Karen O, lead singer of Yeah Yeah Yeahs, is one of the most unique vocalists of our time. Her quirky, nasally voice delivery and energetic performances make her stand out in the music industry. Karen O is known to draw inspirations from a variety of styles, ranging from punk and rock to new wave and experimental music. In her album "Where The Wild Things Are," Karen O collaborated with The Kids, where she showcased a softer side of her vocal ability, demonstrating her excellent control and range.

Technique:

Karen O's vocal technique relies heavily on breath control, which allows her to produce unique and intimate vocals. She uses vibrato to add depth to her singing, resulting in a wide range of expression and tones. Karen O also uses a heavy modal technique to produce her signature nasally sound.

Songs:

• One of Karen O's most iconic songs is "Maps" from Yeah Yeah Yeah's album "Fever to Tell." In this gorgeous love ballad, Karen O's vocals flow like a river, capturing every emotion of the song.
• "Zero" from Yeah Yeah Yeah's "It's Blitz!" album features Karen's signature yelps and unique vocal delivery.
• In "All Is Love" from "Where The Wild Things Are" album, Karen delivers a beautiful and dreamy melody that perfectly embodies the album's storytelling.

Practical advice:

If you want to develop a singing voice like Karen O, it's crucial to start with proper breathing techniques. Proper breathing will allow you to control the sound of your voice and add the necessary tone to your singing. Practice using your diaphragm to control your breathing, you can learn more about this by watching the Farinelli Breathing video.

Vocal warm-ups are also essential to develop the capacity to control your voice. Start with simple warm-up exercises like humming and work your way up to more challenging one's like twang exercises and sustain vocalization. Twang exercises are essential for adding that nasal quality to your voice, and the sustain vocalization will help with your breathing control.

It's also important to maintain good posture while singing to allow for proper airflow. Proper posture will ensure maximum use of your lungs and prevent strain on your vocal cords. You can learn more about how posture affects your singing by reading the article on posture.

To build confidence in your voice, you should practice singing in front of a small audience. If you struggle with stage fright, you can learn more about how to overcome stage fright by reading our article on the topic.

Singing Carrots resources:

Use the Singing Carrots resources to reach your singing potential like Karen O. Use the Vocal range test to determine your vocal range, and the Pitch accuracy test to figure out your pitch accuracy. The Vocal Pitch Monitor will show your sung notes on a virtual piano. The Pitch Training tool offers interactive vocal warm-ups, pitch visualizer, and exercises for range and agility. Use the Song search to find songs matching your vocal range, difficulty, and genre preference. In addition, the Artist vocal ranges give you access to vocal ranges of over 5000 famous singers to learn from and emulate. The Song-book can help you create your performance set and get linked lyrics, sheet music, chords, karaoke, and YouTube audio. Finally, the Singing Course is an educational singing program covering singing theory and practical tips to help take your singing to the next level.