Judges Still Looking for That Elusive Female Winner?

“American Idol” judges were in Texas Tuesday searching for the next American Idol and took some time out for a press conference.

And like every year, they’re saying talent is even better than the year before and, of course, they’re still looking for a female winner.

“I feel like the bar is raised every year. We had an amazing abundance of talent last year, and I think we up it every season,” Judge Randy Jackson said during the press conference.

Jennifer Lopez, despite being the last hold-out to sign for this season, claims to be excited and gave an even more canned response than Randy.

“We’re excited about this year,” she said. “I don’t think we put the pressure on ourselves to top last year or anything like that. It’s just about having fun, finding great talent.”

But much like last year, the judges are trying hard to find a female to break the guy winning streak.
“The strongest voices we’ve seen this year have been girls. We had a lot of strong girls last year, but they were voted off, one by one,” Lopez said.

It also sounds like Steven Tyler hasn’t hardened any since last season. “It still breaks my heart to tell someone they can’t sing, because everybody’s got a voice,” he said. “It’s not easy. I have my days and moments.”

How to Sing Better and Improve Your Vocal Range

Although most people will never try out for American Idol, a great many individuals would like to know how to sing better. Here are a few helpful tips:

A singer must encourage their body to stay relaxed. If a vocalist is standing while singing, they should lift their arms about six inches away from their sides as this will permit a full expansion of the lungs. As the singer inhales, they must fill their stomach completely with air. As the individual exhales, they push the air out of their lungs using the diaphragm.

The diaphragm is a curved muscle that separates the lungs from the stomach. It is located just below the rib cage. Staying relaxed is imperative, as nervousness will create tension on the diaphragm, and destroy a singer's ability to hold and sing clear notes. The performer should place their feet in a balanced position and in alignment with their shoulders.

Putting one foot slightly ahead of the other will also work. Knees should never be locked; instead, they must be kept slightly bent. If the vocalist is in a sitting position, keeping the back straight but not stiff is important. In this posture, the feet should be approximately 12 inches apart, and both should be flat on the floor.
A higher note is more readily achieved when the arms are raised slightly above the six inch mark. A moderate smile can also be helpful. A delicate crying tone, underneath the words the vocalist is singing, will also enhance his or her ability to reach these notes. Practicing singing "boo hoo" to achieve this will render great results. For lower notes, dropping the arms slightly, creating a larger opening with the mouth and encouraging the jaw to relax will gain the deep resonating sound desired.

Muscle memory is important in learning how to sing better. Placing too much forceful pressure on the muscles surrounding the larynx or voice box will spoil the vocalist's ability to carry a tune. Adding a bit of a dopey tone to the voice will encourage the muscles surrounding the larynx to relax. Once these muscles are trained properly, the dopey tone can be removed and a clear singing voice that reverberates just above a person's normal speaking voice will capture everyone's attention. Remember, high and low notes cannot be reached when too much tension is present.

Believe it or not, what an individual drinks or eats before singing can affect the quality of their voice. Drinking bottled water or juice can be advantageous, but one should do so an hour or two before singing. Tobacco, dairy products, and alcohol will create detrimental results and will impair the clear notes that the singer is trying to reach.

In addition, getting in shape can be beneficial for the vocalist, and it will create favorable consequences for a more powerful voice. The more deeply the singer can breathe the better their instrument will resonate with clearer tones. The individual's confidence will also be boosted, which is always helpful, especially since being relaxed is an integral part of being a successful singer.

If a vocalist is truly serious about learning how to sing better, they should consider hiring a vocal coach. He or she can teach proper techniques for strengthening the voice and prevent the singer from harming their vocal instrument.

Would you like to learn how to sing better? If so, you will want to read my review of Singorama, which can help you learn to sing with a full vocal range.

Scotty McCreery and Lauren Alaina Album to Be Released Soon

Season 10 “American Idol” winner Scotty McCreery and runner-up Lauren Alaina will both be releasing their debut albums in October.

Scotty’s album “Clear as Day” is set to drop Oct. 4 while Lauren’s “Wildflower” the following week on Oct. 10.

“We’ve been working hard on this album not only in Nashville, but in studios across the country because I’ve been on the Idol tour,” Scotty said in a press release. “We’re putting what I believe are the best songs we could find on it and I really hope everyone likes it. The whole experience has been amazing!”

According to the release, Scotty’s new album is a collection of songs in the same straight-ahead country style that captured the nation’s hearts – and votes—on the show. It’s the next step in a promising career that is already breaking records.

Lauren says her album has a little something for everyone.

“I feel like it has a flavor for everybody,” Lauren said in a release. “It’s a mixture of all different songs, so I hope it will appeal to all different kinds of people. There are fast songs for people who like up-tempos that you can dance to, and there are also tearjerkers for people who like slower ballads.