most of the show emotionally detached, this song marks a turning point - raw, exposed, and hopeful.
Why it gives you goosebumps:
It's not a showy power ballad - it's an emotional realisation. As Bobby moves from cynicism to craving intimacy, every lyric feels earned. That final crescendo? Shivers.
The moment to watch for:
"Somebody hold me too close..."
It's the tipping point - where resistance turns into yearning. Honest, aching, and impossible not to feel.
Performance tip:
Don't start big. Let it build naturally - this is a character discovering what they want in real time. When you reach the climax, it should feel cathartic, not rehearsed.
Perfect for:
Baritones and high baritones
Mature performers ready to explore subtle emotional arcs
Final callbacks or solo showcases with depths
[Link]
6) No One Else - Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
From the first snow-dusted notes, No One Else feels like a dream. Natasha sings this ballad in a moment of pure romantic awe - it's light, fragile, and utterly enchanting.
Why it gives you goosebumps:
The music floats, then swells - and so does the emotion. The intimacy of the song makes it feel like a secret, whispered to the universe. It's magically melancholy.
The moment to watch for:
"And I see wonderful things..."
The quiet wonder in that line, when delivered with sincerity, can stop an audience breathing.
Performance tip:
Keep it light. Let the vibrato shimmer but don't over-sing it. The beauty of this piece lies in its delicacy - treat it like glass.
Perfect for:
Sopranos or mezzo-sopranos with floating high notes
Romantic roles or whimsical characters
Performers who can hold vulnerability with grace
[Link]
7) Waving Through a Window - Dear Evan Hansen
This anthem of isolation became an instant classic for a reason. Evan's solo is a gut-punch of anxiety, self-doubt, and desperate hope. It's modern, relatable, and emotionally charged from start to finish.
Why it gives you goosebumps:
It captures the invisible pain of being on the outside looking in - something nearly everyone has felt. The song builds until Evan's voice finally breaks free, and it's electric.
The moment to watch for:
"Will I ever be more than I've always been?"
A universal question - and when sung with raw honesty, it lands hard.
Performance tip:
Start small. Let the nerves show at first, and grow in confidence as the song progresses. When the high note hits, it should feel like release - not just volume.
Perfect for:
Tenors and baritenors
Auditionees looking to showcase emotional intensity and range
Anyone who wants to show vulnerability and control in equal measure
[Link]
8) I Am What I Am - La Cage Aux Folles
This is not just a camp anthem - it's a defiant declaration of self-worth and identity. Sung by Albin as he reclaims his dignity and place in the world, this song commands attention and leaves no room for apologies.
Why it gives you goosebumps:
It's powerful, proud, and unapologetically bold. The message hits deep - especially when delivered by a performer who really means it. It's an anthem of self-acceptance that still resonates decades after it was written.
The moment to watch for:
"It's my world that I want to have a little pride in..."
From that line on, the energy transforms from soft sadness to fierce empowerment.
Performance tip:
Let yourself live in both sides of the song - start with vulnerability, then rise like fire. Own every lyrics like it's written for you.
Perfect for:
Performers with big presence and vocal stamina
Baritones and belters who want to show both strength and soul
Auditions or showcases that welcome drama and boldness
[Link]
9) Bring Him Home - Les Misérables
Few songs in musical theatre are as reverent and emotionally pure as this prayer-like solo. Jean Valjean sings it in a moment of quiet desperation, asking for the safety of a boy he's come to love like a son.
Why it gives you goosebumps:
The simplicity. The stillness. The soaring falsetto that feels like it could break apart with emotion. Bring Him Home is about sacrifice, low, and faith - it strips everything back to the heart.
The moment to watch for:
"He's like the son I might have known..."
This line is often the emotional core - delivered sincerely, it devastates.
Performance tip:
Don't push. This song isn't about power - it's about restraint. Control your vibrato, use head voice or falsetto wisely, and let silence speak just as loudly as sound.
Perfect for:
Tenors with a strong falsetto
Mature performers who can hold emotional stillness
Any audition requiring deep sincerity and vocal finesse
[Link]
10) The Music That Makes Me Dance - Funny Girl
Often overshadowed by Don't Rain on My Parade, this stunning ballad is the hidden emotional peak of Funny Girl. It's a torch song filled with devotion, heartbreak, and quiet surrender - and when sung well, it's utterly breath taking.
Why it gives you goosebumps:
It's all in the longing. The orchestration is lush, the lyrics intimate, and the vocal line asks for total emotional surrender. There's a fragility here that makes it hit harder than the show's flashier numbers.
The moment to watch for:
"I know he's around when the sky and the ground start in ringing..."
That soft, haunting opening instantly sets the mood - the pain is already there.
Performance tip:
Focus on storytelling. This song isn't about volume; it's about letting the heartbreak live in every word. Don't be afraid to let your voice crack a little. It makes it real.
Perfect for:
Altos and mezzos with rich tone and storytelling skill
Performers looking to show maturity and quiet power
Auditions that favour classic or Golden Age material with emotional weight
[Link]
Final Thoughts
Goosebumps don't come from hitting high notes - they come from feeling them.
Each of these solos earns its place not just through vocal power, but through emotional honesty, character depth, and storytelling magic. Whether you're auditioning, performing, or just watching from the wings, these songs remind us why musical theatre moves us.
So if you're building your next setlist, preparing for a big moment, or just hunting for the perfect "wow" factor - let this list be your launchpad.
Now it's your turn:
Have a go-t goosebump song we missed?
Want help funding the right solo for you?
Drop your thoughts in the comments below.
Comments