VOCALS
IF YOU’ RE STRUGGLING WITH YOUR SINGING … THIS IS FOR YOU | Renée Maranan
During a voice lesson yesterday, my student wanted to work on a couple of songs that had been in her repertoire for many years now. In fact, we had worked on these songs during some of our first voice lessons together years ago.
“ It sounds fine,” she said casually.“ I just want it to be better. I know it’ s in there.”
I couldn’ t help but smile. I still remember so clearly how fragile and insecure she was with her singing when she first started voice lessons. She couldn’ t get through her first few sessions without shedding tears because she was so discouraged about her vocal struggles. She was questioning her ability to sing and lead worship. She felt like she had no hope of getting better.
Now, she’ s more confident than she’ s ever been when it comes to her voice. And while she’ s the first to acknowledge that she still has a lot to learn, she’ s become incredibly confident and resilient in the face of vocal challenges.
I know it’ s in there, she would say. I know it will get better.
How do we become more confident and resilient as singers, especially when we’ re struggling? How can we learn to believe in ourselves, in our capacity to learn and overcome our singing challenges? Here are some of the things that I’ ve observed in my students over the years, that have contributed enormously to their growth:
CONNECT WITH SOMEONE WHO CAN GUIDE YOU EFFECTIVELY ON YOUR SINGING JOURNEY. A good voice teacher can be an enormous help for singers who are struggling, because they can give you practical tools to actually correct what needs to be corrected in your singing. But perhaps more importantly, experienced voice teachers can offer perspective on your journey that is informed by years( in my case, decades) of experience working with many other singers who have struggled just like you. They can give you assurance that you’ re not the only one dealing with these challenges. They can help you reflect back on your progress in measurable ways, especially when you can’ t see your progress for yourself. They can challenge you to keep going, encourage you when you experience setbacks, and remind you why this work means so much to you, all while giving you the tactical tools that can give you the results you need in function and artistry.
DON’ T BE AFRAID TO TAKE A STEP BACK. Sometimes singers can get so burnt out from the constant discouragement, frustration, and rejection that comes with singing, and the best thing they can do for themselves is to take a break. Sometimes the break is short-term, but I’ ve also seen singers take much longer breaks, as long as a whole year, even more. I admire singers who have the courage to do this, and who have the clarity of mind that it takes to recognize when such a break is necessary. It’ s much easier said than done, especially when we sing in the context of something as meaningful and deeply rooted as worship. But powering through emotional pain can sometimes do more harm than good, because we run the risk of building negative emotional associations with singing that could impact our experience for the long term. Listen to your heart.
FIND NEW CONTEXTS FOR YOUR SINGING. If your singing has been a source of discouragement for you in a particular context such as worship team, sometimes it helps to try a bit of variety. Try joining a choir, or auditioning for community theatre, or even songwriting. Try experimenting with a genre that you personally enjoy, something that makes you feel truly happy. This can be a great thing to do if you’ ve decided to step back from your other singing roles, because it can help reset your relationship with singing in a way that reorients you towards happiness, expression, connection, and fun. But even if you aren’ t stepping back from your other singing roles, it can be helpful to find a variety of different contexts wherein you use your voice. This teaches you to see singing as a multifaceted experience, and not just something that constantly needs to be fixed or perfected.
THE BOTTOM LINE: STRUGGLE IS PART OF THE PROCESS IN SINGING. How you overcome it – and how much you learn from it – depends on how you navigate the challenges. Our difficulties can make us want to throw in the towel altogether. On the other hand, our difficulties can be opportunities for us to really learn what strength and potential God has built into us. As a voice teacher, my hope for every singer is that their singing struggles would do the latter. So, say to yourself, I know it’ s in there. I know it will get better. And really believe it, because it’ s true.
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
66 June 2026 Subscribe for Free...