There are several examples of famous singers who learned to sing without taking singing lessons. Here are four of the best-known self-taught singers: Rihanna, Beyonce, Whitney Houston, and Leonard Cohen. While they all learned to sing on their own, they all have something in common. In fact, they all have a certain quality that makes them stand out from the crowd. These singers all learned the craft from the beginning, so they can be considered role models for aspiring musicians.
Leonard Cohen
Before his breakthrough success, Leonard Cohen took singing lessons. This was to develop his voice and hone his songwriting skills. The first of those lessons came when he was in his early twenties, when he was a young man. His love of music and lyrical craft would eventually lead him to fame. He took lessons from the world’s most famous singing teachers, including Irving Berlin and Yoko Ono.
Leonard Cohen first recorded the riff for “Who by fire” for New Skin for an Old Ceremony in 1989, but later performed the song live with Sonny Rollins. The song was performed many times a day to the troops on the front. In Jerusalem, Leonard Cohen sang “Bird on the Wire,” but stopped after hearing applause. The audience applauded, and Cohen fumbled jokes throughout.
Beyonce
Beyonce took singing lessons. Many young singers are taught to push their larynx out of their body when out of breath, creating tension and closing important laryngeal muscles. Experienced singers, on the other hand, take deep breaths and allow their ribcage and abdomen muscles to expand. Beyonce’s vocal coach claims that the young singer was trained by her mother and father. The two men have a book titled Beyonce: Raising Genius, and it reveals Beyonce’s path to stardom.
Although many people would like to mimic Beyonce’s voice, they don’t have the same training. It takes years of practice and careful training to develop a strong, full voice. Beyonce, for example, has been working with the same vocal coach since she was eight years old. David Lee Brewer, the voice coach who trained her, is an accomplished opera singer who has toured the world and is known for his teaching abilities.
Whitney Houston
While performing in her teens, Whitney Houston took singing lessons from her mother. The singer was interested in pursuing a career in music and had always dreamed of performing on the big stage. Despite the early setbacks, Houston continued to pursue her dreams and hone her talent. She took singing lessons to make her voice sound stronger and more powerful, and she later used her lessons to make an album that would be a hit for many years to come.
Although the acrobatics she performed were largely natural, Whitney Houston did have some training in vocal technique. She learned to select vowel sounds to conserve air. Her trademark sound, a smooth effortless sound, was developed through vocal technique called melisma. She also used her body to control her voice and kept her voice in a controlled manner. Her vocal technique and singing style have influenced generations of artists. The songs Whitney Houston sings today are recognizable and influential.
Rihanna
Although Rihanna has a net worth of $90 million, ten number one hits, and a fierce attitude, few people would think that she took singing lessons. In fact, it is highly unlikely that she ever took vocal lessons. Even her mother, a singer herself, did not understand basic vocal terms or terminology related to singing. Nevertheless, Rihanna is an incredible singer and has recorded several live performances. Her vocal range is limited because she lacks proper support and does not avoid tight lips and jaws. This constriction is not stylistic and limits her top range.
After hearing her first demo tapes, Rihanna was invited to the United States by Evan Rogers. He was impressed by her performance of a Mariah Carey song and the Destiny Child song ‘Emotion’. After seeing her performance, Evan Rogers invited her to record demos and audition with Jay-Z. After hearing her demos, he signed her and gave her a record deal. The following year, she became a household name.