Ever wonder how the world’s greatest singers keep their voices in top shape? Many of your favorite artists—from chart-topping pop stars to legendary icons—regularly work with vocal coaches to perfect their technique and maintain vocal health. In this article, we’ll reveal some famous singers who credit their success to vocal training and explain why working with a vocal coach could be the secret to unlocking your own singing potential—no matter your experience level.
As a singer, you know that you should work and prepare for performances. You cannot just “wing it” when you get up on stage to sing in any scenario. Your voice requires a lot of practice and time to ensure that you have the song down, including not just notes and keys but dynamics and movements. Mastering songs doesn’t come easy to anyone. Even those famous singers who make it look so effortless when they perform live on television have helped.
Behind almost every outstanding singer out there is a vocal coach. Voice lessons are essential to aspiring and even well-known singers. Singers who aspire to make singing their career must practice and perform as much as possible—there are countless others trying to succeed, so you need to find ways to differentiate yourself.
How do you do this? Of course, you can achieve this by working with a vocal coach.
Voice Lessons Are Important Because… Why exactly?
Therefore, why are voice lessons essential if you’re a singer?
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The importance of voice lessons lies in how effectively you want to present yourself. If you’re a singer who neglects warming up and practicing, you might believe voice lessons are unnecessary. Even the best singers need to know how to warm up and care for their voices. Most singers know that voice lessons are essential in their preparation.
The practice part is the MOST important for anyone preparing to sing, especially when singing live. And vocal coaches aren’t just in the star-studded city of LA. If you live in the New York City area, for example, you have multiple options for NYC singing & voice coaching lessons to help you prepare for a gig. If you think that it is just pure talent that helps you sing amazingly, you are mistaken. Almost every professional singer has a voice coach who helps them improve their singing.
Which famous singers use voice coaches? Let’s explore some and see how vocal coaches helped them perform better.
Lady Gaga
When Lady Gaga prepared for her Oscar’s performance last year, she was not just working with a vocal coach—she worked with a vocal coach EVERY DAY for 6 whole months! This shows that not only is she dedicated to her craft, but she is willing to work extremely hard to achieve her goal and put on an incredible performance. The hours spent singing and sustaining notes for long periods greatly enhance vocal power and range, and Lady Gaga knew she needed a voice coach to help her achieve her desired vocal level. Gaga ensured her own preparation.
One of the vocal coaches Gaga has worked with, who has a stellar track record for collaborating with big names in music, is Gordon Grody. He has worked with Alicia Keys and even performed himself with amazing artists like Blondie and John Lennon.
Beyonce
Beyonce is a perfect example of an accomplished singer with exceptional talent, and her talent did not come without a lot of training, even as a young child. She has been working with the same vocal coach since she was just 8 years old. There is no doubt that vocal coaching has aided Beyoncé in her singing career, as starting at such a young age has contributed to many years of practice in voice training. Her coach’s name is David Lee Brewer, and he worked with Beyoncé as a child just starting out in the music business. Later, when she became part of Destiny’s Child and now as an accomplished solo artist, she continued to lean on him for extra support to help prepare her for important live events.
Katy Perry
At this point Katy Perry is almost a household name, having climbed so many of the pop charts over the last decade. She works with vocal coach Eric Vitro, who is known as a vocal coach to the stars since he has also worked with the likes of Ariana Grande, Vanessa Hudgens, and Meghan Trainor.
To her and others who work with him, she picked her vocal coach because it is like hanging out with a friend—he makes vocal training easy and efficient while having worked in Hollywood with big stars for over 30 years.
Katharine McPhee
Having been an ALMOST winner in American Idol, it’s no surprise that Katharine McPhee’s voice is extremely talented. However, despite her high level of success in singing, she understands the importance of hard work and practice to maintain her voice in peak condition.
She has worked with the infamous Natalie Weiss, who herself was a finalist on American Idol in years past (she didn’t make the top 25—but that hasn’t stopped her from becoming an incredible voice coach to some great singers!) In this video, you can see Natalie helping her to prepare to sing a live performance of a difficult song, and Katherine obviously knew it was necessary to find a coach to help train her voice for it.
Get Yourself a Vocal Coach
Investing in a vocal coach is crucial because without hard work, one cannot achieve success. If you want to be a singer, the best investment you can give yourself is working with a vocal coach. Find someone with whom you feel comfortable and who can help you explore different aspects of your voice, such as styles, ranges, and even taking some risks. There’s no time to waste; find your vocal coach now and practice your voice to stardom.
External Links:
- Rolling Stone – How Vocal Coaches Help Top Artists
(Behind-the-scenes on vocal coaching for celebrities.) - Vocalist.org.uk – Benefits of Vocal Coaching
(Comprehensive guide to why singers use coaches.) - Voice Council Magazine – Why Singers Need a Vocal Coach
(Expert advice for singers at all levels.) - MasterClass – Singing Lessons with Christina Aguilera
(Online lessons from a world-renowned vocal coach and singer.) - MusicRadar – Tips from Top Vocal Coaches
(Professional tips from industry-leading vocal coaches.)
