Secrets of Vocal Health: Insights from Top Performers
If you’ve ever wondered what professional singers do to keep their voices in top shape, you’re not alone. Vocal health is a hot topic in the music world, and every singer has their own take on what works and what doesn’t. Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of working with some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry—from Broadway performers to legendary rock icons to international opera stars—and let me tell you, their vocal regimens couldn’t be more different.
Clash of Vocal Titans: The Great Water Debate Among Famous Singers
One of my most famous singers who is lauded across the world for her range and technique absolutely hates the taste of water and refuses to drink it without adding copious amounts of flavoring and sweetener to it. (I call it her Kool-Aid drink, because that's essentially what it is, although it's not actual "Kool Aid".) Yet a different, equally famous singer of mine never touches any liquid to her lips other than pure water, swearing that flavorings and sweeteners diminish the quality of her voice. So... who's right?
The Dairy Dilemma: Singers' Conflicting Beliefs on Vocal Performance
It doesn't stop there. A handful of my singers swear off dairy for 48 hours before a performance, one of them claiming even a whisper of cream in his coffee will leave his voice phlegmy and sluggish. And then there are the singers I coach who won’t go onstage without their vanilla yogurt and a full-fat glass of milk because they believe it coats their throats and gives their voices an extra smooth quality. Is one group right, and the other is wrong? They're all paying their bills by singing professionally, so whatever works for them must work!
Steaming vs. Neti Pots Among Broadway Singers
And let’s not forget the obsessive Broadway singers of mine who rely on steaming religiously before every show. You’ll always find them backstage with a towels over their heads, inhaling the steam from their personal steamers (especially in the winter). Meanwhile, the others in the dressing room think that steaming is overrated and prefer to use a Neti pot with saline solution.
Diverse Dietary Habits of Singers for Vocal Health
Food preferences are even more diverse among singers. One singer I work with starts her day with raw garlic and swears it keeps her voice clear (and maybe everyone else at a distance). Another wouldn’t dream of eating anything spicy, salty, or acidic within 24 hours of a performance.
I'm sure you've all heard rumors of demanding concert riders required by some big stars... every one of them has specific dietary requirements that may blow your mind. A few I see with my singers, occupying some pretty niche areas of the dietary spectrum, include:
red sour candy
baby Swiss cheese
Ranch dressing
organic agave nectar, or (last resort) honey if organic agave nectar is not available
Evian in glass bottles
sodium-free crackers
cold iced tea sweetened only with cane sugar.
I can confirm from personal experience that each of the items above is listed on my singers' various concert riders specifically for vocal reasons, not because it constitutes some other requirement of their dietary needs.
It seems crazy, right?!
The truth is, many singers—especially early in their careers—pick up habits based on what they’ve “heard through the grapevine” and they've acclimated to using these products as a part of their pre-singing rituals backstage; without them, something invariably feels "off" for them. And when something feels "off," it's a distraction, and it removes them from the performance and they fixate on whatever missing element is causing the distraction. I've seen it a zillion times, but I totally get it!
Where do these off backstage dietary rituals come from? It might start as advice from a teacher, a peer, or even a random internet forum. If someone they trust says, “Hey, this worked for me,” they’ll give it a shot, often without considering whether it makes scientific sense. And then it's ingrained into their routine permanently.
I’ve been guilty of this myself, though I was able to cut my odd dietary supplement out before it got too bad. When I was an undergraduate, my teacher told me to take these mysterious black capsules she had imported from China. The bottle was written completely in Chinese, one of the few languages she did not speak fluently... I remember her talking about how it contained some herb that she had heard was helpful in some regard, but even then, her knowledge of its ingredients seemed a bit hazy. But she promised they’d improve my voice somehow. So, for a year, I swallowed one every day. They tasted terrible, and—spoiler alert—my voice didn’t miraculously transform. To this day, I have no idea what they were, and in hindsight, it was probably a terrible idea to take them in the first place. But I trusted her blindly!
Science Over Superstition: Building a Reliable Vocal Health Routine
While it’s true that every voice is unique and may require different care, there’s also solid science behind maintaining a healthy instrument. Your voice is powered by your body, and the better you take care of your overall health, the better your voice will function.
Trust the science, folks - then you can get as weird as you want when you've made something of yourself in the singing world!
According to science, here are the foundational elements every singer should focus on:
Hydration: Your vocal cords need to stay moist to function well. Drink plenty of water throughout the day, not just before you sing.
Electrolytes: While water is essential, adding electrolytes can help your body retain hydration more effectively. Coconut water or an electrolyte tablet can do wonders.
A Balanced Diet: Your body is your instrument, so fuel it with nutrient-rich foods. Antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals all play a role in maintaining vocal health.
Rest: Your voice needs downtime, just like any other muscle. Sleep is critical for recovery and overall performance.
Supplements: While you don’t need exotic capsules of questionable origin, a good multivitamin with electrolytes can fill in any nutritional gaps and keep your body—and your voice—running smoothly.
Your Own Vocal Health Secrets: What Works for You?
Perhaps its time to develop your own vocal health secrets to pass along to others... The quirks and rituals of other singers can be fascinating; they can also be extremely frustrating if you haven't established your own core vocal health regimen! But at the end of the day, your voice is your own. It’s okay to experiment, but don’t fall for every fad you hear about (especially if it involves unidentified pills!). Instead, focus on the basics and build from there.
As for the mysterious black capsules? I’ll leave those in the past. These days, I stick to what works, founded in good science and good habits. Personally, I also avoid loud environments that require me to overuse my voice to he heard, alcohol, cough drops with menthol, and Benadryl, which causes my voice to feel noticeably dry. After all, singing isn’t just an art—it’s a discipline. With the right foundation, your voice will carry you wherever you want to go.
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