by Hayley Solich

Created on: July 29, 2007

SING, SING, SING!

The joy of karaoke is that anyone can have a go. You don't have to have a great voice, be a pop star in the making or look like a super model. You just have to choose a song you know and be bold enough to step up to the microphone. However, if you want people to enjoy the experience, it is a great idea to learn how to use your voice correctly. You may also want to learn what to do with that silver or black object they thrust in your hand called a microphone.

I remember growing up, dancing around the living room with my wooden spoon in hand pretending I was Madonna or some other pop star. My family used to scream at me to shut up! I guess they felt tortured by the constant barrage of my singing. As a mother of four children who all love to sing top volume and constantly, I guess I can understand where they may be coming from. However, I simply turned a deaf ear and continued to practice that which I loved most - singing! What my family failed to realize was that all the practice I was doing that was driving them crazy, was actually helping me to develop my voice. This was foundational to my successful career as a performing artist and vocalist.

In my travels as a singer/performing artist in Australia, I've met many people that love to think they are the next Elvis Presley or Barbara Streisand, however let's be honest not many are that good! The golden rule I learned at a young age was to be open to constructive criticism, as there is nothing like a bit of honest feedback. When I was doing my first CD project, I remember a run in I had with a sound technician. He was a total perfectionist and had a particular taste in voice styles, which I found quite intimidating. He was criticizing my voice one day, telling me he didn't think it was commercial enough. He said to me, "You sound like a cross between Barbara Streisand and Celine Dion". Expecting me to feel insulted, I was elated. These were my two most favorite female singers and you only have to look at record sales to know that they are also very commercial! The point was, his honest feedback helped me to develop my voice. From this feedback, I realized that I needed to develop my individuality a bit more, which I did.

Song choice is also critical for any singer. No matter what song you choose, you need to know it and own it. I remember getting up at a Karaoke one night, deliberately only choosing songs that I knew well. I chose "Delta Dawn", a song I'd learned as a young girl. I'd sung that song

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