Singing Guide: The New Radicals
Vocal technique, exercises, tips and relevant resources
If you're looking to learn singing in the style of The New Radicals, you're in for a unique experience. This iconic band from the late 90's had a distinct style that blended elements of pop, rock, and soul, and their lead singer Gregg Alexander had a voice that was hard to imitate. Here we will explore some of the key elements of Gregg's vocal style and songs that showcase them.
One of the most notable characteristics of Gregg Alexander's singing is his use of falsetto. You can hear this in many of his songs, such as "You Get What You Give" and "Someday We'll Know". To master this technique, you will need to work on your breath control and develop your head voice by practicing regularly with exercises like those found in Singing Carrots' Pitch Training and Vocal Range Test.
Another interesting aspect of Gregg Alexander's singing is his use of distortion and growling in his voice. This technique, also known as "vocal fry", can be heard in songs like "Mother We Just Can't Get Enough" and "Jehovah Made This Whole Joint for You". Building up flexibility in your vocal cords is key to achieving this sound, and Singing Carrots has exercises and articles that can assist with this, such as the Heavy Modal, Twang, and Belting Techniques video.
Finally, Gregg Alexander had a unique style of phrasing and melody that makes his singing instantly recognizable. To learn how to replicate this, we recommend focusing on his song "You Get What You Give", which exemplifies his vocal style and technique. For further study, Singing Carrots has several tools to help find songs within your range and genre preferences, such as the Song Search feature. Additionally, their singing course includes 21 lessons covering singing theory and practical tips to help take your singing to the next level.