What are the essential skills every singer needs? episode artwork

EPISODE · Jan 20, 2026 · 18 MIN

What are the essential skills every singer needs?

from The Singer’s Guide · host Tessa Smith

In episode 11 of The Singer's Guide Podcast, host Tessa discusses the broad array of skills necessary to build a successful singing career. Drawing from her experience as a jazz singer, vocal coach, choir leader, and academic researcher, she categorises these skills into three main personas: the artist, the learner, and the professional. Tessa delves into the specifics of vocal technique, musicianship, and performance skills under the artist persona. For the learner, she highlights the importance of voice science, vocal health, and reflective practices. The professional persona focuses on industry-specific hard skills and essential soft skills like organisation, communication, and project management. Throughout the episode, Tessa stresses that while the list of required skills can seem overwhelming, they can be developed and improved over time through practice and experience. She concludes by asking the listener 'What do you wish you had learned sooner?' 00:00 Introduction and Episode Overview 02:19 The Life of a Freelance Singer 02:42 Tessa's Career Journey 05:25 Essential Skills for Singers 06:11 The Artist Persona 08:21 The Learner Persona 09:42 The Professional Persona 13:16 The Importance of Practice 14:41 Final Thoughts and Listener Engagement   ---- 🤫 THE QUIET PRACTICE TOOLKIT: 3 step-by-step exercises to improve your singing without making a sound https://subscribepage.io/quiet-practice-toolkit ---- 🤩 Tap here to learn more about the Singer's Practice Hub: www.singerspracticehub.com 🥳 Tap here to work with Tessa: www.thesingersguide.com 🎵 Music by Tessa Smith 🎙 Hosted by Tessa Smith, creator of The Self-Validated Voice and The Singer's Practice Hub.

Episode metadata supplied by the publisher feed · Published Jan 20, 2026

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