Singing As A Career

Singing As A Career:  How To Make Money With It!

Individuals who are determined to make singing a career should weight its advantages as well as disadvantages.

While you may perceive singing as exciting, starting a career in music is very challenging.  Competition for singers is intense since the high earnings potential and glamour in this profession attract many talented individuals.

You can sing in recordings or perform in small and large venues. Before popular singers performed on the “Broadway stage” or the Carnegie Hall, many made money singing in hospitals for the sick, in restaurants as "singing waiters", “back-up” singers and even working in small cabarets executing “torch songs” and singing in nightclubs.

If you really desire a singing career, apart from gaining exposure and experience, you also need to have formal training by taking up voice lessons where professionals can guide and teach you many singing techniques not known to you.  

When looking for a singing job, people interested will need to know what songs you frequently sing, where you’ have performed, etc.

Bring along with you always the following:

1.     Your business card containing all valuable information about you. A business card shows an impression that you are a professional.   

2.     Your résumé.  Bear in mind to keep records of all your performances, but never list karaoke performances. Wedding, school and church performances as well as other gigs can be listed.

3.     Your photograph is also important because you never know when a talent agent will be interested in you and being a singer, “you are your instrument” and your photo describes a portion of that.

4.     Your demo tape should likewise be taken along with you at all times. Once you have recorded a song where you sound really good, make several copies of it.

5.     Networking.  Sing and do your best. This is the only and best way in order to build your market.

6.     Get exposure.  As you can, perform onstage often, to gain self confidence and create contacts.

Recording work, if you are lucky enough to be at the right time in the right place and get it, is very lucrative.

It will take many years to acquire your recording contract, but you will get there. This is why it is very important that you don't pursue a singing career for money, but mainly for passion. For the time being, while waiting for that perfect break, audition for stage plays, local singing concerts and likewise enter “singing contest”.  But above all, enjoy.