The Do’s & Don’ts of Auditioning

How to submit a kickass audition that will make us want to meet you.

Before you even start thinking about what to submit for your audition…here’s a few honest words about what we’re looking for.

We’re looking for 3 main factors:

Skills, Potential, and Character.

Use your audition to show us that you have all three. A great audition doesn’t necessarily mean you have perfect pitch or you’ve nailed every dance move.

A great audition goes beyond this, conveying your personality and what makes you unique. You can do this in whatever way feels natural to you. Maybe with your voice, your dancing or your style (aesthetic).

Let’s say theoretically that everyone auditioning has the same skills.

Then, the only factors that will make you stand out are your character. So use your audition to present us with a proper first impression. This doesn’t mean you have to put on a persona or be someone you’re not. It means exactly the opposite. Keep on reading if you want to know more…

So you want to submit an online audition to Black One? Keep reading for our honest online audition guide and increase your chances of moving into the next rounds!

1. DON’T: Plagiarize

DO: Show us what YOU can do. Submitting content that is not your own won’t help you. We can always tell when you’ve submitted a false video or recording of yourself. Plagiarism reflects poorly on your character and in almost all cases will have you put onto our internal “submission’s blacklist”. We want original content from you. Don’t be afraid to show us yourself, and that includes your strengths and weaknesses.

2. DON’T: Send content without a clear picture of yourself

DO: Send us audio recordings or videos in whichever format you’re most comfortable with. However, make sure that we’re also able to see your face. Alternatively, you can also attach a photo of yourself or supply us with your Instagram handle. We want to be able to associate your face with your skills.

3. DON’T: Attach a large file

DO: Show us the quality of your talent rather than the quantity. We love videos that showcase your strengths, so try to stick to the concept of “short but sweet” when submitting your recordings. We recommend submitting videos and audio clips no longer than 1.5 minutes. This is your opportunity to show off your skills so make the most of your submission.

4. DON’T: Get carried away with editing the audio

DO: Get close enough to the microphone so we can actually hear what’s going on. Yet, avoid slamming effects onto your voice or whatever you’re recording. Unless you have access to a professional engineer, send us raw recordings that focus on showcasing your talent. We want to hear your voice! Not your editing skills.

5. DON’T: Send in multiple submissions

DO: Take your time when submitting your online audition. Sending in multiple submissions within weeks of each other will not improve your chances of moving onto the next round. If you want to submit a new audition to demonstrate your growth, do so at least 3 months later. That is the best way to show us your progress.

6. DON’T: Say that being a famous singer/rapper/dancer/artist is your dream

DO: Be more specific. Really give some thought to why you’re applying. How does performing, developing, or just being an artist make you feel? Think about your concrete goals. Fame for the sake of it isn’t a goal. The highest form of vanity is the love of fame. Be clear on what it is you want to achieve. Ambition is important but it has to be there for the right reasons.

7. DON’T: Choose a difficult song or dance (if you can’t do it)

DO: Make sure that what you’re sending is the best first impression you can give us. Keep in mind that less is often more. For most people (including us), seeing something simple done really well has more impact than seeing something complex being done “okay” (or badly). Choosing a difficult dance or song to perform might be great to push you during practice. However, might fail to impress us when reviewing your submission.

Here are some more quick tips on how to submit a great online audition:

1. Preparation is key. Before sending off your final audition video, try recording yourself a few times beforehand. This will allow you to take note of what you like, correct what you don’t like and eventually learn from your mistakes.
2. Shape your vowels. Learning this key skill will allow you to convey more emotion while singing. Also, you’ll be able to use your voice to flow within the instrumental track (if you have one) a lot better. Vowels are the main sound of your voice, therefore you should let the consonants take a secondary role.
3. Touch your audience’s heart. Bring out the same energy & believability as you would in a live performance — connecting with the listening audience as you would with a live audience will definitely shine through on your recording. Imagine as if a person is in front of you and the lyrics are directed to them.
4. Acoustics matter. Acoustics are the properties of a room that determine how sound is transmitted within it, and it’s literally a science. Firstly, don’t record in a small room with flat, bare walls — this causes the sound waves to bounce all over the place and mess with each other. Secondly, eliminate all the background noise you possibly can — close doors & windows and tell anyone in your house to not make too much noise or enter the room. Lastly, if the room still sounds echoey, throw some pillows against the wall and hang up some blankets — they make great cheap acoustic panels!
5. Try to also look into the camera. Compared to when you perform in front of an audience, it would be just as awkward if you avoid any kind of eye contact with them. So keep your eyes open and behave as natural as possible.
6. Sit or stand naturally. Don’t cramp up just because you are recording yourself. If your goal is to become a recording artist, you’d better start getting used to having a camera in your face.
7. Dress appropriately. Of course, it’s important to remain your true self, but the focus of the video is on your voice and not on your clothes. Don’t wear any clothes with funky patterns or too many stripes. But instead, go for a casual & smart outfit.
8. Have a clear background. The same idea applies here as before: you want the focus to be on your voice — so try to have a neutral wall behind you.
9. Lights, set, action! You want as much (natural) light to shine on you as possible. Beware not to let the light shine from behind you, as this will impede viewers to see you properly.
10. Use a good microphone or camera. Thankfully, most good smartphones nowadays have decent microphones and cameras in them. However, it never hurts to buy external tools. You can easily find (relatively) cheap equipment on the internet. If you do have a good smartphone, maybe buying a simple phone tripod will help your videos feel more professional.

If you want full access to exclusive content on how to develop yourself as an artist, join Black One Academy and gain access to three complete guides!