Three, Or More?
Superficial approaches to vocal pedagogy, vocal coaching, and singing are like walking into quicksand.
It might look solid or safe, but it’s not.
Superstars are not born that way. They are made. They paid their dues.
What are the dues? Most people cannot or will not afford the dues. This is why there are but a few superstars.
There is more to this than: vocal technique, performance technique, and style. This would be an over-simplified approach, which omits the very things which are absolutely necessary for being a superstar singer.
To get out of the quicksand, you must have a solid foundation sitting on solid ground or the structure will either sink or collapse, having insufficient structural integrity. Superstars are built; they don’t “just happen”.
There Are Make Or Break Integral Parts
There are 18 Integral Parts which superstars have to some degree. Some parts are stronger than others, but you may be able to observe or detect these. You can read about all 18 integral parts:
Musicianship is far too often overlooked, but not by the top conservatories. That should tell us something. A great music school or conservatory hopefully prepares singers for the real world. Some are better than others. Musicianship isn’t about the nomenclature as much as it is about multi-faceted skill, understanding, and an all-encompassing perception of music and everything having to do with it, including style.
Vocal Technique is essential so as to not impede or thwart artistic expression whatsoever. It is a vast subject.
Artistic Imagination is crucial for a superstar to have, or there will be nothing outstanding or unique about the singer. Singers lacking in artistic imagination may have excellent musicianship and vocal technique, but that is also true for the best singers in choruses. Developing artistic imagination may involve cross-training in other arts, as well as removing the obstacles to it and building the creative side of a singer.
Showmanship encompasses performance technique, but much more. If you want to avoid looking like an act in a cheap circus, you might consider some serious training in movement and expression, including acting, and dance, possibly. Performance technique isn’t simply gestures, facial expressions, and microphone technique. Guess what happens when a singer fails to connect with an audience. It isn’t fun for either the audience or the singer, to say the least and at the worst, losing an audience can feel devastating. It’s not the way to build a career.
There are 14 more parts, or factors. The depth to which these are developed are proportionate to the success of a singer. They are the make/break factors of superstardom.
Here they are: