You probably know her as Black Widow or that raspy, sentient operating system in Her. But for a weird, hazy window in the late 2000s, Scarlett Johansson was arguably the most interesting "indie" singer on the planet. I'm not talking about the polished, over-produced pop crossover you'd expect from a Marvel star. Honestly, it was much weirder than that.
She didn't just release a few singles to boost her brand. She dove headfirst into the avant-garde. We're talking Tom Waits covers, collaborations with David Bowie, and a full-blown folk-rock partnership with Pete Yorn that actually earned a gold certification in France.
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If you’ve only ever heard her sing "Set It All Free" in a kids' movie, you’ve barely scratched the surface of the Scarlett Johansson songs that define her actual discography.
The Tom Waits Gamble: Anywhere I Lay My Head
In 2008, Scarlett dropped Anywhere I Lay My Head. It was a choice. Instead of a safe Top 40 debut, she released an album of ten Tom Waits covers and one original track. This wasn't some karaoke project. She teamed up with Dave Sitek from TV on the Radio—a guy known for "art-rock" walls of sound—to create something that felt like a fever dream in a carnival.
The reviews? They were all over the place. Spin basically said she couldn't sing. Uncut called it "ghostly magic."
The Bowie Connection
One fact people often miss: David Bowie actually provides backing vocals on two tracks, "Falling Down" and "Fannin Street." Bowie himself was a fan of her voice, describing it as "mystical" and "otherworldly."
Here is what that album actually sounds like:
- "Falling Down": The lead single. It’s got this heavy, lethargic beat that feels like walking through molasses.
- "I Don't Want to Grow Up": Originally a gritty, punk-adjacent Waits tune, Sitek and Johansson turned it into a thumpy, 80s-inspired synth-pop track.
- "I Wish I Was in New Orleans": This one is haunting. It’s stripped back to a music box melody, letting her deep, "haptic" voice (as critics call it) really shine.
It’s an album that sounds better at 2:00 AM than on a morning commute. It's moody. It's thick with reverb. It's definitely not "Hollywood."
The Pete Yorn Era: Relator and Break Up
A year after the Tom Waits experiment, Scarlett pivoted. She teamed up with indie-rocker Pete Yorn for a collaborative album called Break Up. If Anywhere I Lay My Head was a dark forest, Break Up was a sunny, albeit dysfunctional, road trip through the 60s.
They were channeling Serge Gainsbourg and Brigitte Bardot. Total vintage vibes.
The standout track here is "Relator." It’s catchy, fast, and light—the polar opposite of her debut. They eventually followed this up nearly a decade later with the Apart EP in 2018, proving their musical chemistry wasn't just a one-off fluke.
Scarlett Johansson Songs in Film: From Sing to The Jungle Book
Most people today find her music through her movie roles. It makes sense. Her voice is a literal instrument in films like Sing, where she plays Ash, a punk-rock porcupine.
The song "Set It All Free" has become a massive hit, far outpacing her indie work in terms of raw numbers. It’s an empowering anthem, and it shows a vocal range she rarely used in her solo career. She can actually belt when the role calls for it.
The Sound of Sinister
Then there’s The Jungle Book (2016). Her cover of "Trust in Me" is genuinely creepy. She uses that signature "vocal fry"—that low, gravelly resonance—to make the character of Kaa feel dangerous. It’s a masterclass in how to use a specific vocal texture to build a character.
Why Does Her Voice Work?
Critics often debate if she's a "good" singer in the traditional sense. She’s a contralto. Her voice is low, smoky, and lacks the acrobatic runs of a pop diva. But that’s the point.
Vocal teachers often point to her "vocal weight" and "resonance." She doesn't hide behind a high-pitched "feminized" sound. Instead, she leans into the rasp. It’s what made her performance in Her so believable—you could hear the "body" in the voice even though there was no actress on screen.
Fact-Checking the Discography
If you're looking to build a playlist of her best work, don't miss these deep cuts:
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- "The Moon Song": From the Her soundtrack. She performed a version with Joaquin Phoenix that is incredibly intimate.
- "Last Goodbye": A Jeff Buckley cover she did for He’s Just Not That Into You. It’s remarkably faithful but with a female perspective.
- "Before My Time": From the documentary Chasing Ice. This song was actually nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song in 2013.
- "Bad Dreams": From her 2018 return with Pete Yorn. It’s got a modern indie-pop sheen that feels very different from their 2009 work.
The Verdict on Scarlett’s Music
Look, Scarlett Johansson isn't trying to be the next Taylor Swift. She never was. Her music career feels like an extension of her acting—she picks "roles" in songs that allow her to experiment with mood and texture.
Whether she’s singing a jazz standard like "Summertime" (which she did for the Unexpected Dreams charity album in 2006) or a U2 cover for Sing 2, she brings a specific, heavy-lidded atmosphere that most actors just can't replicate.
Actionable Insight for Fans
If you want to experience the "real" musical side of her, start with the Break Up album. It’s the most accessible entry point. From there, move to Anywhere I Lay My Head once you're ready for something more challenging. Most of her soundtrack work is available on Spotify and Apple Music, but those early indie vinyl presses are where the true "vibe" is hidden.
Next Steps for Your Playlist
- Check out "The Best Is Yet To Come": Her 2025 collaboration with Jeff Goldblum & The Mildred Snitzer Orchestra.
- Listen to the "Apart" EP: Especially "Iguana Bird," to see how her voice has matured since her 20s.
- Search for her Coachella 2007 performance: Where she joined The Jesus and Mary Chain on stage—a pivotal moment that showed her true indie roots.