7 Basic Lifestyle Habits for Vocalists

Tips to keep your voice in tip-top shape- whether you’re a singer or a public speaker.

Photo by Vidar Nordli-Mathisen on Unsplash

Have you ever wanted to venture into the entertainment industry as a professional singer? If so, then these 7 lifestyle habits and daily vocal tips are for you!

I have been a musician for most of my life, but have only been singing professionally for 11 years. At first, I started singing out of a passion for the art of it all, and later, began to make a good living as a wedding singer and a touring background vocalist for famous artists. With little experience and no vocal education or training, I had to very quickly learn what had taken the singers around me, years of practice, and meticulous vocal training. I was always on the ‘go’ and had very little time outside of my gigs to actually practice and take care of my vocal instrument. Eventually, I realized that I needed to give priority to my lifestyle because my daily habits were molding the singer I was becoming. This brings me to my first point:

1. Identity: You have to love your gift and believe in yourself! Maybe you’ve been singing in the shower for years and blessing your family members with free concerts, but now it’s time for you to change your name from “shower singer” to “professional singer.” It’s time to understand that your self-image has a lot to do with your impending success as a working successful vocalist. How you perceive yourself is everything! The more you love yourself and your God-given gift, the more others will value your worth! The entertainment industry is full of people who will have various opinions on how you sing, and if you need more experience, or a better look, etc., Make sure that your number one supporter is always you because people will believe in you so long as you first believe in yourself!
2. Finding a Vocal Instructor: Everyone needs a vocal instructor. Even vocal instructors need one as well! We always need an outside perspective to point out our growth and our flaws as well. Be welcoming of constructive criticism from a vocal instructor who has your best interests at heart. Make sure that this vocal instructor can identify the types of warm-ups and exercises that you need specifically for your body type and condition. Everyone is different and it is the job of a professional vocal teacher to instruct you on what daily warm-ups are best for you! You should see a difference of growth in your voice within 2–3 months if you found the right vocal coach!
3. Vocal Health: Every day you should have a vocal diet to A) keep your vocal cords in good shape and B)take supplements and vitamins to keep them in good health. This vocal routine should include the following: Eating one kiwi in the morning (rich in vitamins for vocal cord stamina), drinking pineapple juice (rich in healing component for the vocal cords), steaming in the morning and at night with a steamer (works to clear up the voice). The vitamins you should take to stay in good vocal health are Vitamin D3, C, Iron, and Zinc.
4. Ice Water vs. Hot Tea: I know I am about to surprise many of you reading this with what I am about to say. But, this is the best advice my vocal coach and ENT gave me to heal my vocal cords: “Drink iced water.” I know, at first, I said “What do you mean, I thought the remedy was hot tea?” But no my friends, the remedy to swollen vocal cords is indeed iced water. Ice is frozen at a precise temperature that when combined with the temperature of the human body, causes to dissipate inflammation. So when you are a hoarse throat after singing, drink iced water. When you’re recording your new hit song in the studio, keep the iced water close by. The only instance you should be drinking hot tea is late at night before bed. Remember that heat will cause swelling. Tea is important to the overnight healing and regeneration of vocal cords. Drink the following teas at the end of your day: Throat Coat, Lavender Chamomile, and Turmeric. You will wake up singing like a songbird. (Please consult your ENT if you have persistent vocal health issues)
5. Vocal Exercises: Every day when you wake up, you should try the “Vocal Fry” exercise. If you don’t know what it is, look it up on YouTube and you will find many videos on how to do it. Doing this “Vocal Fry” exercise will warm up your voice in minutes and bring clarity to your sound. Ask your vocal coach to teach you breathing exercises to expand your breath support and breathing stamina.
6. Ear Training: As a singer, you need to expand your musical knowledge and expand what I like to call our “brain’s music library.” Imagine that every time you hear a new song or a new genre of music, these sounds are being recorded by an area of your brain and storing it forever; like placing a book on the shelf of the library. Our brains are sponges that absorb and keep every sound that enters our ears. The more sounds we expose ourselves to the wider our spectrum of music understanding becomes. As singers, we must be versatile. I advise you to always listen to singers who you want to one day sing like. Chances are, if you listen to them enough, soon you will start sounding like them!
7. Community: Make it your new lifestyle priority to keep healthy and edifying relationships around you as you venture into the entertainment field. You will need a lot of support from your friends and your family, but especially from fellow singers and musicians around you. As a singer, you will need a pianist, guitarist, producer, or arranger to be your allies and your side-kicks throughout your journey. You should not go at this alone; teamwork is key! While you are finding the right elements to form your band, focus on just one or two musicians who believe in your art. Stick to them, and believe in their talents as well, and you will see the beautiful music that will come out from working together!

It’s never too late to follow your dreams! Remember that if you can change your mindset and daily habits, you can change your life!