Starting a singing career is different from just singing for your own pleasure or entertaining friends and family. If you have the talent and have invested time in nurturing it, there are several steps you can take to start your music career.

First, Get a Second Opinion

If you want real guidance on how to become a singer, it is essential to consult people from the industry. Often, the way we perceive our talent and the way unbiased strangers do can differ. But more importantly, getting several different experts to discuss your true potential is advisable.

Start with a vocal coach to find out what techniques you can improve upon and if you are using your talent correctly. Keep in mind that the instructor you hire must be an experienced one who has an excellent track record in singing.

A music manager can help improve your visibility. You don't need a music manager right off the bat, but talking to one can help you get a better understanding of how the industry functions.

Learn to Read Music

If you are also playing an instrument, you had to learn to read music from the start. However, a lot of singers have great raw talent. If they are not trained, they don't necessarily know how to read music. This is a step you cannot jump over as a professional singer. Reading notes will help you create your own original songs and interpret well-known ones on a deeper level.

Don't Stop Improving

There is never a level that you can reach when you can just stop working on your craft. Always keep that in mind. Your voice is an instrument, and if you want to learn how to launch your singing career, the answer is always to work harder.

If you are not ready to take center stage straight away, there are several options you can consider until you feel you can command the attention. Most of these options are bound to help you improve your singing and gain more performance experience -

• A singer for an existing band - you will be surrounded by experienced musicians who know the songs inside and out and can help you evolve and learn.
• Backup vocals - not the most glamorous role, but one in which you can hone your singing skills and fine-tune that precious instrument that is your voice
• Studio professional is also an option, you get to sing for jungles island commercials, it will keep your voice working and pay the rent while you develop your singing career.

You Will Need a Band

Unless you also play an instrument or want to be a singer within a theater group or a choir, you will need to be accompanied by skilled musicians. It is always better to be surrounded by people you know and trust rather than constantly changing collaborators.

It is important to keep in mind that to start with even just an acoustic option with someone following you on a guitar might be enough, depending on the genre of music you want to perform. There's no need to get a full band right from the start.

Now you are ready for the next step, performing on a larger scale.

Time to Get Your First Gig

Not sure where to start? It can sometimes be hard to book the first few gigs until people hear about you or see you actually perform. In those cases, a great option would be an entertainment agency. These types of agencies match events to artists, so you can quickly book an event that is most suited to your singing aspirations.

This is a great stepping stone to increase your visibility, get a few gigs under your belt, and see if the singing career is exactly what you dreamed it would be.

Ok, now you know the steps necessary to answer the question of how to start a music career - all that is left is to take them. If this is your dream, make sure you stick to it and prepare yourself for a slow start, but it will pay off in the long run. Nothing makes an artist more fulfilled than chasing their dream and seeing it turn into reality.