Preparing For American Idol Auditions
Of the thousands of people who dream of becoming big in the music industry, a precious few actually make it. Yes, it takes hard work and talent. But it also takes a lot of luck. How many of us have seen talented people in our own hometowns who are as good as any of the big stars? What is the difference? Luck. Some of the most talented people are never discovered. American Idol is a fantastic opportunity to get discovered.
The song you choose has to work with your voice range. Picking a song because it is popular when it is not the right style for you will get you turned down FAST. Choose a song that suits your particular talent. If your voice is more suited to the blues, pick a bluesy song. If you have a country voice, choose a great country song. Your song choice can't be based on popularity. It must be based on your voice. If you can sing "Amazing Grace" with amazing ability, sing "Amazing Grace"!
What you wear impacts being chosen, too. Don't dress sloppily and make sure your clothes aren't outdated. Don't wear something that is revealing to try to pull off the "sexy" look. Not one of the judges is going to be impressed by that. If you don't know what to wear, then wear a decent pair of jeans with a nice shirt. Kelly Clarkson didn't dress up for the audition but she chose wisely because she still looked "rock and roll" without overdoing it.
Don't wear a lot of makeup, either. When you wear a lot of makeup, the first thing people SEE is makeup. It looks garish. It will impress the judges, but it will give a bad impression. Men should not wear makeup at all when they are auditioning for American Idol.
Talented people everywhere have to have the proper training in order to succeed. The chance that you are the ONE talented person who doesn't need a vocal coach is so small it is laughable. Many a talent has gone unused because of a lack of training. Singing is a great example of that. Get a vocal coach. If you can't afford a vocal coach, talk to people who have some training and see if they will help you train your voice.
If your friends and family are telling you that you don't have what it takes for American Idol - that you can't sing- then they are most likely telling you the truth. You should be grateful for their honesty. How many times have you seen someone audition who has absolutely NO talent for singing and then they say, "But my friends all say I'm good." I'm sure their friends wanted to be nice, but they didn't do them any favors. Ask someone to listen to you sing who doesn't have a personal investment in you. An objective opinion from someone who knows about singing can also prepare you.
If you are serious about making it on American Idol, make sure you are prepared for it! Don't make a laughing stock out of yourself because you think you are somehow more "special" than other talented artists. You may have a special talent but if you aren't prepared, you are in the same boat as everyone there who may not have your talent. Pick the right song, wear the right clothes, train your voice and then stand in line and wait for your turn to shine.
