As the number of people auditioning for the hit television series American Idol can certainly prove the amount of competition is increasing. This means that it is necessary to show up to the audition fully prepared to show exactly what you are capable of doing, and minimize any insecurity that you have. Your ultimate goal is to always walk away with one of the coveted Golden Tickets, but the reality is that they are hard to come by. This means taking as much time as possible to learn how to handle yourself during the audition to get the absolute best reception from the judges possible.
One of the best things you can do to prepare yourself for a singing career is using a vocal coach and taking vocal lessons. Even the professional singers all work with talented vocal coaches. You need to learn how to talk, how to breathe, how to control your voice, and how to improve your skill level continuously. Very seldom do you ever find a professional singer who does not continue to work with a vocal coach. This means that it is critical that as an amateur you work to improve your vocal skills continuously. Just remember, this is not the time to be cheap, you need to locate a good quality vocal coach that has a track record of success.
A second tip to follow is you should select your song months in advance and practice repeatedly. Practice until you know the words forwards, backwards and sideways. You do not want to be the one contestant that forgets the words to their song in the middle. The more you practice the better you will know the lyrics and the less likely stress is to cause you to forget the words. An additional benefit to practicing so much is you will be comfortable with the flow of the song, and have ample time to ensure that you can select a new song in the event that you have too many complications with your first song.
Speaking of song selection it is a good idea to have at least two songs that you are prepared to sing on audition day. This means two full songs, not one song that you fully know, and one that you know a little. You need two songs that you know fully so that you can properly perform the second song if requested. There are occasions that warrant a contestant singing more than a single song, being prepared for this situation will ensure that if it does occur, you are properly prepared for it.
Your fourth tip is pick a specific style. There are no professional musicians that are masters at all styles. There is a specific reason for this; it would be far too complicated to master every musical form. This will require you to select a specific style of music that you are comfortable with and sticking to it as much as possible. Do you tend to favor a folksy style of singing? Perhaps you are more comfortable with a rock feel. You might even discover that you sing classically or even in an R&B style. Regardless of the style that you are most comfortable with you need to find it. All of your singing should be focused around the same genre as much as possible. From tone, to flow, to even song selection you are creating an entire package, make sure the package sounds perfect.
Your final tip would be staying modest. There are very few people who ever swear that they are the American Idol in the auditions. Most who are truly talented know just how stiff the competition is and they go in ready to work towards the prize. Those who are merely walking around with a huge ego tend to be lacking in the singing skills necessary to win and quickly find themselves on their way out. If you are certain that your singing is the best in the world, you should simply prove it by singing, rather than telling the judges that you are destined to be the next American Idol.