Career Corner life as a... pop singer

For many, the ultimate dream is to become a pop performer, but it's not as easy to get to the top as some talent shows may lead you to believe. To make it in this industry, you need serious determination, energy, ability to accept constructive criticism, and of course, talent!

If you're going to become a professional singer, the first thing you need to work on is warming up your vocals, as without doing this, you could permanently damage your voice before you've even made it to the Grammys stage for your much-anticipated duet with Nicki Minaj.

In the video above, Lucia from E4's Stage School takes us through the steps for warming up our vocals safely and effectively.

Catch the NEW series of Stage School every weeknight at 5.30pm on E4 or catchup on All 4.

Poll

Would you consider a career as a singer?

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1)

Making it in

Ask anyone who's made a career out of signing, and they'll all have a different story to tell when it comes to how they got to where they are. There is no set path to making it to the top, but as mentioned above, talent is a must! In this industry it really is about who you know, so attending networking events can work in your favour.

2)

Abilities required

Apart from TALENT (sorry we keep mentioning this, but it's pretty vital) you will definitely need to be thick-skinned to make it big. You will receive rejections - everybody does - but those that get to the top, learn from feedback, they don't allow it to stop them. A touch of business-saviness won't go amiss either, in this competitive world.

3)

What can you expect to do?

There are a number of things you will do as you work your way up to becoming a professional singer. Top of the list will be rehearsing, working on your vocal abilities, and rehearsing some more. Performing in front of audiences is hugely important in developing confidence, and for receiving feedback, and you'll also need to spend time promoting yourself to get your name out. Set up social media accounts and share clips of yourself, as well as information on where people can see your next gig.

4)

Money

How much you make will hugely depend on how successful you are! When you first start out, you will most likely need to gig for free, but this doesn't come without its benefits - you'll still gain valuable experience. For professionals, Equity has a list of recommended rates of pay which can be found here.

5)

Moving on

Apart from being a professional singer, there are other relevant careers that you can work towards, such as teaching, managing, producing, or writing for other musicians. Check out the Musicians' Union for info on networking events, courses and more.

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