Making the Transition from Classical Singing to Contemporary Singing With Confidence

For many classically trained singers, stepping into the world of contemporary singing can feel both exciting and unsettling. You’re moving from a tradition rooted in centuries of technique, structure, and discipline into a landscape that celebrates flexibility, individuality, and stylistic nuance unique to each genre.

And while classical training gives you an incredible foundation—breath efficiency, stamina, range, resonance, musical literacy—contemporary singing asks for different choices: a more conversational sound, genre-specific stylings, shorter lines, reduced vibrato, and a vocal identity that’s shaped as much by personality as by skill.

I started as a contemporary singer, then studied classical singing for three years before moving back to Musical Theatre and contemporary singing, taking my MT and Pop Grades concurrently, back in the early 2000s. At that time singers like Katherine Jenkins, Charlotte Church and Russell Watson were popular and regularly seen on prime time television.

Charlotte Church later made the successful transition from classical to pop singer, and, after divorcing from composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, Sarah Brightman successfully collaborated with Frank Peterson creating a crossover sound.

I have performed as a contemporary artist in more than thirty countries singing pop, rock, reggae, ska and soul from the smallest pub venues to huge festivals and audiences of up to 30,000.

Over the last few years I have helped dozens of classical singers make the shift and continue lucrative careers as contemporary singers. Jump to other artists who have successfully transitioned from classical to contemporary singing.

If you’re ready to transition from classical to contemporary singing, this guide will take you through the essential shifts in technique, mindset and artistry that will help you thrive across styles such as pop, rock, jazz, and soul… without losing the benefits of your classical roots.

Amy Lee of Evanescence singing in 1996

The Biggest Mindset Shift: Contemporary Singing Is Built on Speech

Classical singing is an elevated vocal production — elongated vowels, tall resonant spaces, consistent vibrato, and rounded tonal shapes designed to project in large halls without amplification.

Contemporary singing, by contrast, is built around the speaking voice. That means:

• Shorter and more conversational phrasing

• More direct tone

• Clear consonants

• Reduced vibrato

• Varied textures

• A more intimate, expressive sound

• A connection to natural speech rhythm rather than sustained legato

Think of it this way:

Classical singing is an expansion of speech. Contemporary singing is speech with pitch.

This doesn’t by any means suggest that contemporary singing is easier—it simply moves the demands into a different area: flexibility, rhythmic accuracy, vocal colouring, stylistic nuance, and emotional authenticity.

Vocal Tone: From Rounded to Authentic, Present, and Varied

One of the largest differences is tone quality.

Classical Tone

• Tall, rounded vowels

• Even vibrato

• Open pharyngeal space

• Prioritises resonance and warmth

• Minimal tonal variation (a consistent “vocal line”)

Contemporary Tone

• Forward, bright, speech-like vowels

• Often straight-toned

• A mix of resonance strategies, including “mask placement”

• More tonal variety: breathy, clean, gritty, warm, edgy

• Intentionally uneven vibrato or no vibrato at all

• Tone shaped by genre, emotion, and lyric

• 
  

The goal is not to eliminate your classical technique, but to adapt your tonal palette.

Try experimenting with:

• Narrower vowels

• Slightly firmer, speech-based onset

• Less space at the back of the throat

• Allowing natural vocal colour rather than “beautifying” each tone

• Singing with the emotional intention of the lyric, not just the technical shape

• 
  

Forward Placement & Mask Singing

You may have learned classical tone as something that “lifts” into the head, creates vertical height, and resonates in the pharynx.

Contemporary singing, however, frequently uses forward placement, also called mask resonance. This brings the sound toward the front of the face — cheekbones, nasal cavity, teeth, and lips — giving the bright, punchy, modern sound heard in pop, rock, and R&B.

How to find mask placement

1. Say “nyah nyah” like a cheeky child.

2. Notice the buzzy vibration around the nose and cheekbones.

3. Slide that sensation into simple scales.

4. Gradually open the vowels while keeping the buzz forward.

Forward placement allows:

• Better microphone compatibility

• Cleaner articulation

• More stylistic vocal colours

• Brighter sound quality

• More agility

This is the opposite of the “open throat, lifted soft palate, tall vowel” approach of classical contemporary styles, the sound often prefers focused over wide, bright over round, and direct over tall.  The position of the larynx can also change dramatically with contemporary singing.

Support: Same Foundation, Different Application

This is possibly the most misunderstood differential when it comes to transitioning successfully. If you find yourself choked by too much air when you singing contemporary songs, consider this: Classical technique gives you excellent breath management—but contemporary support works differently.

Classical breath support focuses on:

• Consistent airflow

• Long, sustained lines

• Even vibrato

• Controlled, anchored ribcage

• Maximal resonance and projection

Contemporary support prioritises:

• Shorter breath bursts

• Speech-driven airflow

• Fast changes between vocal qualities

• Dynamic articulation

• Microphrasing (tiny variations in timing)

You still use diaphragmatic engagement—but you use it with less air pressure and faster coordination.

Over-singing is one of the most common problems classical singers face when shifting to contemporary music. The trick is to use less air, not more. Contemporary singing is intimate and often amplified. Your job is to shape colour and emotion; projection is a feature, rather than the focus.

Reducing Vibrato and Avoiding Classical Line

In classical singing, vibrato appears naturally when the voice is free and resonant, and you’re often trained to maintain it evenly.

Contemporary singing wants far more variation:

Examples of vibrato use across genres

• Pop: Almost entirely straight tone until the very end of a phrase

• Soul/R&B: Wide, expressive vibrato used as ornamentation

• Rock: Minimal vibrato; more edge, grit, or straight-toned sustain

• Jazz: Light vibrato, used sparingly or as a stylistic flourish

• 
  

How to reduce classical vibrato

• Use a speech-like onset

• Shorten phrases

• Direct the sound forward

• Relax the jaw and tongue

• Reduce vertical space

• Use less airflow

• Keep the emotional intention conversational

When you remove the classical “line,” you open yourself to stylistic riffing, phrasing, and micro-pauses that make contemporary vocals feel human, dynamic, and expressive.

Stylistic Techniques Across Contemporary Genres

Each contemporary genre has its own identity. Classical singers transitioning into these styles often need specific adjustments in tone, articulation, rhythm, and emotional intention.

Here's a quick overview of each main genre:

Jazz

Characteristics:

• Conversational tone

• Light, agile riffs and scatting

• Flexible timing (behind the beat, syncopation)

• Clear diction but relaxed vowels

• Subtle vibrato, often delayed

• Warm, natural tone

Key focuses for classical singers:

• Stop “singing beautifully”

• Let the melody move conversationally

• Explore swung rhythm

• Use softer, smaller tone

• Experiment with playful phrasing

Pop

Characteristics:

• Clean, bright, forward tone

• Mostly straight tone

• Light chest voice or mixed voice

• Simple riffs

• Intimate, speech-like delivery

• Emotional authenticity over technical perfection

Key focuses:

• Narrow vowels

• Use your speaking voice as the tonal base

• Keep dynamics small

• Avoid the classical “smile-shaped” vowel

• Allow breathiness when stylistically appropriate

Rock

Characteristics:

• Strong chest voice

• Edge, rasp or distortion (false cord or fry)

• High-intensity delivery

• Direct, punchy articulation

• Little to no vibrato (except in classic 1970s/80s rock

• Emotional rawness

Key focuses:

• Learn safe distortion (false cord is essential)

• Use anchored support without pushing air

• Keep tone forward, bright, and gritty

• Embrace aggressive consonants

• Avoid rounded or tall vowels

Rock is not always about perfection — it’s about authenticity, feeling, and attitude.

Soul / R&B

Characteristics:

• Smooth, warm, rich tone

• Chest-dominant mix voice

• Runs and riffs

• Flexible vibrato

• Expressive phrasing

• Melisma and ornamentation

Key focuses:

• Build agility and riff control

• Strengthen your middle and chest voice

• Bring emotionality into every line

• Allow tone colour changes within a phrase

• Keep vowels speech-like, not classical

Soul rewards vulnerability and vocal personality, not technical uniformity.

Contemporary vs. World Music

Many singers mistake “world music” for “contemporary vocals,” but stylistically they are distinct.

Contemporary (Pop, Rock, Jazz, Soul, Country, R&B):

• Western music traditions

• Rhythm and lyric-driven

• Microtone use is limited

• Built around the speaking voice

• Emphasises microphone use

World Music traditions vary widely:

• Indian classical singing uses extremely agile microtonal ornaments and usually no head voice or falsetto

• Middle Eastern singing uses maqam scales with quarter tones and, like Indian classical singing, no head voice or falsetto

• African vocal traditions use polyrhythms, call-and-response, and textured timbres

• Eastern European folk uses open-throated, bright, sometimes nasal tone

• Flamenco singing uses intensity, edge, and ornamental melisma

A classical singer moving into “world” traditions often must learn new tonal shapes, scale systems, and vocal colours that differ from both classical and contemporary Western technique.

Why Listening Matters More Than Anything

The greatest tool for converting classical technique into contemporary expression is listening.

Not passive listening—active, analytical listening.

Pay attention to:

• Tone colour

• Vibrato usage

• Consonant strength

• Vowel shaping

• Breath patterns

• Onset type

• Phrasing

• Dynamics

• Emotional tone

• Micro-rhythmic shifts

• Stylistic ornamentation

Choose singers across genres:

• Pop: Ariana Grande, Billie Eilish, Harry Styles, Sam Smith

• Rock: Hayley Williams, Chris Cornell, Ann Wilson

• Soul/R&B: Aretha Franklin, Jazmine Sullivan, Stevie Wonder, Alicia Keys

• Jazz: Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Esperanza Spalding, Chet Baker

Listening accelerates your progress more than any single technical exercise because it exposes you to vocal possibilities you may never have been trained to explore.

Celebrated Singers Who Successfully Shifted from Classical to Contemporary

You’re in excellent company. Many of today’s most iconic contemporary vocalists began with classical or operatic foundations before evolving into pop, rock, soul, or jazz artists. Their journeys prove that classical technique can be an incredible springboard into modern vocal styles.

1. Lady Gaga

Before becoming one of the most influential pop artists in the world, Lady Gaga trained classically from childhood and studied at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. Her background shows in her breath control, phrasing, power, and vocal stamina — but her stylistic choices are entirely contemporary, spanning pop, jazz, and rock. Her work with Tony Bennett also highlights how classical foundations can adapt beautifully to jazz.

2. Whitney Houston

Whitney’s early training included classical vocal technique in her church and school choirs. Her ability to navigate long phrases with ease, maintain impeccable control, and sustain powerful belts without vocal damage reflect her classical grounding — even though her sound defined contemporary soul and pop.

3. Renée Fleming

Known as one of the greatest sopranos of her generation, Renée Fleming also explored jazz and contemporary crossover projects. Her album Dark Hope features covers of indie-rock artists like Death Cab for Cutie and Muse. Fleming demonstrated that classical singers can adapt their approach while retaining vocal integrity.

4. Josh Groban

Groban’s classical and operatic training is unmistakable, yet he is firmly positioned in the contemporary crossover world. His music blends pop, classical, and theatre influences, and his ability to move between genres has been central to his global success.

5. Annie Lennox

Annie Lennox studied classical flute and vocal technique at the Royal Academy of Music before becoming a groundbreaking pop and rock vocalist with Eurythmics. Her classical ear and phrasing laid the groundwork for the expressive, emotionally charged vocal style that made her a global icon.

6. Amy Lee (Evanescence)

Known for her gothic-rock vocals, Amy Lee has classical piano and vocal training, including a strong operatic influence in her early years. She adapted this foundation to create the haunting, powerful rock sound that became her signature.

7. Sarah Brightman

Originally trained for the classical stage, Brightman transitioned into contemporary classical crossover and pop. Her career illustrates how classical singers can craft entirely new genres for themselves, blending operatic resonance with modern production.

8. Julie Andrews

Andrews began with rigorous classical training as a child prodigy capable of singing operatic repertoire. Although best known for musical theatre and film, her precise technique, clarity, and storytelling ability come directly from her classical roots.

9. Cecilia Bartoli (select crossover projects)

While fundamentally a classical mezzo-soprano, Bartoli has explored crossover material, world music elements, and experimental vocal projects. She’s an excellent example of how classical singers can expand their artistic identity without abandoning their technical grounding.

10. Freddie Mercury (partial training and classical influence)

Freddie was not formally classically trained in the traditional conservatoire sense, but he studied classical music theory and used classical vocal techniques, especially in breath control and phrasing. His ability to shift between rock, opera, musical theatre, and ballads highlights what’s possible with a flexible foundation.

Why These Singers Matter in Your Transition

These artists demonstrate that:

• Classical technique provides an excellent foundation for contemporary singing

• You can adapt — not discard — your training

• Classical and contemporary worlds are more compatible than people think

• Your artistic identity can evolve in surprising and exciting ways

• Genre-shifting is not only possible but often career-transforming

Their success stories show that with curiosity, stylistic flexibility, and the right technical adjustments, classical singers can thrive in contemporary music — without losing the strengths they’ve worked so hard to build.

Keeping Your Classical Technique as a Foundation — Not a Limitation

Your classical training is a gift. And while it may feel frustrating at first, retraining does not require you to unlearn everything — only to adapt your tools. Here's a handy list to help you when you practise.

Retain:

• Breath efficiency

• Vocal stamina

• Consistent practice habits

• Awareness of vocal health

• Understanding of alignment and support

• Musical literacy

• Attention to detail

Modify:

• Tone shaping

• Vibrato use

• Placement

• Stylistic phrasing

• Resonance strategy

• Emotional delivery

Expand:

• Vocal colours

• Texture

• Speech-driven phrasing

• Genre-specific ornamentation

• Improvisation

• 
  

Final Thoughts: Your Voice, Your Artistry

Transitioning from classical to contemporary singing doesn’t mean abandoning your craft — it means expanding your artistic identity.

You already have the technique, discipline, and vocal awareness to thrive. Now you simply need to explore new shapes, experiment with tone, and allow yourself to sound more like you and less like a tradition.

Contemporary singing rewards authenticity, individuality, and emotional storytelling. When you blend classical foundations with contemporary freedom, you create a powerful hybrid style that is uniquely yours. Be bold enough to take calculated risks and experiment with pots of different sounds - make it a game, rather than a chore!

And if you take one message from this entire guide, let it be this:

The best contemporary singers are not “perfect.” They are expressive, fearless, and unapologetically themselves.

Your next chapter begins with curiosity and a willingness to experiment. Let your voice evolve. Let it surprise you. Let it tell new stories.

If you’d like help through this transition — technically, stylistically or creatively — book your Consultation and let's have a chat: https://bit.ly/CarrieGriffithsSinging

Book your Consultation for transitional vocal training from classical to contemporary: https://bit.ly/CarrieGriffithsSinging