If you’ve spent most of your time going all out with showtunes and suddenly find yourself trying to sing Olivia Rodrigo , you might notice something feels… off. Don’t worry—it’s not you! It’s just that musical theatre habits don’t always translate smoothly into pop. And as you probably know, habits can be hard to break!
Before you despair thinking like you’re always gonna sound like Jean Valjean (even though you’re going more more Harry Styles!), read on!
Here are three big reasons why musical theatre singers often struggle when switching to pop—and what to do about it.
1. Too Much Vibrato
In the theatre world, vibrato is often your friend—it adds warmth, presence, and projection. But in pop? Not so much. There’s not a lot of it.
Pop music loves clean, straight tones. Think of it like this: Broadway vibrato is a glitter spotlight moment. Pop is more like a ring light—subtle and sleek. It’s definitely there, but it’s not super obvious.
💡 Try this: sing the same phrase with no vibrato, just a clean tone, and notice how modern it instantly sounds. You can always add vibrato for flavor—but make it a choice, not your default. This will take time, so be patient.
2. Over-Enunciation
Musical theatre singers are trained to make sure every word reaches the back row. You need to be understood. You’re telling a story, after all!
But in pop, that can come off as… robotic. Pop singing is conversational. It’s like talking, but on pitch.
💡 Try this: say your lyric out loud the way you’d actually talk to a friend. Notice how relaxed your mouth and jaw feel—that’s the sound you want when you sing it. A little mumble is not the enemy here. I mean, how many pop lyrics have you misunderstood? Exactly. Ha!
3. Overdoing the Emotion
Pop absolutely requires emotion—it’s just that the microphone does a lot of the heavy lifting for you. You don’t have to “act” every word.
In musical theatre, you project emotion to the balcony. In pop, you’re whispering secrets to someone’s ear.
💡 Try this: instead of “performing” the song, imagine you’re recording a voice memo to someone who broke your heart (or made it skip a beat). Let the mic catch the intimacy. Again, this takes practice…but what doesn’t?
The Bottom Line
Musical theatre training gives you amazing tools—stamina, technique, storytelling—but pop asks you to dial it down a bit. It’s about connection, not perfection. And not trying to hard. Because pop stars and coolness and all that.
You don’t have to unlearn your theatre background; you just have to translate it. Think less “showtime” and more “real time.” 🎙️
Did you find these three tips on pop singing helpful, my musical theatre friends? I sure hope so! Thanks for stopping by.
Since I love teaching all styles (seriously!) , don’t hesitate to reach out if you want more for your voice. I’d love to help you! Book a lesson with me now.