Raise Your Voice Lyrics
Raise Your Voice
DELORIS:First rule of singin' -
Get the rafters ringin'!
Toss everything in -
dig down deep inside.
When you’ve got a song worth hearin'.
There’s one thing to do -
just keep your fear from interferin',
and let that sucker burst through!
Raise your voice!
Lift it up to heaven!
Raise your voice!
Come on, don’t be shy!
If you feel it, why conceal it’
Let your soul rejoice!
Raise the stakes!
Raise your game!
Raise your voice!
[Okay, now it’s your turn,
who’s gonna step up
and make some real noise’
Aah, now don’t be tryin’ to hide from me,
Mary Robert!]
Why so quiet’
Get right up and try it!
MARY ROBERT:
[It seems so disobedient -]
NUN:
[disrespectful -]
NUN:
[Loud!]
MARY PATRICK:`
[No, I hear what she’s saying ‘
it’s the word of the Lord,
why should we whisper it’]
DELORIS:
[Amen, sister!]
Don’tcha deny it
stand and sing with pride!
[Go girl!]
MARY PATRICK:
Ahh!
DELORIS:
[Bigger!]
MARY LEZIN:
Ahhhh!
DELORIS:
Brighter!
MARY ANTIOCH:
Ahhhhhh!
DELORIS
[Bolder!]
MARY WILIGIS:
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!
DELORIS:
[Better!]
If you want the world to listen,
stand up tall and proud.
Let ‘em know what they been missin’
and turn that volume up loud!
[Basses!]
BASS NUNS:
Ah!
DELORIS:
[Altos!]
ALTO NUNS:
Ah!
DELORIS:
[Sopranos!]
SOPRANO NUNS
AH!
DELORIS:
[Now together!]
ALL NUNS EXCEPT MARY ROBERTS:
Ah!
MARY PATRICK:
[Wowzers, did you hear that’
We actually sang!]
DELORIS:
[Yeah yeah, you sang four notes
for like three seconds.
And some of us weren’t even doin' that!
Ya gotta work it, ladies!
Pray it to the balcony!]
Raise your voice
push it to eleven.
MARY PATRICK
Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah!
NUNS:
Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah!
DELORIS:
Raise your voice!
Turn those speaker high!
MARY LAZARUS:
Do-re-me-fa-so-la-ti-do!
[Easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy]
DELORIS:
Don’t downplay it -
stand and say it
like you’ve got to choice!
MARY ROBERT:
... Ah’
DELORIS:
[No!]
Aaahhhhh!
[See’]
MARY ROBERT:
... Ah’
DELORIS:
[No!]
Aaahhhhh!
Raise your game!
Raise some hell!
ALL NUNS:
Raise your voice!
DELORIS:
[Ow wooo! OK, girls... lay some pious on me!]
MARY CECILIA/MARY EMERET:
Hallelujah!
MARY JOSEPHAT/MARY WILIGIS:
Hallelujah!
DELORIS:
[Again!]
MARY CECILIA/MARY EMERET:
Hallelujah!
MARY JOSEPHAT/MARY WILIGIS:
Hallelujah!
DELORIS
[Yeah!]
Now raise it up!
MARY CECILIA/MARY EMERET/MARY JOSEPHAT/MARY WILIGIS:
Hallelujah!
DELORIS:
Raise it up!
MARY CECILIA/MARY EMERET/MARY JOSEPHAT/MARY WILIGIS:
Hallelujah!
DELORIS:
Raise it up!
MARY CECILIA/MARY EMERET/MARY JOSEPHAT/MARY WILIGIS:
Hallelujah!
DELORIS:
[Where’s my girl’ Ah, there she is! Come on gimmie some Gloria!]
MARY ROBERT:
Gloria in excelsis Deo.
DELORIS:
[Er, God can’t hear you!]
MARY PATRICK:
Gloria in excelsis Deo!
DELORIS:
[Ha! Ha! Ha! Ok, now, you join in the third!]
MARY PATRICK/MARY ALBAN:
Gloria in excelsis Deo!
DELORIS:
[Uhhh, rock that Deo! Now, Mary Laz, can you pick things up without getting to winded’]
MARY LAZARUS:
[Winded’ Step back, sister!]
Ladamus Te!
Benedicimus Te!
Admoramus Te!
Glorificamus Te!
Ladamus Te!
DELORIS:
[Ok, girls join her!]
MARY LAZARUS:
Benedicimus Te!
Admoramus Te!
Glorificamus Te!
MARY PATRICK/NUNS:
Gloria in excelsis Deo.
MARY LAZARUS/NUNS:
Ladamus Te!
Benedicimus Te!
Admoramus Te!
Glorificamus Te!
DELORIS:
[Ok, now you girls stand up and join in!]
MARY LAZARUS/NUNS:
Ladamus Te! Benedicimus Te!
Admoramus Te! Glorificamus Te!
MARY PATRICK/NUNS:
Gloria in excelsis Deo.
MARY LAZARUS/NUNS:
Ladamus Te! (Hallelujah)
Benedicimus Te!
Admoramus Te! Glorificamus Te!
Ladamus Te! (Hallelujah)
Benedicimus Te!
Admoramus Te! Glorificamus Te!
DELORIS:
[Ok, the rest of your ladies! Hallelujah double time, let go!]
NUNS:
Hallelujah!
Hallelujah!
Hallelujah!
Hallelujah!
Hallelujah!
Hallelujah!
Hallelujah!
Hallelujah!
MARY PATRICK/NUNS:
Gloria in excelsis Deo.
MARY LAZARUS/NUNS:
Ladamus Te! (Hallelujah)
Benedicimus Te!
Admoramus Te! Glorificamus Te!
Ladamus Te! (Hallelujah)
Benedicimus Te!
Admoramus Te! Glorificamus Te!
DELORIS:
[Now that’s what I call a joyful noise!]
MARY ROBERT:
Tu Solus Dominus!
Tu Solus Altissimus!
Iesu Christe In Gloria Dei Patris!
DELORIS:
[Amen!]
NUNS:
Raise your voice!
DELORIS:
Get your mojo revvin’!
NUNS:
Raise your voice!
DELORIS:
Let your freak flag fly!
Don’tcha hide it!
Why not ride it
Like it’s God’s Rolls Royce!
NUNS:
Raise some heat!
Raise some Cain!
Raise it to a higher plane!
MARY PATRICK:
Raise a ruckus!
MARY LAZARUS:
Raise the devil!
MARY ROBERT/NUNS:
Raise it up! (Another level!)
Raise is up! (Raise is up!)
ALL:
Raise your voice!
Lift it up to heaven! (Lift it up to heaven)
Raise your voice!
Spread it cross the sky!
Blast it! Blare it!
Stand and share it!
Help the world rejoice!
Raise a sweat!
Raise a cheer!
Raise it to the stratosphere!
Raise your strength.
(Yeah)
Raise your spirit.
(Come on girls)
Raise it so the angels can hear it!
(Ow!)
Raise your heart.
Raise your soul.
DELORIS:
[You guys are gonna be Fabulous!]
ALL:
Riase your voice.
(Gloria in excelsis Deo)
Riase your voice.
(Gloria in excelsis Deo)
Riase your voice.
(Gloria in excelsis Deo)
Ladamus Te!
Benedicimus Te!
Admoramus Te!
Glorificamus Te!
Ladamus Te!
Benedicimus Te!
Admoramus Te!
Glorificamus Te!
Hallelujah.
Hallelujah.
Hallelujah.
Hallelujah.
Raise it... Raise it... Raise it up!
Raise your voice!
Song Overview
Song Credits
- Artist: Patina Miller
- Featured: Original London Cast of Sister Act
- Producer: Alan Menken
- Composer: Alan Menken
- Lyricist: Glenn Slater
- Orchestration: Doug Besterman
- Release Date: 2010
- Album: Sister Act (Original London Cast Recording)
- Genre: Musical, Pop
- Language: English, Latin
- Label: Musical Theatre
- Mood: Uplifting, Empowering, Celebratory
- Track: #9
- Length: Approx. 4–5 minutes
- Copyrights: © 2025 ML Genius Holdings, LLC
Song Meaning and Annotations
"Raise Your Voice" isn't just a rousing showstopper in the musical Sister Act — it's a sonic sermon on empowerment. Delivered with powerhouse vocals by Patina Miller in the role of Deloris Van Cartier, this track brings the gospel fire into the cloistered world of nuns, lighting it up like stained glass catching sunrise. It’s both a literal and metaphorical call to volume — spiritual, emotional, and personal.
Message & Themes
At its heart, the song is about courage and self-expression. From the very first rule of singing —
“Get the rafters ringin’! Toss everything in – Dig down deep inside”— the message is unmistakable: to be heard, you must first believe your voice matters.
This is not just about music. It's about identity. About voice as metaphor — especially for women in restrictive settings. Deloris isn’t just giving choir lessons; she's offering spiritual liberation through decibels. It echoes with biblical jubilation and modern-day boldness, urging:
“Raise your voice! Push it to eleven”— a cheeky nod to Spinal Tap’s iconic amplifier joke, but here, it’s gospel with attitude.
Symbolism and Language
The fusion of pop and sacred Latin phrases —
"Gloria in excelsis Deo" and "Ladamus Te! Benedicimus Te!"— grounds the song in its Catholic setting, yet transforms these traditional words into instruments of personal power.
This blend of ecclesiastical and contemporary language dramatizes the transformation of the convent. The lines:
"Raise your game! Raise some hell!"add a mischievous contradiction — using secular fire to stoke sacred flames.
Musical and Emotional Arc
The production is a slow burn to an explosion. Starting from timid notes — especially with Mary Robert’s shy falsetto — the song builds, layering harmonies, call-and-response, and a crescendo of choral euphoria. The progression mirrors the inner blossoming of each nun, from silence to defiant song.
Similar Songs
- "Defying Gravity" – Idina Menzel (from Wicked)
Both are power anthems sung by women breaking free from societal constraints. While Elphaba ascends — literally and figuratively — in defiance of expectation, Deloris lifts others around her through music. Musically bold and theatrically electric, both songs serve as transformative moments in their respective musicals. - "This Is Me" – Keala Settle (from The Greatest Showman)
Like "Raise Your Voice", this track is a call to embrace one's identity despite judgment. Both blend theatricality with modern pop structure, making them emotional rallying cries for self-acceptance. Each verse is a footstep toward the spotlight, each chorus a declaration. - "Joyful Joyful" – Lauryn Hill & cast (from Sister Act 2)
A direct spiritual and thematic cousin. Also set in a religious setting turned musical arena, this version of a hymn-turned-anthem uses hip-hop and gospel to revolutionize tradition. Both tracks are explosive collisions of sacred tradition and personal liberation.
Questions and Answers
- What is the central theme of "Raise Your Voice"?
- The song is a celebration of personal empowerment, self-expression, and communal transformation through music. It’s about finding your voice and using it unapologetically.
- Why is Latin used in the song?
- Latin phrases like "Gloria in excelsis Deo" root the song in its religious setting. Their repetition symbolizes the fusion of sacred tradition with modern empowerment.
- Who is the character singing it in the musical?
- Deloris Van Cartier, portrayed by Patina Miller, leads the number. She guides the timid nuns in discovering their voices, particularly Mary Robert, who has a transformative solo moment.
- What makes this a key moment in the musical?
- This is a pivotal scene where the nuns begin to transform from a silent, cloistered group into a joyful, vocal, and confident choir. It marks the first collective breakthrough.
- Is "Raise Your Voice" a solo or ensemble number?
- It starts as a solo with Deloris taking the lead, but it evolves into a full ensemble number, involving nearly every nun in the convent, emphasizing communal empowerment.
Fan and Media Reactions
"This is one of the most empowering numbers in musical theatre — every time I hear it, I feel like shouting from the rooftops!"– @StageLover92
"Patina Miller’s voice sends chills down my spine. The build-up, the climax... pure theatre magic!"– @BroadwayFanatic
"This song literally made me cry when Mary Robert finally belts. Such a beautiful character arc in a few minutes!"– @NunsInDisguise
"It’s like gospel met pop, shook hands, and did a cartwheel in a convent."– @MusicalBuzz
"They really made 'raise your voice' a battle cry — not just for singing, but for speaking your truth."– @FierceAndFaithful