American Idol Strikes Again!
Well, it’s American Idol time again when millions of people all over the world become “obsessed with singing”. Don’t you love it?
Singing has been with us ever since primitive man stopped thinking of his voice as simply a grunting digestive tool to use during the feeding process. The truth is, the human voice is the most amazing—God created instrument—on this planet. It is more versatile and adjustable then anything man has come up with yet. A horn always sounds like a horn, a guitar like a guitar etc, but a human voice can not only sing many styles, it can mimic the best instrumental sounds—just listen to Bobby Mcferrin’s a cappella Voicestra recordings to hear what your voice can really do. When it is used properly your voice—yes, I said yours—can; soothe the savage breast, lull us all to sleep, whip us into a frenzy and even spiritually enlighten us. Wow, no wonder American Idol is the most-watched show on the planet!
As a voice coach, this is the time of year when every one, whose number one fantasy is to stand in front of a cheering crowd and sing, calls me to begin preparing next years audition. The American Idol “gang” always makes sure that the singers “passed through” are not all Carrie Underwood’s or Kelly Clarkson’s. If they were, very few Idol wan-ta-be’s would dare to try out.
I am located in San Diego and when Idol was here last year I had students who were actually told at the audition that they were “too good and not what we are looking for”, by the first auditon judicators. (No, Randy, Simon and Paula do not listen to the thousands who audition, only the very few who are either, good, kind-of-good, off-the-wall, or just plain suck.) This process makes for good television and keeps thousands of singers dreaming of a singing career. It also, sadly, destroys the hopes and dreams of many good singers. (I was lucky that year to have one of my former students make it to the top ten.)
Correct Singing Takes Skill and Practice
Singing good… good enough to make money at it, does take an understanding of how your vocal instrument should be played. If you want to sing Opera, ten years of voice training is nothing because you will be training all of your career. If you are a singer, interested in a more pop/contemporary style, good singing is important but as we all know, many have made it to the top in the pop field without being the best singers. They are the ones who have “the look.’ American Idol also uses the “look” factor in choosing many of it’s contestants. It also uses the “story” factor. “Is your mother in jail?” “Are you homeless?” “Was your aunt on your mother’s side a 60’s pop star?” Unless you absolutely blow them away with your singing, you will need a good “human interest story” to win points with the Idol creators.
Yes, good singers do make it on American Idol and American Idol is a door to a singing career, but not always the one you are dreaming about. (Many Idol finalists move on to Broadway, Broadway touring companies, Nevada Casinos, and Indian Casino’s. Taylor Hicks was here in San Diego last year, first at a Casino, then in the touring company of Grease. But what the heck, it’s still show business and pays good!.)
The bottom line is, if singing is your dream, take the time to do it well, create an image that is yours alone, have a good story ready and when someone approaches you in that line of thousands and asks the question; “… Soooooooo, why do you think you are the next American Idol?” Have a good answer because that answer alone may just be your ticket to stardom.
Happy Singing!
Joni