Inside the Life of a Session Vocalist

Breaking In, Building a Career, and Staying Competitive

I was recently asked a series of questions about my career as a session vocalist. I thought I’d share my answers here for anyone interested in what the job actually looks like behind the scenes, from breaking into the industry to pricing, branding, and staying competitive.

What mistakes should new session singers avoid?

One of the biggest mistakes new session singers make is not really knowing who they are.
You need to have a clear understanding of your strengths, your limitations, and where you fit within the industry. That means being honest with yourself about what you do well and what you don’t. It’s not always comfortable, but it’s essential.

If you don’t have that clarity, it’s very easy to head in the wrong direction, chase the wrong opportunities, or try to be something you’re not. The more self-aware you are, the easier it becomes to make the right decisions and build a career that actually works for you.

What motivates you to keep going in such a competitive field?

What motivates me is a combination of my love for the craft and a deep belief in my own ability.

I genuinely love what I do. Singing, writing, and creating are things I’m naturally drawn to, so even when work is quiet or things aren’t going my way, I still feel the pull to keep going. That passion makes the difficult periods a lot more manageable.

Alongside that, I have a strong belief that I have something valuable to offer. In a field as competitive as this, you have to hold onto that. There are always going to be talented people around you, but trusting your own voice, your own sound, and what makes you unique is what keeps you moving forward.

It’s not about constant wins, it’s about consistency. Showing up, putting in the work, and trusting that over time those small steps lead to bigger opportunities.

Has your definition of success changed over time?

My definition of success has definitely evolved over time, but at its core it’s stayed pretty simple. I’ve always felt incredibly fortunate to make a living doing what I love, and for me that is the biggest form of success.

That said, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t still look for validation. It feels good to have your work recognised, especially in an industry where so much happens behind the scenes. For me, that validation often comes when my voice or my songs are used by major brands, or placed in films and TV shows that I genuinely care about.

For example, I recently had a song placed in a trailer for a film starring one of my favourite actors. Moments like that mean a lot. They’re a reminder that the work is landing, that it’s connecting, and that all the effort is worth it.

Those small wins, spread out over time, are what keep me motivated and moving forward.

What were the biggest turning points in your career?

I’ve had a few turning points, but the biggest one came during Covid.

Before that, I was living in LA and working as a session vocalist, which gave me some great experiences. Over time though, I shifted more into live performance, singing on cruise ships, touring in musicals, and performing at weddings and events.

Then Covid hit, and overnight all of that work disappeared. My income completely stopped, and I had to figure out a new way forward.

That’s when I discovered platforms like SoundBetter and AirGigs. They opened my eyes to a side of the industry I hadn’t really considered before. I quickly created profiles on as many platforms as I could find, and almost immediately a new career path started to take shape.

I realised pretty quickly that being a remote session vocalist really suited me. That shift led to a huge amount of new opportunities and ultimately changed the direction of my career.

It might sound strange, but in a way, that period forced me into the path I’m on now, and a lot of what I’ve built since came out of that pivot.

How do you keep improving your skills?

The biggest thing that’s helped me grow is being brutally honest with myself about my strengths and weaknesses, and checking in on that regularly.

I’m always looking for opportunities in the music industry that actually align with what I do well. It sounds obvious, but a lot of people waste time chasing things that don’t suit them, or trying to fix weaknesses that don’t really serve their goals. You can’t be great at everything, so having a clear direction is key. Once you know where you’re heading, you can focus on improving the skills that actually move you forward.

For example, for years I was mainly hired as a session vocalist, travelling to studios. Then platforms like SoundBetter and AirGigs opened up the opportunity to work from home and reach more clients. I knew my strength was singing, but my recording skills were basic. If I wanted to take advantage of that opportunity, I had to improve that weakness.

So I focused on learning how to properly record vocals. Once I got comfortable with that, I reassessed and realised that to stay competitive, I needed to mix my own vocals as well. That meant learning EQ, compression, delay, and reverb. I worked on that until I felt confident, and then reassessed again.

That cycle never really stops. As your direction evolves, you keep checking in, adjusting, and refining the skills that actually support where you want to go.

How important is personal branding as a session singer?

It’s HUGE.

When I first started out, I marketed myself as a “versatile vocalist.” I could sing R&B, rock, jazz, classical… pretty much anything. But in trying to do everything, I ended up spreading myself too thin. There was no clear identity, and as a result, people didn’t really know where to place me. The work just wasn’t coming in consistently.

So I took a step back and really evaluated my strengths. I realised that the style I was most comfortable in, and the one I could perform at the highest level, was the big band crooner style. From there, I looked at the market and saw there was actually a huge gap. There were plenty of pop vocalists, but very few singers specialising in that classic crooner sound.

Once I leaned fully into that and started marketing myself as a jazz crooner, things changed quickly. The work became more consistent, and I started attracting the right kind of clients.

For me, that was a big lesson. It’s not just about what you can do, it’s about what you choose to be known for. Having a clear, focused brand makes it much easier for people to understand you and hire you.

How did you start promoting yourself?

If I’m honest, promoting myself has never been my strong point. It’s probably one of my biggest weaknesses, and something I’m still working on.

Funny enough, just the other day I was in the studio with a pretty big client, got chatting to someone on the session, and they asked what I do in the industry…. and I completely blew it. I didn’t have a clear way to explain myself and I just turned into a mumbling mess. It was a bit embarrassing, but also a wake-up call. If I can’t clearly describe what I do and where I fit, how is anyone else supposed to understand it? So now, I’ve sat down and put together a proper, simple pitch and made sure I know it by heart.

Most of my work has come through platforms like SoundBetter and AirGigs. That’s where producers are actually going to hire vocalists, so just being present and active on there has been huge for me. It’s also where I started building my network.

Social media… I wouldn’t say I’m great at it. But I do use it as a kind of portfolio. I post what I think is my best work, and it has brought in some jobs. I know there’s more I could be doing there though.

I’ve never had an agent either, I’ve always found my own work. In a way, that’s been really good because it forced me to learn how to negotiate, understand my worth, and not get taken advantage of. It toughens you up pretty quickly. And of course, there’s the perk of not having to give away a percentage of your income.

That said, I’m not against the idea of having representation at some point. I’d just want to make sure it’s structured fairly, where they only take a cut from the work they actually bring in, not the stuff I’ve sourced myself.

What’s the most challenging part of your career?

Honestly, the biggest challenge is the admin.

People assume this job is all singing and creating, but a huge amount of my time is spent doing the less glamorous stuff, emails, chasing work, following up on invoices, reviewing contracts, keeping on top of bookkeeping. The reality is, a lot of it is pretty boring and can get frustrating.

The other big challenge is keeping up with the business side of the industry. It’s constantly changing, and you have to stay on top of it. Things like understanding the difference between performance royalties and mechanical royalties, knowing when to negotiate for a share versus when to take a buyout… those are really important decisions.

For most creatives, (myself included) that side of things doesn’t come naturally, but it’s essential. If you don’t understand the business, it’s very easy to get taken advantage of.

How did you first break into session singing?

I kind of got my first break through a bit of luck and being in the right place at the right time.

A friend of mine was singing backing vocals on a big artist’s album, and he passed my vocal reel on to the vocal contractor. Next thing I knew, I was being brought into Capitol Records for my first proper session. It all happened pretty quickly.

That said, the luck only mattered because I was ready. I already had a solid demo reel, so when the opportunity came up, I could actually take advantage of it.

I think there are two big takeaways from that. First, who you surround yourself with really matters. Being connected to people in your industry, and building genuine relationships, can open doors you’d never find on your own. Networking isn’t just a buzzword, it’s huge.

Second, when those opportunities do come up, you’ve got to be ready and not afraid to put yourself forward. Stay humble, be easy to work with, but don’t be shy about showing what you can do.

How do you price your work and negotiate fees?

Pricing my work has honestly been years of trial and error.

For a long time, I was undercharging and didn’t even realise it. When you’re starting out, that’s somewhat expected because you don’t yet have the portfolio or track record to justify higher rates. But at some point, you have to start understanding your value.

The tricky part is that there’s no fixed rate. Every project is different. The budgets vary depending on the country, the client, and the type of job. An ad campaign, for example, can change drastically in price depending on things like territory, length of usage, and where it’s being used. There really isn’t a one-size-fits-all number.

The biggest thing I’ve learned is to ask questions… a lot of them. Before I ever give a quote, I try to get as much information as possible so I fully understand the scope of the project. Early on I worried that I was being annoying, but it actually helps everyone. It makes things clear from the start and avoids problems later. If a company is hesitant to share that information, that’s usually a red flag. The best jobs I’ve had have always been the most transparent.

I also spent time researching what other vocalists at a similar level were charging, as well as those further ahead in their careers. That helped me figure out where I sit in the market. And as you start getting more work, it’s important to test your rates and gradually push them up. Sometimes it won’t land, and that’s fine. It often just leads to a conversation about budget.

And finally, don’t be afraid to walk away. If a project can’t meet your fee, it’s okay to say no. Pricing yourself fairly and standing by it is a big part of building a sustainable career. The right clients will recognise your value and be willing to pay for it.

Final Thoughts

If there’s one thread running through all of this, it’s clarity.

Clarity in who you are, what you offer, where you fit, and how you value your work.

Once you have that, everything else, from branding to pricing to long-term growth, becomes a lot easier to navigate.