Beyond Favorites: Choosing Songs That Grow Your Voice

Welcome back to The Voice Science Podcast. Today I want to take you into a topic that, honestly, comes up for every singer and every teacher I know: song selection. It sounds simple—pick a song you like and sing it—but if you’ve ever struggled with a song that just didn’t fit your voice, or as a teacher tried to assign repertoire that somehow killed a student’s motivation, you already know there’s more going on here than meets the eye.

And here’s how I want to frame today’s conversation. We’re going to look at this from two perspectives. First, I’ll talk directly to singers about how to choose songs for yourself, what matters, and what doesn’t. Then I’ll switch hats and talk to teachers about choosing repertoire for students—how scaffolding and student choice both come into play. So whether you’re listening as a singer or as a teacher, or maybe you’re both, stick around. You’ll hear practical ideas and maybe a few perspectives that shift how you approach repertoire.

When you’re selecting songs for yourself, I think the most important guiding principle is this: sing what makes you happy.

I don’t say that as a throwaway line. Music is inherently tied to our emotions, and singing is one of the most personal, vulnerable things you can do. If the music doesn’t light you up in some way—whether that’s joy, sadness, nostalgia, or just plain fun—you’re not going to be motivated to put in the time it takes to practice it.

Now, does that mean you should only ever sing what’s comfortable or easy? Not exactly. If your goal is to grow, the next guideline is: pick something that’s just a little bit challenging.

Notice I said a little bit challenging. If you pick a song that’s miles out of your current range or rhythmic ability, you’re going to spend all your energy surviving rather than learning. On the other hand, if you only pick what’s easy, you’ll plateau. There’s a sweet spot where you can succeed most of the time but still have to stretch.

Educational psychology has a term for this: the “zone of proximal development.” Jerome Bruner, along with Vygotsky and others, really pushed this idea that we learn best when we’re challenged just beyond what we can currently do, but not so far beyond that we can’t access success. That applies just as much to singing as it does to learning math or reading.

Let me give a practical example. Say you’re comfortable singing through most of Sara Bareilles’ Gravity. The melody sits well, the rhythms aren’t too complex, but there are a couple of spots where the phrases stretch your breath management. That’s great—that’s the kind of challenge that actually makes you better.

Now, compare that with trying to take on Defying Gravity from Wicked right away. That’s a monster of a song for most voices: huge range, sustained belting, rhythmic drive, and intense emotional demands. Could you try it? Sure. But if you’re not ready, you’ll end up frustrated, maybe even vocally fatigued, and you won’t get the sense of progress that actually fuels motivation.

Sometimes you really just want to learn a song that is “too hard.” Go for it! But be kind to yourself. It will be hard, it will take longer, you probably will be frustrated at times. There is nothing wrong with that. You can work on it for a bit, set it aside, and come back to it later over a period of weeks, months, or even years. The truth is our interpretation of a song is always changing so we are never done working on a song.

Another piece of freedom I want to hand to every singer: change the key. This one hangs people up all the time. They’ll say, “Well, the sheet music is in G, so I guess I have to sing it in G.” No you don’t. Professional singers change keys constantly. Why? Because what matters is where the song sits in your voice. If you’re straining to hit the top notes, or if the song feels too low and muddy, move it. A semitone here or there can make a world of difference, and sometimes a bigger shift is what unlocks your best sound.

A quick note: there is no reason to not change the key of a song to fit your voice. In a few specific scenarios you probably won’t be able to, and that’s in the context of singing a full show—be it opera, oratorio, or musical theatre. But if you’re just singing a selection from it? Do it.

And along with that, don’t feel bound by the original singer’s gender. If you’re a male singer and you connect with a song written for a female artist, go for it. Drop it down, adjust the tessitura, and make it yours. Likewise, female singers can absolutely explore repertoire traditionally sung by men. What you’re doing is honoring the spirit of the song while adapting it to your instrument. That’s not cheating—that’s artistry. Some of the most memorable performances come from exactly this kind of reinterpretation.

So for singers, to recap: pick songs that spark joy, aim for something that nudges you just outside your comfort zone, don’t be afraid to change keys, and ignore the gender boundaries that might be implied in the original. Your voice is unique, and your repertoire should reflect that.

Now let’s shift gears and talk about song selection from the teacher’s perspective. This is where things get really interesting, because there are multiple philosophies at play. I tend to think of it in terms of two broad paths: scaffolding and student choice.

Scaffolding is about structured progression. You look at the elements of a song—pitch range, melodic intervals, rhythmic complexity, dynamics, phrase length, emotional expression—and you choose pieces that build incrementally. This is the “curriculum design” mindset. You’re thinking, “What skills does this student already have? What’s the next logical step?” If they’ve mastered stepwise melodies, maybe you introduce something with leaps. If they’ve gotten comfortable with simple rhythms, maybe you move into syncopation. This is systematic, and it’s consistent. If a student sticks with you and trusts the process, you can pretty much guarantee steady growth.

The term scaffolding also comes from Bruner’s work—he described it as the support structures that allow learners to achieve tasks they couldn’t do alone, gradually removed as the learner gains independence. In music teaching, scaffolding might look like simplifying an accompaniment at first, then adding complexity later. Or starting with a shortened version of a song before moving to the full version. Think of it like an audition cut. It’s a way of making progress tangible while still honoring the larger challenge.

But here’s the catch: scaffolding alone can get dry. If the student never feels emotionally connected to the repertoire, or if every piece feels like an assignment rather than an expression, motivation can tank. That’s where the second path—student choice—becomes so powerful.

Student choice means giving students a hand in selecting what they sing. Sometimes that’s as simple as presenting a short list of appropriate songs and letting them choose. Other times it’s saying, “Bring in something you’d like to work on,” and then meeting them there. The benefit is obvious: engagement skyrockets when the student feels ownership.

I’ve seen this over and over again. A student brings in a song you think is way too advanced—say, Defying Gravity. Your teacher brain is screaming, “They can’t do this.” But then they surprise you. Maybe they can’t nail every note yet, but they’re more committed, more expressive, and more willing to practice because it’s their choice. And even if they do hit walls, that becomes an authentic learning experience.

Of course, there are risks. Students don’t always have a good sense of what’s appropriate for their voice—think 10-year-olds wanting to sing pretty much anything by Lady Gaga. It’s not going to be vocally, emotionally, or content appropriate. They might pick something so far out of reach that it sets them up for frustration. That’s where your role as teacher is to balance. Guide them toward repertoire that’s in the zone of proximal development while still honoring their enthusiasm. And sometimes that means saying yes to a tough song, but scaffolding the way you work on it: breaking it into sections, transposing it, simplifying rhythms, or even postponing the trickiest parts until they’ve built more skills.

The teachers I’ve seen succeed the most tend to blend these two paths. They scaffold carefully but allow student choice to shape the journey. They’ll say, “Here are three pieces that will help you develop X, Y, and Z skills. Which one excites you the most?” Or, “Great choice on that song. Let’s adjust the key so it’s singable for you right now, and we’ll circle back to the original version later.” That balance keeps learning structured but also personal.

And let me emphasize something here: teachers often underestimate what their students can do. I know I have. I’ve had students bring in pieces I thought were going to be way too much for them, and then they surprised me—not just technically, but emotionally. Sometimes the student’s connection to the song unlocks a level of performance you didn’t expect. On the flip side, I’ve also had students who needed more groundwork before tackling those same pieces. Neither case is a failure. In both situations, learning happens. That’s the point.

So where does this leave us? Whether you’re a singer choosing songs for yourself or a teacher guiding students, the real takeaway is that there are no truly wrong choices. The worst that happens is you try a song, realize it doesn’t fit right now, and move on. That’s not wasted effort—that’s data. You’ve learned something about your voice, your skills, or your preferences. And maybe that song comes back later, when you’ve grown into it.

I want to circle back to that idea of joy. Too often we get so wrapped up in technical correctness or educational progressions that we forget why we sing in the first place. We sing because it feels good, because it connects us to something bigger than ourselves, because it lets us express what words alone can’t. So when you’re picking repertoire, don’t lose sight of that.

And if you’re a teacher, remember that your students are human beings first, musicians second. They’re motivated by what excites them, not just by what’s pedagogically neat. Balancing scaffolding with choice honors both.

As we wrap up, let me put this into a bigger picture. At VoSci Academy, one of the things we’re building is exactly this kind of structured yet flexible path for singers. A place where you can grow step by step, but also make choices that keep the journey personal. If you want more than just song ideas—if you want a framework for developing your voice in a way that’s grounded in science and built for real singers—I’d encourage you to check it out.

This episode was written by Josh Manuel and recorded by Drew Williams-Orozco.

Thanks for spending this time with me today, thinking through what it means to select songs wisely, whether for yourself or for your students. And as always, Keep Singing Smart.