Become a Singer and get Heard

You think you have a voice that can put music into words and people will love to hear it? In that case a career of a professional singer might be just the right thing to you. But before you step into the world of entertainment or even contemplate about giving it a try, the first thing you need to know is the cut-throat competition that exists in the industry. Thousands of promising individuals are vying for a foothold in the music industry that brings money and fame, but it is only the best and the most perseverance who can hope for a success. But to make things more difficult, talent is never the only determining factor for success here, the use of the right opportunities and getting the proper exposure to decision makers are the other key factors in helping you become a successful singer.

A singer is an out and out performer, and so you must possess the confidence of performing in front of a huge audience, or during an audition for the world of entertainment. Remember performing arts will hardly give you a second chance. So, believe in your ability and know that you have the power to mesmerize people with your voice and quality, and it’s only then that you stand a chance for a success in the industry.

Being a good singer and being a famous singer are two completely different aspects. You must concentrate on your art and forget about the world, and hog the limelight with your sheer devotion to your art. A successful and famous singer needs to balance these aspects for their career to turn into a success. However, you should consistently work towards improving your art, if you seek to maintain your strong foothold in the music industry, as you can never be assured of incessant limelight despite your constant efforts.

Reaching as many people as possible is the secret of success in the industry, and now thanks to the Internet, gaining exposure for your talent has certainly become much easier. You can simply upload your music video on websites like YouTube, and if you are that good you can expect to reach thousands of music lovers not only from your country, but also to people from around the globe.

Reality music shows and talent hunt programs are also good platforms to showcase your singing ability. The winners of these contests are often offered lucrative offers that can set your singing career in motion.

Bennet Alliance, Gutterth, Redzone Entertainment are a few of the prominent U.S. record labels, while Universal Music and Code7Music Distribution belong to the U.K.. They accept unsolicited demos from promising singers and you can always send them your demos for FREE over the Internet for an automatic selection solely based on your quality of singing.

But whatever you do, as a performing artist, you not only need talent, but also perseverance and hard work. For as long as you wish to prosper your singing career, you must make great sacrifices. Without sacrifices, you stand a little chance of success despite your best effort and connections. 

How to Become a Famous Singer

1. Be determined and persistent. There's a lot of competition out there - thousands of people want the fame and fortune of a successful singing career. Most successful singers spend years working on their voices and playing low-paying gigs before they make it big. Don't lose sight of your goal, and resolve to be patient.

2. Conquer your fears. Contrary to what you might think, a lot of performers struggle with severe stage fright. If this is a problem for you, or if you're too hung up on getting the approval of others, find ways to confront your fears and increase your confidence. Sing in front of others often, whether it's in the car with friends or on a stage, and remember that others' opinions of you are not what are important - what matters is that you're working toward your dream.

3. Start with one good song that you sing great. Once you got that work on your next best song. Before you know it, you'll have a whole night covered, a gig of good stuff.

4. Breathe, breathe deep, more air than you will possibly ever need to do the song. Don't run out of breath or power.

5. If you don't write your own songs, pick good covers. A lot of singers don't write their own songs, and that's OK. Particularly when you're first starting out, you want people to pay more attention to the quality of your voice than the quality of your songwriting. Build up a "set list" of 10 to 15 covers you know you can really knock out of the park, and practice getting better at them.

6. Sing in public whenever possible. Book as many gigs as you can to get your voice out there - you never know who will be listening in the audience. Sing at private parties, county fairs, store openings, rodeos, sporting events, talent shows, karaoke nights, and anywhere else that will have you, paid or not. Even if you don't get spotted by a talent agent right away, you're practicing your stage presence and getting used to being in front of a crowd.

7. Start a YouTube channel. Some people have actually managed to become famous through posting videos of themselves singing on YouTube. (See Charice Pempengco, Austin Mahone, Greyson Chance and, most importantly, Justin Bieber.)

8. Become a publicity hound. Eat, breathe, and sleep attention. Look for photo ops. Speak up. Swipe up any chance to shake up the spotlight. Make yourself known.

9. Network. Be in the places where successful musicians/producers meet (clubs, dance halls) and act like you're part of the industry, even if they don't know who you are. Go to a city known for music (such as Nashville, Memphis, NYC, LA, New Orleans, Austin or Las Vegas) and mix it up with the local musicians.

10. Always show your best. When you're on-stage or networking with industry professionals, turn on the charm. Smile big, answer questions, and sing with enthusiasm, even if you're feeling terrible. Part of working in entertainment is being able to create an atmosphere of fun and energy, as if you're flipping a light switch.

11. Learn how to handle criticism. Hey, it happens - no matter how great you are, some people just won't like your voice. Even world-famous singers have people who dislike them. Only listen to constructive criticism if it can actually help you improve your talent; otherwise, ignore it. Don't get into arguments or fights regarding your dreams, and walk away from any hecklers - odds are, they're just jealous.

12. Accept rejection and move on. It's not common knowledge, but a lot of great musical acts were turned down several times before signing to a label, including the Beatles. If someone doesn't want to work with you, it's his or her loss - move on to the next opportunity and keep your chin up.

13. Know how to recognize a scam. Once word gets out that you're interested in pursuing a musical career, you might find yourself being targeted by scammers with bad contracts. Keep these things in mind:

14. Consider joining forces with a band (optional). If you don't play an instrument, it might be wise to join a band that can provide instrumentation for you. Be aware, though, that once you're part of a band, you're honor-bound to share some level of your success - you can't pursue a career as selfishly as you would if you were a solo act. Weigh the pros and cons carefully before making a decision.

15.  Keep improving. Whether you keep taking vocal lessons or practice on your own, never stop trying to get better at singing. Practice as often as you can, and challenge yourself with new material. Doing this will help you feel confident that when you do get noticed, you'll be at your best.

Tips

•     Believe you can do it no matter what people say. Don't let anything get in your way.

•     Don't forget who you are inside and don't get caught up in the fame. You'll lose your real trust with friends.

•     Don't be afraid to ask for help. Whether it's singing advice from the big stars or song opinions from a fan, you'll never be famous or rich enough to not need help.

•     Don't forget about your personal life, such as your religion, your beliefs, your family, or your friends.

•     You don't necessarily need to be handsome or pretty as a singer, just be who you are.

•     People who are mean are probably jealous, or just love to see you squirm.

•     If you want to dress "shockingly" (i.e. Marilyn Manson, Lady Gaga) -- prepare yourself for honest, rude comments. When you feel good wear it in your own world. If you're not ready to wear something like that, consider being a little more pop, preppy or tween and remember always stay true to yourself. Don't just dress in a certain way thinking you'll get more fans. It has to mean something to you.

•     Take a look at the career of Tiny Tim, a singer's personal hero concerning this topic. If he can do it with what he had to work with, then say "No, I'll never quit." Tiny Tim made it because he never gave up. People laughed, but Tiny Tim got to do what he loved, with 1 part talent and the rest of the ingredients was doing it: trying and going for it: he became nationally famous as a kind of odd talent, and then actually died singing/on stage, in concert.

How to Be a Singer

1. Learn how to sing. This is the foundation of your career as a singer. While there are some performers making a career out of singing who don't really sing all that well (some is being nice), it's those people who have their craft as singers and continually improve their form and ability who command the most respect as singers.

2. Take voice lessons. Having a vocal coach can literally take you from a caterwauling cat to a controlled belter, if you give it enough time. If you practice consistently (and your coach is legitimate), you will notice marked vocal improvement within a few weeks. Not only is this important for the strength and overall quality of your voice, but you can also damage your voice if you aren't singing properly; having a vocal coach, in theory, prevents that.

3. Learn to read music. Sure, Fantasia couldn't even read a book, and she made it -- but hers is a rare story. If you plan on dealing with professionals, reading music is key to your success and your being taken seriously. So join the choir, take a class, and work on your music theory skills.

4. Study singers whom you admire. Singing isn't invention, it's innovation. How do your favorite performers sing? What are their signature styles? Don't think of it as copying them -- think of it as taking two or three things that they do well and expanding and combining them.

Developing as an Artist

1. Become comfortable as a performer. Singers might just be singers if only the radio existed, but in today's day and age, you've gotta be an entertainer to boot. When you're up on a stage, you've gotta reek of confidence so heavily your audience is practically glued to their seats. How do you get confident? Practice, practice practice. Get out there -- whenever you can, get out there.

2. Find your own style. Experiment with different ways of singing and different types of music. Find the one that fits your personality and makes the most of your voice at the same time. You want people to be able to recognize your voice when they hear it. If they can't, you might as well be someone else.

3. Write your own stuff. Start writing now -- you'll need to refine your song writing skills and this may take time. When you're ready to submit your work to producers and the like, you'll be able to sift through your best stuff, weeding out the not-so-stellar gems. And you will need your own songs.

4. Get your name out in your community. Everyone has to start somewhere and the easiest place to start is in your hometown. Even small towns have opportunities that can beef up your expertise. But the opportunities won't come to you; you'll have to create them.

5. Get connected! Start your career by uploading your stuff on YouTube. Ask friends to record your performances, too -- the higher the quality, the better. Create Twitter, MySpace music, and Facebook accounts promoting your singing as well. You need a good, in-the-know fan base so your first album will sell!

Taking it to the same level

1. Get a regular paying gig. This could mean a number of things -- joining a band, singing at your local cafe, performing on Broadway, on a cruise ship, or even recording a jingle for a commercial-- your goal is to make a living as a singer. Get to it! Start by checking out the local bands in your area by going to venues that offer entertainment. Hit up information boards and want ads for bands or venues looking for singers, back-up singers, and the like.

2. Buy equipment. First things first, you need a microphone. Second, you may benefit from investing in a PA system -- not all venues will have one and they'll tell you, "Yeah, we'll totally have you, if you can bring your own sound system." Don't lose the gig by not having one (renting one constantly isn't financially solvent). When you have your own stuff, you depend on no one else.

3. Make your demo CD. Hopefully by now you have enough contacts that you can find a studio with a decent rate and possibly score some acquaintances to work with on recording a few songs. This demo will prove eternally useful -- you can send it out to labels, add it to your internet portfolio, and pretty much just whip it out whenever anyone wants proof you're too legit to quit.

4. Get a manager. If you want to send your demo to prospective labels, you'll need a manager. The bigger ones don't accept "unsolicited content," i.e., music from average Joe without a manager. Technically, this can be anyone -- but the better yours is, the more gigs you'll probably get.

5. Send out your demo. This really isn't so much a step for you as for your manager. You'll be out there promoting yourself, selling merch, and pretty much nailing every gig you can get. Hopefully, the projects will start getting bigger and bigger. And then one day you'll get that phone call from Mr. Manager saying you're in! Huzzah.

6. Refine your look. Now that you're on the cusp of international fame, just who are you? After all, Lady Gaga wasn't always Lady Gaga. You don't need an alter-ego, but you do need a definitive look. Without a definitive look (and feel), you won't have a definitive audience.

7. Promote, promote, promote. When it comes to your career, there isn't much time for resting (apart from the fact that it won't seem like work!). Seek out every opportunity you can to turn a normal day into a moneymaker. And if you have to spend a night on a bus, so be it!