I find that most of my students who begin voice lessons want to sing what is on the radio. While I am a big fan of popular music, there are a couple of reasons why it is not my first choice for young singers. First, many songs on the radio are too challenging for a young vocalist. Let’s be honest, most of us can’t sing like Demi Lovato. Second, when choosing music for your young vocalist, it’s important to consider the lyric content and whether or not the lyrics are age-appropriate. Finding age-appropriate material in the pop genre can be a challenge. Here are some ideas to get your young singer going in the right direction:
1) Expose your kids to several genres of music. What kind of music did you listen to growing up?
2) Rent some classic Disney movies. I can’t tell you how many kids haven’t seen “Peter Pan”!
3) Have a Broadway movie night. Broadway classics like “Annie” are timeless, and the songs are great.
4) Have a karaoke night at home. This is fun for the whole family. And it will help your young vocalist decide which songs they really like to perform.
5) Go to a school play or audition for one! When kids see their friends perform, they want to try it too.
When all else fails, you can head straight to the music store! I’ve compiled a list of some of my favorite vocal books for young singers. You can order them on Amazon, or find them at most music retailers. If Music & Arts doesn’t have something in stock, they can order it for you at no shipping cost! Good luck!
Solos From Musicals for Kids w/CD (Hal Leonard)
Girls Songs From Musicals w/CD (Hal Leonard)
Kids Broadway Songbook w/CD (Hal Leonard)
Kid’s Stage & Screen Songs w/CD (Hal Leonard)
Disney Solos for Kids w/CD (Hal Leonard)
More Disney Solos for Kids w/CD (Hal Leonard)
Kid’s Musical Theatre Collection Volume 1 w/CD (Hal Leonard)
Kid’s Musical Theatre Collection Volume 2 w/CD (Hal Leonard)
Kid’s Musical Theatre Anthology w/CD (Alfred)
Ann von Uffel has been teaching piano & voice lessons for over 7 years. She is an aspiring singer/songwriter, who listens to everything from country music to Frank Sinatra. She earned a degree in Psychology with a minor in Music from Georgia State University.
I use a lot of classic Disney songs and songs from older Broadway musicals. Even choosy kids usually find songs they like from these genres.
Yes to Disney and NO to Pop. Nothing is gained during a voice lesson if the student is imitating the singer.