Tag Archives: Singing career

Do I Have What It Takes?

So you want to be the next big thing, the singer everyone’s talking about. Or maybe you just want to improve your chances of being able to make a living doing what you love – singing. There are three basic areas where you will need to evaluate yourself and set some goals. They are musical ability, personality and opportunities.The first musical element to consider is Voice. Do you really have the range and kind of sound that your style of music calls for? If you have a pleasing folk sound and want to be an opera singer, then you have to ask yourself (and your teacher) if it’s possible for you to get from point A to point B. Quality of voice is very important for the classical singer, as is volume, since they generally sing without amplification. If you have a classical sound and want to sing heavy metal, we may have a problem.Do you have the truly special, one of a kind voice that gets noticed? It’s very possible that you sing jazz quite nicely, but if there isn’t something unique about your voice, you may have a strike against you. That’s okay, though. Forge ahead through the other  considerations. It may be that good-but-not-unique will work for you in the right place and time.

Another musical element is Musicality. It encompasses the shapes of phrases and the putting across of a style correctly, as well as Expressiveness, or the ability to act with your voice. Do people notice what you’re saying and feeling, or do they just notice your voice
(or mannerisms, or something else)? Do you touch them with your singing? There
are different ways to do this, depending on the musical style, but it is most important, of course, to the musical theater actor/singer.

What are the elements of personality that relate to making a career in performing? You must have a Presence which commands the stage, that says, “I’m the soloist and I really know what I’m doing. You don’t want to miss a thing I sing or do.” You also need a Look, especially in popular music. If you sing rock, it’s best to develop a “Notice me” style
that’s sort of outrageous. There’s the wild hair and the funky outfit to consider, and maybe a walk, a dance move or a pose. Which isn’t to say that a producer somewhere along the way won’t want to change it all. But at least you got noticed.

Opportunities may be the area you can influence the least. Boldness helps, as you will need to approach people and create your own opportunities. A Tough Skin and Persistence are essential, or you won’t go through with that 37th audition. Location is important, so you’d better be willing to move. If no one in your town likes the music you
are committed to doing, you may not get those all-important first gigs, which give you experience and connections. And if you’re not Willing to Travel, you limit your possibilities later on, when a tour would be just the thing to get your career charged up. A positive Attitude that’s easy to work with is one way to get someone to recommend you, and believe me, the people with hiring power do talk to each other. And hopefully you’ll have a lot of Luck, but there’s no way to know that at the beginning. Better plan on making your
own.