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Freedom From Cerebral Singing


Be free of a purely intellectual approach to your singing – the young “Michael Jackson” shows the way.

At 14 years old, Jean Mikhael Baque has taken London by storm as the young Michael Jackson.

He also has the kind of attitude that will see him flourishing as a vocalist for years to come.

His vocal coach, Leontine Hass, shares those qualities that can be beneficial for all vocalists.

What is special about Jean Mikhael’s vocal work – that rubs off on other singers?
He isn’t academic about songs—he just makes each song totally his own. Many singers are surprisingly cerebral. They are often highly complex people and get into the habit of thinking rather than feeling.

Can you give us an example of a “cerebral” approach to singing?
Singers can have all sorts of negative dialogues running in their > read more

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Teaching Voice to “Michael Jackson”


The King of Pop reaches out to all singers with some important vocal lessons. Leontine Hass explains…

He has the starring role of the young Michael Jackson in London’s West End hit show Thriller Live.

14 year-old Jean Mikhael Baque has learned that a singer can’t be this kind of star without being completely serious about vocal work.

We’ve asked his vocal coach, Leontine Hass, Director of London’s Associated Studios, to reveal the challenges behind developing the kind of voice that “thrills” audiences worldwide.

Did you ever think you’d be teaching ‘Michael Jackson’ how to sing?
One of the joys of this business is that you never know what is going to happen! Jean Mikhael comes from a tough London School; his music teacher was captivated by his > read more

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What is Vocal Success?


He’s a vocalist who has created one of the largest and most ambitious single pieces of rock music ever recorded.

His projects break all the rules and are consistently off the map.

In an exclusive interview with VoiceCouncil Magazine, Judge Smith shares his definition of Vocal Success.

How should vocalists deal with the pressure of conforming to the industry?
There is certainly a lot of pressure to conform today. Rock or pop music has been around for a long while now; it can even be studied as an academic discipline. When that happens to a subject, you > read more

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MAKE YOUR VOCAL PROJECT TAKE OFF


Have you wanted to do your own recording project – something truly unique? Judge Smith says it can be done.

Perhaps your ideas are so “off beat” that you’ve hesitated to begin work for fear of rejection.

So, there it sits, on a shelf at the back of your mind, while you get on with more socially acceptable work.

Maybe it’s time to roll up your sleeves, get to work and > read more

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Reality TV and Vocal Tenacity

The UK’s leading Soul Singer, Ruby Turner on Reality TV, Happiness and Vocal Tenacity

Do you think one can have a serious vocal career and be on a reality TV show?
I have questions about this. You tune into the shows and you hear people say how much they want this vocal career. Well, I say: ‘If you really want it, is this the only way? If you do want it you’ve got to be prepared to put years into it – not just six weeks of a TV series’.

I’m not saying Reality TV can’t help. After all, Gladys Knight was discovered on what was the equivalent of today’s reality TV shows, but what has made her successful is not just a hair spray and eye shadow—it’s her commitment and her passion. She’s been on the road forever. After the TV studio says “it’s a wrap”, that’s when you get down to the business of hard work.

Tenacity and Perseverance keep emerging as themes in your life.
I’ve noticed how short-lived many vocal careers are. Sometimes people aspire to a Reality-TV type of career—they want instant fame and they may get it but it lasts for about three months. If you want to sustain a career over the long haul you’ve got to > read more

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The Stage: Fright or FIGHT?

For the vocalist it’s the ultimate “getting back on the horse” experience: the return to the stage. Mary Beth Felker shares how she faced it…and prevailed.

Let’s face it, the stage can be a scary place, especially if you’ve been away from it for a while.

Any honest vocal coach has to admit that it’s one thing to teach the theory of performance skills but it’s another thing to actually stand up and perform in front of a live audience.

I had coached many vocalists as they faced the stage and now I felt that, in order to maintain my edge, it was absolutely necessary for me to return to center stage.

I woke up the morning after my “return” literally bouncing up and down in bed, grinning from ear-to-ear saying: “I did it, I did it, I did it!”

And I did it without > read more

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A Vocally Driven Band


The UK’s leading Soul Singer, Ruby Turner tells singers to take control.

If you’ve been lucky enough to witness Ruby Turner live in concert, you’ve noticed that her band is right behind her vocal drive. What do singers need to do to improve their performance relationship with their backing band? VoiceCouncil pursues Ruby on this essential question.

Do you expect your band to be as passionate as you are?
People have to be themselves, but you hope that you have like-minded players behind you. I do demand a lot from my unit. I drive really hard. There’s no going through the motions here. Feel it, believe it, deliver it.

So your band has no choice?
Of course they have the choice stay or to go if it’s not for them. The realities are that musicians do a lot of traveling and when we get to our gigs we’re usually exhausted. At the same time, I will not compromise: people have paid to see us so we had better find that little extra and when I shift into 5th gear on stage, the band had better be shifting with me. > read more

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Star Wars: Revenge of the Vocalists


VoiceCouncil asks Mister Tim of moosebutter how his YouTube success might apply to all vocalists.

Your John Williams-Star Wars vocal tribute is nothing less than inspired. How did this come about?

Star Wars was conceived and arranged by me and the other two original members of the A Cappella comedy group moosebutter waaaaay back in 1999. We premiered it the night before Episode I opened in the US. It’s been on YouTube a few times, but it never got big.

We’ll talk about going viral in a moment — let’s talk first about the birth of this idea…
The song itself was born the way that most moosebutter material is born – out of a love of geeky stuff. Also, just a natural tendency to see the goofy humor in life.

> read more

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The Vocal Passion and Perseverance of Ruby Turner

Ruby Turners Vocal Passion

When you come across a singer who has performed with some of the greatest groups of all time—and continues to tour, produce albums and to push herself in new creative directions— you want to ask: where do you get all your energy? Can you put it in a bottle and give it to me?

Ruby Turner’s career is amazingly multifaceted. Not only has she collaborated with Culture Club, Bryan Ferry, Mick Jagger, UB40 and currently with Jools Holland, but she’s also been on stage in London’s West End, had numerous television appearances and was a part of the hit film “Love Actually”. Ruby shares the most powerful concepts guiding her vocal career in an exclusive VoiceCouncil interview.

> read more

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Hell, Damnation and Vocal Technique – Chuck Billy of Testament


When Chuck Billy belts out Metal music with his characteristic death-sounds, he is treating his voice with care. VoiceCouncil caught up with Chuck on his European Tour with Judas Priest and Megadeth to ask him how his voice has survived a Metal career.
Heavy Metal University

You’ve been in this business for some time. Were you always a Metal singer?
I started as a guitar player and got thrown into a singing position when my younger brother’s band needed a singer. I felt this was a serious change that demanded that I spend some time doing some equally serious learning.

I suppose you couldn’t enroll at Heavy Metal University?
We’re talking about the early 80s when there wasn’t a lot of Metal around; I hadn’t even heard of Metallica at this time. I was more of a melodic singer; the bands I was playing with were harder, guitar driven— not real Metal as we know it today.

> read more

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