3 Hit Songs by Musicians Turned Actors

Pop culture is a funny thing. Sometimes when you’re so good at one aspect of entertainment, a doorway can open up to participate in another branch of the industry. Case in point: these three women here. Three female artists who were so good at singing, songwriting, and performing their charm allowed them into the world of acting.

Here below, we wanted to explore three songs from these artists. Songs that were so powerful that they helped thrust the gals behind them into life on television and in movies. Indeed, these are three hit songs by musicians turned actresses that will stick in your mind for good.

[RELATED: 3 Movies Every Madonna Fan Should See]

“Vogue” by Madonna from I’m Breathless (1990)

Released on the 1990 album I’m Breathless, which correlated with Madonna’s highly anticipated debut as the character Breathless in Dick Tracy, this song is one of the pop star’s most glamorous and famous. She just looks like a movie star, bejeweled, blonde, and perfectly held by the camera. Not only that but the music video for the song was directed by the soon-to-be-acclaimed movie director David Fincher (The Social Network, The Killer). All in all, Madonna was part pop star and part movie starlet.

“Poker Face” by Lady Gaga from The Fame (2008)

Lady Gaga rose to fame thanks to this song from her 2008 debut studio LP The Fame. And once she conquered the music world, garnering billions upon billions of streams, she has since been transitioning to the silver screen. And with mixed results. She was acclaimed in the latest rendition of the movie A Star is Born. But other films like House of Gucci and Joker: Folie à Deux have not led to the big box office she may have been looking for. However, whether it’s music or movies, she is certainly a big-time box office draw.

“U.N.I.T.Y.” by Queen Latifah from Black Reign (1993)

Queen Latifah can do it all. Not only was she a powerful presence in hip-hop in the late 1980s and early 1990s, but she has since become one of the most bankable television stars thanks to shows like Living Single and The Equalizer. She is charming and strong, savvy and relatable. And when it comes to music, she was bold and sharp-tongued. Her hit “U.N.I.T.Y.” has stood the test of time as one of the most memorable songs from its era, too.

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Photo by Rich Fury/Getty Images