It is a cold winter night in 1984. You are sitting in a car, the windshield is fogging up, and suddenly, those ethereal, icy synthesizer chords drift through the speakers. Then comes the voice. It’s soulful, slightly raspy, and carries a weight that feels like it’s pulling at the very fabric of your chest. Most people know the song instantly. But if you ask the average person who sang I Wanna Know What Love Is, they might hesitate. They know the sound, but do they know the man or the incredible ensemble that turned a rock power ballad into a spiritual experience?
The short answer is Foreigner. But that’s like saying "NASA went to the moon." It’s true, but it misses the names of the people in the rocket. The primary voice belongs to Lou Gramm, one of the most gifted vocalists in the history of melodic rock. However, this wasn't just a solo effort. It was a massive, cross-genre collision involving a British-American rock band, a New Jersey gospel choir, and a pop superstar who didn't even want her name on the credits.
The Man Behind the Microphone: Lou Gramm
Lou Gramm is the guy. If you’ve ever screamed "Juke Box Hero" or "Cold as Ice" in a karaoke bar, you’re chasing the ghost of Gramm’s incredible range. When Foreigner recorded "I Want to Know What Love Is" for their Agent Provocateur album, Gramm was at the absolute peak of his powers.
He didn't just sing the notes; he lived them. Mick Jones, the band’s founder and the song’s writer, has often talked about how the song came from a deeply personal, almost vulnerable place. He was going through a lot. He started writing it at 3 AM. He felt like he was being guided by something bigger than himself. When he brought it to Gramm, the challenge was to take a "rock" singer and make him sound like he was leading a Sunday morning service.
Gramm’s performance is a masterclass in restraint. He starts almost in a whisper, a lonely man asking a question to the universe. By the time the final chorus hits, he’s wailing against a wall of sound. It’s high. Really high. Gramm had this "tenor with bite" that few could replicate. Many people actually mistake the song for a solo artist track because it’s so vocal-centric, but it remains the crown jewel of the Foreigner discography.
The Secret Weapon: The New Jersey Mass Choir
You can’t talk about who sang I Wanna Know What Love Is without mentioning the gospel element. This is what separates it from every other cheesy 80s ballad. Mick Jones didn't want synthetic backing vocals. He wanted the real deal.
He ended up hiring the New Jersey Mass Choir.
Imagine these guys showing up to a professional recording studio to work with a bunch of long-haired rock stars. It was a culture clash that worked perfectly. The choir brought a raw, spiritual gravity to the track. When they come in on that second chorus, the song stops being a rock song and starts being an anthem. They recorded their parts at Right Track Recording in New York.
Legend has it that the atmosphere in the room was so heavy that people were actually crying during the session. It wasn't just "work." It was a moment. The choir's director, Alex Blake, and the singers weren't just background noise; they were the heartbeat of the song’s second half. They gave the lyrics—which are basically a prayer—the setting they deserved.
Jennifer Holliday’s Uncredited Contribution
Here is a bit of trivia that usually wins bar bets. Did you know a Broadway legend is buried in that mix? Jennifer Holliday, the powerhouse famous for Dreamgirls and "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going," contributed backing vocals.
👉 See also: Why we all live in the yellow submarine and why it still matters today
She was at the height of her fame and, for various contractual or personal reasons, she wasn't prominently featured as a "duet" partner, but her distinct, vibrato-heavy belt is woven into the tapestry of that finale. It’s one of those "if you know, you know" details that adds to the song's legendary status.
Why the Song Almost Didn't Happen
Bands are weird. When Mick Jones first played the demo for the rest of Foreigner, not everyone was thrilled. Rick Wills (bass) and Dennis Elliott (drums) were rock purists. They were used to "Hot Blooded." They were used to riffs. This song was a slow-burn, synth-heavy gospel track.
There was a genuine fear that they were "selling out" or moving too far away from their hard rock roots. But Jones was insistent. He knew he had something special. He even played it for Ahmet Ertegun, the legendary head of Atlantic Records. Ertegun reportedly sat in silence for a moment after hearing it and then told Jones it was a masterpiece. That was the green light they needed.
The Semantic Shift: Who Else Sang It?
Because the song is such a monolith, a lot of people associate the "singer" with the dozens of famous covers that have flooded the airwaves over the last forty years.
- Mariah Carey (2009): This is the version younger generations often think of first. Mariah took it to the top of the charts again. Her version is much more "R&B diva," leaning heavily into the gospel roots but adding those signature whistle notes.
- Wynonna Judd: She gave it a country-soul makeover that honestly fits the lyrics perfectly.
- Tina Arena: Her 1990s cover was a massive hit in Australia and Europe, often leading people in those regions to think she’s the original artist.
- The Cast of Rock of Ages: It’s a staple of musical theater now.
Even with all these covers, none of them quite capture the "lightning in a bottle" feel of the 1984 original. There’s a specific grit in Lou Gramm's voice that can't be manufactured by a pop star with perfect pitch.
The Technical Brilliance of the Recording
Let's get technical for a second, but not in a boring way. The song was produced by Mick Jones and Alex Sadkin. At the time, Sadkin was known for working with more "new wave" or "art-pop" acts like Duran Duran and Grace Jones. This is why the song sounds so much "cleaner" and more modern than other 1984 rock tracks.
The use of the Jupiter-8 synthesizer is what creates that iconic opening pad sound. It’s warm but eerie. They layered the vocals meticulously. If you listen closely with headphones, you can hear that there aren't just a few people singing—there’s a literal wall of human voices.
Then there’s the tempo. It’s slow. Very slow for a radio hit. It clocks in at about 80 beats per minute, which gives it that "dirge-like" quality that builds into a celebration. Most labels back then would have begged them to speed it up. Foreigner didn't. They let it breathe.
What Most People Get Wrong
The biggest misconception? That it’s a love song.
Read the lyrics again. "I've been traveling a lonely road / I feel the winter chill." This isn't a guy who found love. This is a guy who is desperate to understand what it even is. It’s a song about loneliness and the search for meaning, not a romantic celebration.
People play it at weddings all the time, which is kinda funny if you look at the lyrics. "I'm gonna take a little time / A little time to look around me." He’s looking for it! He hasn't found it yet.
Another mistake? Thinking Lou Gramm is British. Mick Jones is English, but Lou Gramm is from Rochester, New York. That "blue-eyed soul" sound he has is pure American heartland influence. He grew up listening to R&B and soul records, which is why he was able to stand his ground when singing alongside a full gospel choir.
The Legacy of the Voice
Sadly, Lou Gramm’s journey wasn't all platinum records. He struggled with health issues, including a brain tumor in the late 90s that affected his voice and his stamina. While he eventually returned to performing, the "I Want to Know What Love Is" era represents a peak of vocal athleticism that few humans ever reach.
When you listen to the track today, you’re hearing a moment in time where rock, pop, and gospel perfectly aligned.
Actionable Insights for Music Fans
If you want to truly appreciate the song beyond just hearing it on the radio, here is how to dive deeper:
- Listen to the "Extended Version": There is a 6-minute version of the song that allows the New Jersey Mass Choir to really shine in the outro. It’s much more powerful than the radio edit.
- Watch the Live 1985 Performances: Search for footage of the band performing this during their peak. Seeing Gramm hit those notes live, without the help of modern pitch correction, is a reminder of how good he actually was.
- Check out Lou Gramm’s Solo Work: If you love his voice on this track, listen to his song "Midnight Blue." It carries that same soulful rock energy.
- Compare the Covers: Put the Foreigner original, the Mariah Carey version, and the Wynonna Judd version in a playlist. Notice how the "soul" of the song changes depending on the background of the singer. It’s a masterclass in song interpretation.
Ultimately, the answer to who sang I Wanna Know What Love Is is Lou Gramm, backed by a legendary choir and a band that was brave enough to stop rocking for five minutes to touch something spiritual. It remains one of the few songs that can be played in a dive bar, a church, or a stadium, and feel completely at home in all of them.
To get the full experience, find the highest-quality audio version you can—skip the low-bitrate YouTube rips—and pay attention to the moment the choir kicks in at the 3:58 mark. That is the moment music history was made.