Career Description
A Singer is someone who sings the main vocal line of a track. S/he is the main focus of the performance. It is in contrast to a band, which has regular members who tour, record, and generally play equal roles in a performance together. Some Singers make use of piano or guitar, whereas some focus more on dancing and performing, and leave the rest to a backing band. Singers usually record albums of songs that they have written or that have been written for them by a production team, and then tour to promote the album. Their days are usually spent in studio, on tour, and practicing vocal, instrumental or dance skills.
Advancement
Advancement in this career means making more of money and performing live in front of bigger crowds—so basically progressing from having a small local waiting patiently to becoming a star.
Even Grammy winners had started small. Singers can play their local club circuit, perform on cruise ships, and hold residencies at lounges or clubs. Singing is an extremely competitive field, but there are opportunities for the creative Singer to find work, and to get his or her name out there to attract possible management, tags or labels.
Education & Training
Further education isn’t a compulsory requirement for a singing career. Although it can lead to better opportunities through training and networking, and vocal performance majors are available at many colleges.
Of course, music education is essential. Not every Singer has taken years of voice lessons, but to further a career, make one’s voice stand out, and to keep vocal abilities strong, lessons are a must. A Singer can also benefit from learning a musical instrument and honing dance skills.
Experience & Skills
Experience performing and writing one’s own songs is essential. Before she was famous, Katy Perry used to perform at open mic nights . Justin Bieber performed at local singing competitions, and his mom uploaded his music videos on YouTube. Carly Rae Jepsen fronted a local swing band and ran an open mic for Singer/Songwriters at the coffee shop where she worked.
Personality
A Singer must be adaptable and able to handle some uncertainty. Building a career is challenging and requires sacrifice. Katy Perry once told Seventeen magazine that “It was five years of living in L.A. with no money, writing bad checks, selling my clothes to make rent, borrowing money” while writing tracks and trying to get a record company to sign her. Above all, a Singer must be perseverant and passionate about their career. Even top performers spend extremely long days in the studio and rehearsing for tour.
Lifestyle
The lifestyle of a Singer varies widely. For those just starting off, singing at open mics and talent competitions, income can be very limited. Most of these Singers do not earn the majority of their income from performance and instead supplement their earnings with a part or full-time job. Across the board, however, Singers work hard.
They spend most of their time writing songs, rehearsing songs, and working on their performance abilities. Touring takes a lot of time and energy, and can mean that the Singer is on the road more than he or she is at home. Most Singers perform at night, so staying up late is a part of the course.