Hey Lilian,
I am a big, big, big fan of yours and I need your advice. I started a band and I want to be the lead singer. Unfortunately, my band doesn't think I have a good enough singing voice like you, and I agree with them. So, my question to you is, how do I improve my singing voice?

Rock on,
Crystal White

Hi my name is Michelle, and I just want to say that I love your music. I love to sing, but people give me a hard time about my voice not being that great. Have you ever had anyone say that to you and if so, how do you deal with it?

Muchas gracias,
Michelle K.

Hi Lilian. How are you? I hope OK.
To start off, I like the way you sing. You have a phenomenal voice. Like you, I am also Latina and I like the way you decided to represent by making an album in Spanish. My question to you is, I have thought about doing something in music in the future. Still, there are a few problems. One, some people like the way I sing while others dislike it. I am not that good, but am not that bad, either. Still, what is your advice for people who try to put you down? Also, what do you think I should do to be able to have a better voice? Thank you for your time.

Love,
Vicky!

Dear Crystal, Michelle & Vicky,

Let me start by thanking all of you for taking the time to write me and for your very, very nice compliments. As you can tell, all of you have similar letters dealing with the quality of your voice and also dealing with what people say about you. 

First, let me address the latter. If you want to make it in this business then you MUST IGNORE OTHER PEOPLE’S NEGATIVE OPINIONS!! It’s good to listen to constructive criticism, but only if it’s coming from someone credible or if someone is genuinely trying to help you. Otherwise, it will totally drain and deplete you of your self-esteem and confidence, which are two vital things necessary for this business.
 
With that being said, I feel the most important thing to have as a singer is training. I know I have said it numerous times before, but I can’t stress enough how important it is to have a vocal coach or teacher guide you and train you properly.  Not having one would be like a football team playing without a coach. They may be good, but a coach will take them to the next level. 

When I first started, I couldn’t afford a personal coach, so I fully utilized my music teacher at school and asked for her help. Then when I was old enough to get a job, I saved up for voice lessons and started training with a vocal coach. Believe me when I say, my investment paid off right away! I was able to get a job singing in a cover band while continuing my training. 

If you study hard and practice, you should improve no matter what. And it will also improve your self-confidence because you will be stronger. However, it takes determination, dedication and a thick skin to overcome adversity! Trust me, in the end, when you are out performing in front of a crowd, it will all be worth it!!

Good luck, stay strong and keep rockin’!!

Dear Lilian,
I love, love, love to sing but don’t want to take singing lessons. Is that bad?

Take care,
Ryan

Hi Ryan,
There are a lot of people that love to sing for the fun of it and I think it’s great! If you are one of those people, then I don’t recommend lessons for you. I only recommend lessons for people who want to try and make singing a career, because lessons will teach proper warm-up techniques, breathing techniques, pitch control and will help expand your vocal range among many other things. 

So Ryan, sing on & have fun!!

Forever Rockin’,
Lilian :-)

Editor's Note: This is the first of Lilian Garcia's "Music Advice" columns to appear on WWE Fan Nation. To see her previous columns, visit her column archive on her Superstar page on WWE.com.

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