SHE WANTS TO BE A SINGER

Dear Jellybean,

I've been singing since I was 2 and I want to become a singer. I'm not in it for the money or the fame, ( Okay, that's a tiny lie!). I just love to sing and I've been in musicals at my old school before. Sometimes I get stage fright and I love to sing at family parties or on someone's birthday. But I want MORE than singing for family! What should I do?

Dear Writer,

Who doesn't want to be a famous singer these days? It's an exciting goal... and if you have talent to back it up, there are lots of things you can do to try and make it happen.

First, it's great that you've been getting practice in school musicals and at family parties. You need to keep that up! Take every opportunity to sing in public, whether it's at birthday parties, family events, school talent shows, at summer camp, etc. The more you sing in front of people, the better you'll get at it.

If you are really good and if you work hard to promote yourself, you might be able to find a local place that will hire you to sing on certain days or nights. Visit local coffee houses, restaurants, record stores or even clothing stores, and ask if they'd be interested in having you perform.

Another idea is to start a band. Singing with a band is amazing experience, and it's how a lot of famous singers got their start. Post a flyer at your school or just ask around to see who'd be into forming a band with you. It can be way easier to line up gigs for singing in public, when you have a band to back you up.

Recording your singing and posting your music online can also pay off! More and more people are being "discovered" this way, so be sure to get a MySpace page and post your songs. If people like your music, they'll spread the word... and who knows where that could lead!

You may also want to look into voice lessons. Even the top singers in the world, such as Christina Aguilera, do continual training to keep their voices in great shape. It's a great way for a beginning singer to learn good breath control, to develop their tone and vocal range, and to learn what kinds of songs suits her voice best.

And whatever you do, keep praticing! The more you practice, and the more confident you get in your abilities, the better you'll be... and the better chance you'll have to succeed as a singer. Good luck to you!