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Are you a vocalist who longs for the limelight and dreams of filling stadiums with adoring fans? So how do you become a famous singer?
If you want to follow in the footsteps of your music artist idols, find out how to become a famous singer. The industry may be a tough one to break into, but it also offers unparalleled opportunities to earn big and make a name for yourself on an international level.
If you have your sights set on fame and fortune and you believe you have what it takes, read on to find out the steps you’ll need to take and why they’re important.
How to become a famous singer
Self-belief is vital in an industry that will constantly knock you back. You need to get used to rejection at an early stage because almost everyone thinks that they are ready before they are. Your confidence is just as important as your voice – never let rejection knock it. Use it as motivation to become better and more resilient, then it will serve you well in the future across all aspects of your life.
The most famous singers were rejected constantly when they started out. No one else would believe in them and some were even told that they would NEVER be famous. However, their resilience after countless rejections is what proved their critics wrong and enabled them to handle the immense pressures of fame.
It’s very difficult to become a famous singer if you can’t actually sing. Although some people do make a name for themselves for bad singing – X-Factor auditionees are prime examples of this. But it’s not something to strive for. To maintain and career and be taken seriously, you must have a great voice. And that means working on your technique.
How to become a singer in the UK – talent competitions
Talent competitions are brilliant opportunities to become famous as a singer. If you believe you are good enough to win and have had positive honest feedback about your ability, then you might be ready to apply.
When you audition, bring a lot of confidence but don’t be arrogant. Your success comes down to how well you interact with the crowd and judges as much as your voice and performance ability and you don’t want to put them off.
Be friendly and humble to win over the audience quickly. A great voice with a poor attitude and personality won’t get you very far because people won’t want to vote for you. If you combine a top attitude with a great look and amazing vocal talent then you stand a better chance of going all the way.
How to become famous as a teenager
You are in a great position to get a head start on your career as a teen. If the talent is there then age won’t matter. In fact, you are more likely to really impress a crowd if you are a kid. You can show off your confidence and a great voice as well as your potential to improve.
Don’t rush to find fame if you’re young. There is a lot of pressure when you’re a celebrity and you can put unnecessary strain on yourself to succeed too quickly. Many teenage singers get signed to artist development contracts providing more time to improve and build your audience.
Getting involved in other creative industries such as acting, dancing or modelling can help you be confident on stage and on camera. Some young singers had careers on television and became famous for that first – Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera all made their name on the Disney Channel as kids. And there are many who simply uploaded videos to YouTube (more on that shortly).
How to get famous for singing
The music industry revolves around the performance of songs because people are emotionally moved by great songwriting. A great singer without great songs to sing is like a great builder with no tools or materials and won’t be able to accomplish what they were born to do.
You should start learning covers to understand how songs are written and structured and practice performing them. When you’re entering talent competitions, song choice is very important. You need to pull the judges and audience in straight away with your voice and also connect with what you’re singing.
Once you’ve learnt some covers and explored the process behind songwriting then start writing your own songs. Don’t expect hits to come out straight away. If you get into a habit of writing regularly by yourself and with others then you will only learn more and get better.
How to become a successful music artist
Get recording in the studio. You’ll be ready to start once you’ve built confidence as a singer and songwriter. Recording sessions are a very different experience compared to performing in front of an audience so give yourself some time to get used to it.
Recording studios will have engineers and producers that could really help you improve. Working with producers will give you a professional perspective and they could be connected with famous singers from previous work.
Great recordings are very important to help you reach a larger audience. Whilst performance will build the buzz and your core audience, your records can be used to get on radio and Spotify to help bring in extra income and gain new fans across the world.
How to become a famous musician
It won’t matter how good you or your songs are if you’re performing in front of the wrong crowd. For example, an audience of metalheads is unlikely to be entertained by a 12-year-old girl performing Justin Bieber songs.
You have to find your core audience before you become famous in the mainstream. The artists you like and songs that you enjoy singing will help you find out more about your potential audience. Try and find out more about who else enjoys the same things that you do.
To build your audience, you need to understand them and give them something different that they aren’t getting elsewhere. Try and communicate with them no matter how big they are and find out more about what songs and covers they want to hear.
Does image matter in music?
Yes! And if you want to be famous, you must have a unique style . When you walk onto a stage, people will see you before they hear you. As a result, they will instantly form an idea and expectation about who you are as an artist without even hearing you sing.
Think about a distinctive visual style early on because this can really help audiences remember you and identify you as a performer. It will also help you translate your style to create stunning music videos further down the line.
Keep an eye on what your favourite performers are wearing and learn basic style tips. Also, work out what colours and patterns you like and how you can integrate that into your style. Many artists are remembered for what they wear as much as their music so don’t take your look for granted.
How long does it take to become a famous singer?
Being a great singer is no guarantee of fame. Even after years of work, many singers still struggle to find the recognition they are looking for. Without a doubt, you’ll need plenty of hard work and dedication. There are also many things that you can do to help yourself become a famous singer. How long it takes varies hugely and it depends when you count as having started – ie. in your bedroom singing covers as a kid, or from your first Spotify download. It might be months, but it could be decades. However, there are some routes that are known for offering more of a fast track…
How can I become a famous singer fast?
There are two routes to fast fame as an artist.
- Enter (and make it to the finals) of a contest. One of the fastest ways to become a famous singer is through talent competitions, performing on big stages for famous judges from the music industry.
- Go viral on social media.
Tik Tok is one of the newest social media platforms and has exploded in popularity. Becoming famous on Tik Tok may seem easier than on long-established platforms such as YouTube (which we’ll cover next) or Instagram but it is still challenging. Here are a few tips to success on Tik Tok:
- Create consistent content
- Post regularly
- Work with other Tik Tok creators
- Engage with your fans
- Be an energetic and positive entertainer
- Use hashtags and engage with trends
- Stay sincere and be yourself
Actively build your network to meet influential people like managers, lawyers, agents and A&R. This will bring you new opportunities and increase your chance of success.
How to become a famous singer on YouTube
YouTube is the biggest platform for people listening to music online so it is a great idea to start building your audience on there. The social media tips are very relevant here as you will need to be consistent and engaging to be successful.
It can take a long time to build up a big following on YouTube. Equally, having a couple of videos of yourself on YouTube may be enough to grab the attention of labels or managers looking for new talent. You just never know. But you have to be in it to win it.
Don’t be afraid to upload content onto YouTube because you never know what can happen through it. It’s a great opportunity to see yourself sing on camera and get feedback from others on your ability. Videos of you singing are a great way to showcase your voice whether it’s covers or originals. Some very successful singers such as Dua Lipa and Jorja Smith got their breakthrough uploading videos of themselves singing on YouTube.
Very simple videos in your bedroom can be really effective in gaining attention but you can also be more creative with it. If you can engage with your fans and show off your personality through videos then you can effectively build an audience online.
If you have a great song and made a great recording, you might want to make a music video for it. Many artists have elevated their fame through great music videos and it can be a good opportunity to show off your confidence and style as an artist.
How to get noticed as a singer on social media
Social media is a very crowded place so you need to be consistently uploading to get your content in front of more people. This will keep you in the mind of your fans on a daily basis and build buzz around you.
Make sure that you engage with your followers all the time. If someone comments on your post make sure you reply so they don’t feel put off commenting again. Also, comment on their posts and this can make them feel more invested in you.
Build your profile with content outside of you singing. Show your followers behind the scenes of your daily life and constantly connect with new people that you meet. This can build up your following much more organically and give you a better response on your music-related content.
Learning how some successful singers got their break can give you the inspiration to stay motivated. It can also give you insight into different roads to fame, so it’s worth doing some homework. In summary, here’s what to do if you’re determined to find fame.
- Work on your vocal technique
- Sing and write amazing songs
- Become a great performer
- Believe in yourself
- Own your individual image
- Know your core audience
- Get recording in the studio
- Make engaging videos
- Build an influential network
Good luck and we hope to see you on stage and screen soon!
Related Questions
- How do I start a singing career?
It’s difficult to become a singer if you can’t sing. Start working on your vocal technique as soon as possible. It’s a good idea to get a vocal coach to help you become the best you can be. This may not be an option for everyone but there are great videos online that can help train your technique.
- How much does a famous singer get paid?
It depends how famous they are and will vary year on year and gig to gig. But it is one of the highest paying jobs in the land. Rihanna hit The Sunday Times Rich List recently, with a net worth of £468 million. A star like Ed Sheeran can earn around 100k per day.
- How can I get discovered as a singer?
Thousands of people want to make it in the music industry, but very few get to the top. Many people give up way too easily because they can’t find fame quickly. Working on vocal performance, image and songwriting are essential, as well as plugging away on social media and entering contests.
Do you want to become a famous singer? What are you doing to make it happen? Let us know how you’re going about it in the comments below