Singing Guide: Noah Kahan & Julia Michaels
Vocal technique, exercises, tips and relevant resources
Noah Kahan and Julia Michaels are two of the most distinct and powerful young singing voices in modern pop music today. Kahan's songs are defined by his poetic lyrics and Americana-inflected songwriting style, while Michaels' music is marked by her emotive and confessional approach to songwriting. If you're looking to learn how to sing like either of these two talented musicians, we've compiled some instructional resources from Singing Carrots that you can use to get yourself started.
First, it's important to understand that both Kahan and Michaels have unique vocal techniques that are particularly well-suited to their musical styles. In Kahan's case, he often employs a breathy, intimate vocal style that emphasizes his lyrics and his acoustic guitar accompaniment. One helpful resource for learning how to sing like Kahan might be Singing Carrots' Warm-up/Practice-starter: Farinelli Breathing exercise, which focuses on breathing techniques that can help you find that intimate, breathy vocal style that Kahan is famous for.
For Michaels' vocal style, which is often more heavily produced and emotively expressive, focusing on Breath support, active and passive breathing and Diaphragm Bounce exercises might be a good place to start. These exercises can help you build up the power and control needed to sing with the same kind of emotional projection and expressive vocal style that Michaels brings to her music.
Of course, no discussion of singing like Noah Kahan and Julia Michaels would be complete without talking about their songs. Both artists have an extensive catalog of hits that showcase their unique vocal techniques and styles. For Kahan, his emotionally raw ballads like "Hurt Somebody" and "Mess" are great for highlighting his intimate and heartfelt vocal approach, while his more uptempo songs like "Young Blood" and "False Confidence" showcase his upbeat and energetic side. Meanwhile, Michaels' hits like "Issues" and "What A Time" emphasis her ability to cradle an emotional payload, while her features like "If The World Was Ending" and "Anxiety" let her show off her emotive range in more collaborative contexts. Digging into these songs and analyzing the distinctive ways that Kahan and Michaels use their voices to convey meaning and emotion can be a great way to learn how to incorporate their techniques into your own singing style.
Overall, whether you're looking to sing like Noah Kahan, Julia Michaels, or any other talented pop musician out there, Singing Carrots has the vocal exercises and singing resources you need to take your skills to the next level. So start practicing today and you just might find yourself on the way to becoming the next big pop sensation!