The Power of Vowels

Have you ever wondered why your favourite singers sound so resonant and effortless? The secret lies in one simple place: vowels.
Consonants give words their edge and clarity, but vowels carry the pitch, colour, and emotion of your sound.

Last night, as we started to learn a new song, Whitney Houston's "I Wanna Dance With Somebody", I highlighted to the group the simple tweaks she was making to sing the song.

Our British brains want us to sing like we speak, but when it comes to singing, what we think we hear and what the singer is singing are often two different things.

Play the song again, and you will hear that she is singing, 'ahhh, ah wanna dance with sumbodeh'.

Those extended vowels carry the tone. The sustained part of most sung words is the vowel. That’s what the audience hears and what microphones love.

Pay attention to what the singer is doing when you listen to your favourite songs.
Notice if they are singing words the same way they would be spoken, and then try it for yourself.