My favorite quotes from session singers and vocal contractors

I network like crazy (or at least I did before COVID-19, heh). I attend classes, seminars, and meetings aaalll the time and there are some things I’ve learned from the pros that repeatedly come up in my mind when I’m navigating being a professional singer. So I’ve compiled my favorite quotes in one place. I highly recommend Googling every name on this page if you want to start getting involved in the LA singing community, especially considering that everyone of these quotes have come from someone who was asked to speak and share their expertise. ;D

“It takes tiiiiiime!” (with a Tennessee accent) -Keri Larson

“I am a 10 year overnight success.” -Suzanne Waters

“Dress as if you are grateful for this work, because you are.” -Tim Davis

“Be bold with your choices and cross your fingers.” -Dylan Gentile (Omg, I think of this every single time I’m submitting a requested demo to a vocal contractor.)

“Singers are either soloists or choristers and rarely are they both.” -Jasper Randall

“Be responsible for your own contribution.” -Tim Davis

“Do not. Claim. Ignorance.” -Jasper Randall

“When opportunity presents itself, it’s too late to prepare.” -Laura Dickinson 

“Never send a file, send a link to something downloadable.” -Laura Dickinson 

“I know every single person that I call. It’s a small community but I know, intimately, about three or four hundred peoples’ voices.” -Edie Lehmann Boddicker 

“You must have your presence established online so contractors can find you!” -Laura Dickinson

“There are no managers, there are no agents. Singers hire singers.” -Edie Lehmann Boddicker

“You must be in a choir so you can meet people.” -Valerie Tambaoan 

“The person that you sing next to, I always tell people on the session, ‘this is a community. If you don’t hold each other up, that person could be responsible for your next job’. You have to advocate for each other.” -Edie Lehmann Boddicker 

“Find someone who’s career you admire and be like them. But be who you are because this industry will take advantage of you. Decide it, find a mentor and hold on to them! You MUST be intentional.” -Alvin Chea 

“We need soloists to be creative, to come in and just do what they do.” -Jasper Randall

“If there is a thing that you kick major ass at, put that first and foremost on your demo. You don’t have to wear a million hats.” -Suzanne Waters

“Be diverse on your demo, but only if you can really nail it.” -Gerald White

“I didn’t even know that the music I grew up with could make me more marketable.” -Ayana Haviv 

And, if I may, I have something that I say to myself when I’m feeling apprehensive about a job:

“If they wanted to hire Allie Feder, they would have hired Allie Feder, but they didn’t. They hired me.” -Sarah Pinzon 

What about you? What are your favorite quotes about singing?

:D