Juliette And The Licks

There seems to be a special musical buzz in the entertainment business at the moment reserved for screen actresses who are wanting to spread their wings in their career - and maybe earn some more money too. Whether it's Nickelodeon star Ariana Grande blowing everyone away with her stunning vocal range as she gears up to release her second album this summer, or indie favourite Jenny Lewis becoming ever more successful with her solo singing career after a good three years fronting a band, it appears that some actresses just can't resist testing their pipes in the recording studio. Even Hollywood sensation Scarlett Johansson dipped her toes in musical waters back in 2008 with her well-praised debut 'Anywhere I Lay My Head'.

While we're half expecting Keira Knightley to release a record any day now after singing on her latest drama 'Begin Again', we look at the film world's biggest female musical successes.

Jenny Lewis: Singer-songwriter Jenny Lewis this week released Voyager, her critically acclaimed third studio album. Although best known for her time fronting indie favourites, Rilo Kiley, music wasn't actually Lewis's first career choice, instead the Vegas native was intially known as an actress. Her early showbiz experience mainly consisted of TV roles, with small parts in the likes of 'Baywatch', 'Brooklyn Bridge' and 'The New Twilight Zone' in the 80s and early 90s as well as film stints on 'Troop Beverly Hills' and 'The Wizard'. Her last major acting venture came with 1995's black and white drama 'Don's Plum' alongside Leonardo DiCaprio and Tobey Maguire before she formed Rilo Kiley with then-boyfriend Blake Sennett.

Continue reading: Ariana, Zooey, J-Lo, Miley! When Actresses Become Songstresses