How to prepare for singing auditions

When preparing for any singing audition, the key is to make sure that you’re performing at the top of your game. There is no point having the talent if you fail to bring it with a strong presentation at the audition. This is your only chance to impress people, so make sure that you do it right. In this article, find out how to prepare for singing auditions.

Song choice

Whether you’re in the first round of an open casting for a talent search, or the last two choices for Broadway auditions, make sure that you pick the right song. Your singing tutor should be able to advise a strong choice, but if you don’t have one, then think about what you’re auditioning for. It’s unlikely that ‘talent’ auditions like The X Factor will be looking for original songs, so keep it light and pop-like or predictable RnB styles as they seem to go down best. If you're auditioning for a theatre show, then you’ll need to prepare a song either from the show or a piece that shows that you have a voice capable of the demands of live theatre.

Watch performances

If you are auditioning for a well-known show, try and find recordings of previous performances to study. Now the concern here is that you don’t want to mimic exactly what you see, but rather look at the presentation and style and try to tailor your performance with something that pays respect to it - your style and talent should be at the forefront of any performance. Avoid any version of a song that has been released commercially, or as part of a revue as these rely more on the performer’s persona than the character. Be aware of film versions as well since these are often auto-tuned, and could give you an understanding of the character.

Record yourself

You can perform in front of a mirror a hundred times, but you will be concentrating on the song and not on your audition. If you record yourself, you take yourself out of the moment and can be more constructive and critical. Recording yourself also gives you a chance to critique yourself harder than friends or family might - they would more than likely want to spare your feelings and not be honest. If you're your own judge, you’re going to tear your performance apart and hopefully improve upon it.