Expert: Peter Messaline - 5/22/2008

Question
Hello, my name is Christina and I am a month away from being eighteen and I would love nothing more than to have a singing career, how do I get noticed?

Answer
The only way of being noticed by people who count is to work everywhere you can. Then your track record builds and people are encouraged  to take bigger risks for you.
Every time you are hired to sing, someone is giving you a bit of their reputation. If you fail, they lose a little reputation. No-one will risk their reputation until they've seen you work in similar gigs, or until someone recommends you because they've seen you.
Get better at singing, but most important get your name and face out there to people who can help you. Other singers, as well as fixers and band leaders.
Classes with the right teacher can be very helpful, because that sort of person often has current information about who's active and also has a reputation of recommending suitable singers.
If you are thinking about classical music, you should look at getting a college or university qualification. The competition is enormous, and you need to have a wide knowledge of musical styles and history.
Once again, college will connect you with teachers who have contacts, and also you will build a group of classmates you can stay in touch with after school, to swap information and sympathy.

It's going to be a long hard trail -- enjoy the trip, because there's no point in putting everything else on hold until you 'make it'.