Ep.231 Evolving Vocal Trends: Training Functional Registration in Contemporary Commercial Music with April Young

Who decides what’s in when it comes to singing styles — how do voice teachers keep up? In this fun and insightful episode, Alexa chats with April Young about how changing trends in pop, musical theatre, and CCM are reshaping vocal training. From falsetto and belt to the science of registers and resonance, we explore how singers can stay healthy, expressive, and ahead of the curve. Perfect for voice teachers, performers, and anyone curious about the ever-evolving art of singing.

WHAT’S IN THIS PODCAST?

2:25 What are the current trends in 2025?

6:20 How does one laryngeal register impact the other?

10:46 Visible, audible and sensory clues of TA dominance

12:43 Does imitation have limitation?

15:05 Visible, audible and sensory clues of CT dominance

16:33 The best time to train vocal registers

20:45 Acoustic register shifts and choosing the best vowel

25:58 Training registers alongside trends

45:16 Changing trends in CCM and impacts on the studio

About the presenter HERE

RELEVANT MENTIONS & LINKS

Journal of Singing

‘Mixed Up and Upside Down - Underdeveloped Registers in Men and Women Due to Vocal Trends in Popular Music: Turning Two Pedagogic Challenges into Opportunities in Today's Voice Studio’ by April Young

William Venard

Singing Teachers Talk Ep.152 ‘Tomato, Tomahto’: Understanding Singing Terminology

Singing Teachers Talk Ep.133 Mastering Belt in Musical Theatre

Singing Teachers Talk Ep.200 The Secret to Powerful Belting and Seamless Mixing

Singing Teachers Talk Ep.146 How to Understand and Apply Vocal Acoustic Pedagogy

Singing Teachers Talk Ep.172 Understanding Acoustic Registers

Shenandoah University

The Systematic Approach to Voice Dr Kari Ragan

The Structure of Singing Richard Miller

Hoberman Sphere

Mary Saunders Barton

Singing Teachers Talk Ep.151 How to Sing with Twang

ABOUT THE GUEST

April Young runs a voice studio in Spokane, WA, where she specializes in classical, music theater and CCM techniques and repertoire. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music (Voice Performance), an MVP (Master of Voice Pedagogy), and has served on the faculty of three area schools. In addition to her teaching, April is a soloist and choral conductor.

Her performance experience spans recital, oratorio, and music theater and her session work includes vocals for a title in the Myst computer game series. A published writer, she has contributed to the Journal of Singing through the National Association of Teachers of Singing, authoring an article on vocal trends in popular music and the evolving opportunities these present for voice teachers.

A lifelong learner, April is currently interested in the role voice teachers play in recovery from injuries that impact the singing voice, and she believes that the best teachers never stop being students themselves.

Website

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