What does your natural singing voice sound like? Try to use this to your advantage instead of fighting it. Mick Jagger doesn’t have an amazing voice, but he and the Rolling Stones rode the top of the pop charts for decades because he uses his growly, high-energy style to it’s fullest potential. Singing like Adele, Beyonce, Michael Buble, and other “classic” voices generally takes years of training. While you can learn without a teacher, these voices are very hard to develop without professional help.

Sing whatever you want to sing – there is no “right” style for pop singers.

Make sure you start drinking at least 30 minutes before performing so that your body has time to absorb the water.

Shoulders back. Chin level with the floor. Chest out. Stomach flat. Joints relaxed. [3] X Research source

You want to move air from your diaphragm, not your throat, head, or mouth.

Imagine you’re wearing a belt around your belly. As you inhale, it slides down to make room for more air. As you exhale, it slides up your belly to move air up through your chest and out your mouth. [5] X Research source In “normal” breathing, your chest moves. But singers need a solid, unmoving chest to keep a steady stream of air coming.

When inhaling, think of just opening your whole throat to let air in, instead of trying to suction it in. It is much more effective this way.

Tanking up: This is when people try to fill their lungs extra big. But better singers just release their air with slow, even breaths to make their air last longer, not fill up with more of it. Pushing the air: You want to think of “letting” the air out gently, not forcing it. Holding back air: Think of how a car jerks right when you hit the gas. This is when a singer stops their voice right between inhaling and exhaling. You want to work on breathing “into” your note, silently exhaling air quickly just before starting to sing so that the note slides out smoothly.

Hum. Humming activates your breath without straining your vocal chords. [6] X Research source Trill your lips and tongue to warm up your mouth and jaw (ie. roll your r’s) Begin with a simple scale, going up and down slowly (doh – mi – sol – mi – doh). Begin with the easiest songs you are going to practice, waiting 10-15 minutes to tackle the tougher parts.

If you don’t know scales, practice with the classic “Do-re-mi-fah-so-la-tee-doh,” lowering your voice at each interval. You could also simply pick a phrase, like “la la la la” to work through.

Practice songs you like that hit this high register. Lower the background music so you can really hear yourself and know if you’re actually hitting the notes cleanly.

Belting out big notes takes practice. Keep working on hitting normal high notes cleanly, then practice these bigger notes at shows or when you feel comfortable. They will come.

When singing pop, use the mic to your advantage. If you think you’re about to miss a note, lean back “dramatically,” away from the mic. Need a little more volume, a growl, or some distortion – get right into the mic and or cup it with your hand while singing.