Singer
What is a singer?
A singer is an artist who uses the voice as a musical instrument to perform melodies and convey emotions, ideas or stories. To do so, they use elements such as pitch, rhythm, timbre, articulation, breathing and expression.
The singers can perform solo, be part of a duo, a band, a choir or a vocal ensemble, and can perform music a cappella or accompanied by instruments and electronic productions.
Singing is one of humanity's oldest forms of musical expression. Long before the emergence of the modern music industry, the voice was already used in ceremonies, celebrations, religious rituals, storytelling and community activities.
Throughout history, the role of the singer has evolved. In Europe, for much of the Middle Ages, a significant part of written vocal music was linked to religious institutions. Later, the development of secular music, musical theatre, opera and concerts helped establish the figure of the professional singer.
Today there are singers specializing in numerous genres and styles, such as classical music, opera, pop, rock, jazz, blues, urban music, folk, electronic music, musical theatre, flamenco, tango, Latin music and many others.
Each genre may require different vocal techniques. Some singers work mainly with natural voice production, while others study specific techniques related to projection, resonance, the use of different vocal registers, falsetto, mixed voice, belting, improvisation or specific vocal effects.
Although some people have natural vocal qualities that are especially favorable, professional development of the voice usually requires training. Vocal technique helps improve aspects such as pitch, breathing, stamina, interpretation and voice care.
In addition to singing, many artists take part in songwriting, music production, arrangements, recording and the development of their artistic vision.
Singing is also practiced outside the professional sphere. It is taught in music schools, conservatories, academies and private lessons, and can be practiced simply as a hobby, social activity or entertainment, for example in amateur choirs or karaoke.
What does a singer do?
The main role of a singer is performing musical works using their voice. However, professional work usually includes many more activities than singing in front of an audience.
A singer can:
- study and rehearse songs;
- do vocal technique and breathing exercises;
- learn melodies, harmonies and lyrics;
- prepare repertoires for concerts or recordings;
- work with musicians, composers, producers and music directors;
- record songs in professional studios or home studios;
- do sound checks and rehearsals;
- take part in music videos and photo shoots;
- perform in concerts, festivals, theaters, events and audiovisual shows;
- compose lyrics or melodies;
- promote their music;
- take part in interviews and communication activities;
- publish content on social media and digital platforms;
- teach singing lessons or work as a vocal coach.
Professional singers usually devote a significant part of their time to training. The voice is a physical instrument and needs proper preparation, rest and care.
It is also common to work with singing teachers or vocal coaches, especially before a tour, an important recording or a theater production.
Not all singers write their own songs. Some are also composers or songwriters, while others specialize mainly in performing works created by composers and lyricists.
A good musical ear is an important advantage for a singer, as it allows them to accurately recognize aspects such as pitch, rhythm, intervals, harmonies and key changes. However, many of these skills can also be developed through study and practice.
How do singers work today?
The job market for singers is very diverse.
Some artists have contracts with record labels, theater companies, production companies or entertainment companies. Others work independently and manage their career directly.
The growth of digital platforms has considerably transformed this career. Currently, a singer can record a song in a professional studio or even in a home studio and then distribute it through streaming services and digital platforms.
Social media and video platforms also allow artists to promote their work, build an audience and communicate directly with their followers.
For this reason, many independent singers currently combine artistic work with tasks related to production, digital marketing, content creation, social media management, and concert organization.
There are also session singers, specifically hired to participate in recordings by other artists, soundtracks, commercials, video games, audiovisual productions, music demos, or commercial projects.
What is a singer's workplace like?
A singer's workplace depends largely on the type of activity they perform.
They can work in:
- recording studios;
- rehearsal rooms;
- theaters;
- auditoriums;
- concert halls;
- festivals;
- clubs and music venues;
- television studios;
- film sets;
- churches and religious spaces;
- cruise ships and hotels;
- weddings and celebrations;
- corporate events;
- theme parks;
- home studios;
- educational centers and music academies.
Specialized singers in events often travel frequently to perform at weddings, parties, celebrations, fairs, conventions, or business events.
Musical theater and opera singers work mainly in theaters and auditoriums. Their activity includes musical rehearsals, staging rehearsals, costume fittings, and performances. Depending on the production, they may work with music directors, stage directors, choreographers, actors, and vocal coaches.
Backing singers perform harmonies and vocal parts that complement the main artist. They can work in both recordings and concerts and tours.
For their part, studio or session singers can participate in a wide variety of projects, from albums and soundtracks to advertising jingles, music for video games, or television productions.
Working in a recording studio
When recording a song, the singer usually works inside a booth or acoustically treated room and uses a microphone to capture their performance.
It is common to record several takes of the same song. Afterwards, the producer and sound engineers can select the best performances and carry out editing, mixing, and mastering processes.
Today's digital tools allow work to be done with great precision on recordings, although the singer's performance and expressiveness remain fundamental elements of the final result.
In addition, technology has made it possible for many artists to have small home studios from which they can record professional-quality vocals and collaborate remotely with producers and musicians from anywhere in the world.
What do you need to study to become a singer?
There is no single mandatory academic degree to become a professional singer. The journeys of well-known artists show very different paths. Some, like RosalÃa, Natalia Lafourcade, Kany GarcÃa, Karol G or Charlie Puth, pursued specific studies in singing, music, instruments, songwriting or production. Others studied different disciplines: Gustavo Cerati studied Advertising; C. Tangana, Philosophy; Carlos Vives, Advertising; Alejandro Fernández, Architecture; Fanny Lu, Industrial Engineering; John Legend, English Language; and Bad Bunny, Audiovisual Communication.
There are also artists whose training developed mainly through experience. Soledad Pastorutti started out singing at festivals; Ricky Martin gained experience from childhood in Menudo; Daddy Yankee trained within the Puerto Rican underground scene; Peso Pluma learned guitar in a self-taught way; and MarÃa Becerra combined artistic classes with the experience gained from creating content on the Internet.
Therefore, studying singing or music can provide a very important technical foundation, but it is not the only path to building a career.
A singer's training can include vocal technique, instruments, performance, dance, songwriting, music production and stage experience, as well as knowledge of communication, marketing and digital tools. In today's industry, many artists combine several of these skills.
The professional career of a singer
Some artists study singing, music or performance at conservatories, universities and specialized schools. Others develop their career primarily through practice, performances and professional experience.
The career can also include auditions, contests, collaborations, independent recordings and live performances.
At the highest professional levels, singers can go on national or international tours for weeks or months. These tours usually involve frequent travel, rehearsals, interviews, promotional activities and consecutive performances.
However, only a small portion of singers achieve widespread public recognition. Many professionals develop stable careers working as session musicians, backup singers, teachers, musical theatre performers, event singers or independent artists.
Singers and how they trained
Soledad Pastorutti. Her training was closely linked to practicing folklore since childhood. She performed at festivals from a very young age and her performance in CosquÃn in 1996 was decisive for her professional career. She is an example of learning developed mainly through family tradition and stage experience.
Gustavo Cerati. In addition to training as a guitarist and songwriter, he studied Advertising at the Universidad del Salvador, where he met Zeta Bosio. The university itself notes that he finished the degree in 1983, although he did not submit his thesis. During those years Soda Stereo began to take shape.
Marcela Morelo. She began to study music at the age of seven, especially classical guitar, and from the age of nine she sang while accompanying herself on the instrument. Before recording professionally she also worked making jingles and singing in venues.
RosalÃa. She is one of the clearest examples of specialized training. She studied flamenco singing at the Escola Superior de Música de Catalunya (ESMUC). The institution itself identifies her as a former student of the flamenco singing specialty.
Diego Torres. His development was mainly professional and practical. Before establishing himself as a solo artist he had worked as an actor and had formed the band La Marca in 1989. His trajectory shows how acting, the stage and working in groups can also serve as artistic preparation.
C. Tangana. Studied Philosophy at the Universidad Complutense de Madrid while developing his first rap and freestyle projects under the name Crema. His musical career ended up becoming his main activity.
Wos. During his childhood he studied piano and drums, as well as acting at the Escuela Metropolitana de Arte Dramático. He later left his acting studies to focus on rap and freestyle, before developing his career as a singer and songwriter.
Mónica Naranjo. Since her teenage years she received vocal training at a singing school. Her first recordings reached producer Cristóbal Sánsano, with whom she developed the project that would later launch her professional career.
David Bisbal. Before dedicating himself fully to music he was pursuing vocational training related to forestry. His preparation as a singer was fundamentally practical: he spent several years performing with the Orquesta Expresiones and later took part in Operación Triunfo in 2001.
ThalÃa. From the age of four she took ballet and piano lessons, including training at the Conservatorio Nacional de Música. She later developed a career as a singer and actress simultaneously.
Kenia OS. Before focusing on her artistic career she began studying Marketing, although she left university to devote herself to her digital projects. She first built an audience as a YouTube content creator and later made the professional transition into music.
Peso Pluma. He followed a mostly self-taught path. He learned guitar during his teens using Internet videos and has explained that he had no formal guitar or singing teachers; he developed his style by playing and singing with friends and writing his own songs.
Shakira. She began writing songs as a child, took part in talent contests and landed a record deal with Sony Colombia at about age 13. Her early training was fundamentally practical and self-taught, combining songwriting, singing and dance from an early age.
Juanes. His first great musical school was his family: he learned guitar at about seven years old with his father and brothers. At 15 he formed Ekhymosis and gained years of experience as a guitarist, singer and songwriter before launching his solo career in 2000.
Young Miko. She studied Visual Arts, first at the University of Puerto Rico and later at the Interamericana University. She worked as a tattoo artist and used her earnings to buy recording equipment; she began by publishing music on SoundCloud before pursuing it professionally.
Bad Bunny. He studied Audiovisual Communication at the University of Puerto Rico in Arecibo while working in a supermarket and writing music. At the same time, he began publishing songs on SoundCloud, the platform from which his professional career took off.
Usher. He started singing at about six years old in a church choir. He later took part in the TV show Star Search, an experience that helped him secure a record deal while still a teenager.
Beyoncé. From childhood she received dance lessons, sang in choirs and competitions and studied at a school specializing in performing and visual arts in Houston. Her professional training continued with the group that would eventually become Destiny's Child.
John Legend. He graduated from the Universidad de Pensilvania in English Language, with a concentration in African-American literature and culture. During college he directed an a cappella jazz and pop group and also a gospel choir, developing his musical experience in parallel.
Billie Eilish. She was educated mainly at home, where her family encouraged her artistic interests. She started with the ukulele at age six, joined the Los Angeles Children's Chorus at eight and received songwriting training through classes taught by her mother.
Charlie Puth. He is one of the current examples with the most academic musical training: he studied piano from childhood, went through the pre-college division of the Manhattan School of Music and graduated from Berklee College of Music in Music Production and Engineering in 2013.
Ultimately, being a professional singer combines artistic talent, vocal technique, constant preparation, interpretive ability, discipline and adaptation to a music industry that is continuously evolving.
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