One of the pressures singers often feel is the idea that they should appeal to others.
They try to sing in a way that feels sort of acceptable. Technically impressive. Polished. Safe.
But something important can get lost in that process: their own artistic taste.
Every singer has instincts about what they enjoy. The tone they like. The phrasing that feels natural. The emotional colour they’re drawn to. The artists they keep coming back to.
This is your artistic taste. And like taste in food, design, or fashion, it’s completely subjective.
There isn’t one correct version of musical expression. There are simply different ones that resonate with different people.
The real work for a developing artist is learning to recognise what genuinely resonates with you.
What Do You Actually Like?
A useful starting point for any singer is to ask a simple question:
What do I like?
Not what you think you should like.
Not what you think others will like.
What genuinely excites you?
- Do you love raw, emotional performances?
- Clean, controlled vocal technique?
- Subtle storytelling?
- Big theatrical expression?
Your answers to these questions reveal something important: your artistic instincts.
When singers become clear about this, their performances start to feel more grounded and more personal.
Others will like it too…
If you like it others will like it too…..
But not everyone. In fact, it’s a great thing when you have the marmite effect; some people love you, others hate you. It’s OK. Stay in your lane. Trying to appeal to everyone often creates something that feels neutral or indistinct and often inauthentic.
Artists who stand out usually have something recognisable about them. A tone, a perspective, an emotional quality, or a musical sensibility that feels clearly theirs. Something that comes from inside them.
Some people will love it. Others won’t.
That’s normal.
The goal isn’t universal approval. The goal is clarity.
A Simple Exercise for Singers
If you’re unsure what your artistic taste is, try this:
- List five singers you genuinely love listening to.
- Write down what draws you to each one.
For example:
- tone quality
- emotional honesty
- storytelling
- phrasing
- musical style
Patterns will usually start to appear.
Those patterns often reveal the qualities that matter most to you as an artist. Often we resonate with what we are.
Your Voice Becomes Clearer When Your Taste Is Clear
You don’t need to be ‘good’. You need to be real.
When singers understand their own artistic taste, their choices become clearer. Repertoire choices become easier. Interpretation becomes more confident.
And over time, something important begins to emerge:
A voice that feels recognisably your own. This is the work I love doing. I would love to come on the journey with you. Reach out and conenct with me.
