VOCALS
WHAT IT ACTUALLY TAKES TO SOUND AMAZING | Renée Maranan
We’ re living in the age of 30-second singing reels, virality, streaming music, and endless back-to-back new releases from musicians in many contemporary music genres. What I have observed as a voice teacher is that when singers live in a musical culture that produces new music at such a high speed, they learn to expect their own creative output to be just as fast. When singers grow accustomed to seeing one new singer after another going viral on their social media feeds, they start to assume that musical skill and vocal mastery must occur at the same pace. And as technology makes it more and more feasible for singers to sound flawless on recordings regardless of their actual skill or training, singers are led to expect that this is how singers are supposed to sound live, on a real stage, in real spaces, in front of real people.
These assumptions and expectations are setting up singers for disappointment, frustration, and sometimes even injury. Singers are being led to believe in and seek out shortcuts and hacks when it comes to developing their skill and sound, when in reality, there is no such thing. It takes years of work to become a great singer. In my decades of experience as a voice coach, there are some attributes that I have observed among high-level singers, who are not only amazing as performers, but who have also preserved their voices through very demanding careers.
THEY HAVE HAD YEARS OF MUSICAL TRAINING. Not every professional worship leader and recording artist trains with a voice coach or has a formal music education, but most high-level singers have had some form of vocal or performance training throughout their life, whether it be through formal training or through exposure to musical cultures. Many professional singers grew up in musical families, where it was normal for them to play music together even as children. Many others started formal training at a young age, whether in voice or in another instrument. Pick any of your favorite singers, and you’ ll most likely find that their musical journey started years before they became well-known for their music.
THEY HAVE A DEEP COMMITMENT TO VOICE CARE. High-level singers, especially those that regularly perform vocally demanding musical styles, know the importance of a good warmup prior to any voice use. They also do regular vocal conditioning drills, which are targeted to address any functional needs they may have in their voices, whether it be to improve the transitions through their vocal breaks or to help make their belt more efficient and less straining. They understand the importance of choices and rituals that support their vocal health even when they aren’ t actively singing. They are connected to professionals who can support their vocal health, like voice coaches and speech language pathologists.
THEY KNOW HOW TO WORK WITH THEIR VOICES ON GOOD DAYS AND BAD DAYS. It’ s natural for the voice to sound and feel different from day to day, and not every day will be a good voice day. High-level singers understand this, and they know that bad voice days are just part of the process. They don’ t judge themselves for it; they don’ t think about quitting. Instead, they lean on their training and experience and simply do their best with what they have.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR YOU? Not every professional or high-level singer will demonstrate every single one of these attributes and behaviors. More importantly, singers don’ t need to have all of these attributes to become great singers themselves. But understanding the patterns that have worked for many can be helpful for those who are trying to grow right now. For example, we weren’ t all fortunate enough to have grown up surrounded by music or to have received years of formal training, but we can all start where we are today. We might not have the luxury of taking private lessons every week, but we can start by practicing our songs more diligently and intentionally for a few minutes a day. We might not have the resources or the need to be connected to a team of vocal health professionals, but we can be more mindful of how we use our voices in our daily lives so as to minimize the risk of vocal fatigue and preserve our voices for rehearsals and Sunday sets.
The bottom line is this: when we understand that vocal development does not happen instantaneously, we can shift our perspective from that of instant gratification to lifelong learning. Vocal development is not a matter of finding shortcuts and magic tools; it’ s a matter of building a lifestyle that allows music and singing to thrive. This isn’ t the work of a day or even a season. This is the work of a lifetime.
Got a singing question? Send an email to hello @ reneemaranan. com with“ WM Vocals Question” in the subject line!
Renée Maranan Renée Maranan is a vocal instructor, voice teacher trainer, and life coach, with over 25 years of experience working with singers, vocal instructors, and performers from all over the world. For more vocal help, visit her www. reneemaranan. com or follow her on Instagram(@ reneemaranan).. www. ReneeMaranan. com Instagram @ reneemaranan
42 February 2026 Subscribe for Free...