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In simple language, singers are trained and professional artists who perform on stage as well as lend their voice on behalf of actors and actresses for movies and albums. As the name suggests, the basic job of a singer is to sing, however apart from this a singer is also in charge of learning, recoding and memorising songs, collaborating with music composers and movie producers. Singers must be skilled at fine tuning craft through singing exercises and vocal training. In India, there is a huge scope for candidates aspiring to become a singer. Various media channels who organize singing competitions not only help them identify talents throughout the country but also gives them a platform to showcase their talents and upskill themsleves.
In order to become a singer candidates may pursue various Undergraduate and Postgraduate music courses such as BA Music or MA Music. India is home to several top music colleges who enroll students on the basis of merit as well as certain colleges grant admission on the basis of entrance exams that are conducted. Music courses are available as various certifications, diplomas, undergraduate, and postgraduate degree programs. The average course fee to become a singer ranges between INR 15,000 to 2 LPA. After successfully becoming a singer, candidates can earn an average salary of INR 3 - 9 LPA.
Table of Contents
- Steps to Become a Singer
- How to Become a Singer in India
- Courses to Become a Singer
- How to Become a Singer Abroad
5.1 USA
5.2 Canada
5.3 UK
5.4 Australia
All About Career as a Singer
| Industry | Music and singing |
| Courses available | Diploma, Graduation, Post Graduation |
| Duration | 2-3 years |
| Average Fees | INR 15,000 – INR 2 LPA |
| Average salary | INR 2-9 LPA |
| Top Recruiters | S&P Capital IQ, IBM, TCS, Tour and Travel Unit, Indian Film Industry, etc. |
| Job opportunities | Artist & Repertoire Person, Leader of a Band, Composer, show advertiser, Radio Jockey, songwriter, Music Critic, promotion professional, Musician, Teacher, Publisher, artist, etc |
What does a Singer do
Musicians and singers have to perform at concerts or live programs with any musical instruments. The music styles they are involved in are opera, jazz, classical, rock or hip-hop.
Some of the duties are enumerated below:
- To give their performances in live concerts or for recording.
- They are also made to audition for some particular roles in the music industry like playing in orchestras, singing choruses, performing with bands, and playback singers.
- To practice their skills of playing musical instruments for the better.
- They also have to involve themselves in advertising and releasing their photoshoots and interviews.
Steps to Follow to Become a Singer
There are a few steps a person willing to take up a career in the music and singing industry must follow.
- Step 1 – Education: There is no higher secondary education required to pursue this career. Most of the people in this field are intermediate pass. But, there are some musicians and singers who are involved with opera and jazz who have a bachelor’s degree. It’s better to have a bachelor’s degree so that in the future if the person wants to teach, he can apply for the teaching license. Various undergraduate music courses teach students about the various kinds of music and their styles, how to use a musical instrument, how to put an expression according to the music and notes of the music. They are also taught about how to choose the words and phrases in a song helping the students to sing opera in different languages. There are so many people leading towards the study of master in fine arts and music.
- Step 2 – Training: Candidates aspiring to become singers have to put in a lot of hard work and long hours of training to get the best out of their efforts. Music cannot be sung or played without having to know about its proper skills and knowledge and most importantly practice. Musicians and singers have to be thorough with their skills and talents of using the instruments. There are so many classes for these people to provide them opportunities to learn more and grow and also a chance to perform for some programs.
How to Become a Singer in India
Here is the guide for becoming a singer in India.
Education
To become a singer in India demands certain criteria like:
- The person shall be having a bachelor’s degree in music. There are post-graduation courses as well for the ones who look for advancements in this particular field.
- The education for music is provided by many governments and private art colleges.
Know More: Music Certificate Courses
How to Become a Singer after 12th
The eligible candidates pursuing music as a career should be 10 + 2 pass out with music or singing as major is either 10th or 12th and take up a BA in music for further education, the duration of different music courses is as follows:
- Diploma or certificate courses – Maximum of 2 years
- Undergraduate courses – 3 years
- Postgraduate courses – 2 years
Courses to become a Singer
There are several Certificate, Diploma , Undergraduate and Postgraduate courses that can be pursued in order to become a singer. Some of the top most pursued courses for making a career as a singers are tabulated below for your reference, along with their necessary prerequisites.
Diploma in Music
| Parameters | Details |
|---|---|
| Course | Diploma in Music |
| Duration | 3 months to 3 years |
| Eligibility | Completed higher secondary education or Bachelor’s level qualified |
| Admission process | On the basis of the score obtained in class 12 or higher secondary education |
| Course fee | INR 15,000 to 2 Lakh yearly |
| Average salary | INR 2 to 9 LPA yearly |
| Job roles | Advertising Specialist, Artist & Repertoire (A&R) Person, Band Leader, Composer/Arranger, Concert Promoter, Copywriter, Copyright Specialist, reviewer, Disc Jockey, Editor Musician, Engineer/Mixer, Film Music Director/Editor, Instrument Design/Restoration, Lobbyist, Manager, etc. |
BA in Music
| PARAMETERS | DETAILS |
|---|---|
| Course | BA in Music |
| Duration | 3 years |
| Eligibility | 12th pass out with any subject with a score of at least 50% |
| Admission process | on the basis of merit/ entrance examination |
| Entrance exam | Annamalai University Entrance examination, BHU of Performing Arts Entrance examination, BU Entrance examination, Gandharva Mahavidyalaya Entrance examination |
| Course fee | INR 2,000 to 1 LPA yearly |
| Average salary | INR 3 to 10 LPA |
| Job roles | Band head, writer, Music reviewer, lead singer, Recording Technician |
MA in Music
| Parameters | Details |
|---|---|
| Course | MA in Music |
| Duration | 2 years |
| Eligibility Criteria | A student with a bachelor's degree in Music Honors or Music |
| Admission procedure | On the basis of the Merit/ Entrance test |
| Entrance Exam | BHU PET, DUET, MGU CAT, and so on |
| Fees | INR 1,180 - INR 1,10,000 yearly |
| Average Salary | INR 6,500 to INR 18,000 monthly |
| Job Roles | Professor, Music Manager, Radio Jockey, Song Director, Singers in movies |
M.Phil In Music
| Parameters | Details |
|---|---|
| Course | M.Phil In Music |
| Duration | 1-2 years |
| Eligibility | Masters degree from an accredited college |
| Admission process | Entrance examination |
| Entrance test | JNUEE, GATE, UGC NET, and so on |
| Course fee | INR 10,000-60,000 yearly |
| Average salary | INR 3-7 LPA yearly |
| Job roles | Music counselor, creator, Music Librarian, group Master, etc. |
Ph.D. in Music
| Parameters | Details |
|---|---|
| Course | Ph.D. in Music |
| Duration | 3-5 years |
| Eligibility | Masters from an accredited college |
| Admission process | An Interview after an Entrance test. |
| Entrance test | UGC-NET, BHU RET. |
| Course fee | INR 20,000 to INR 1,00,000 yearly |
| Average salary | INR 3,00,000 to INR 5,00,000 yearly |
| Job roles | Musician, professor, Image experts, Illustrator, stylist, investigator |
How to Become a Singer Abroad
To become a singer abroad, candidates must fulfill the educational requirements required by each country.
USA
| College name | Average Fees (INR) |
|---|---|
| Stanford University, California | 54.62 L |
| Massachusetts Institute Of Technology - [MIT], Massachusetts | 38.04 L |
| The University Of Chicago - [UChicago], Illinois | 41.38 L |
| Princeton University, New Jersey | 36.51 L |
| University Of Pennsylvania - [UPENN], Pennsylvania | 39.26 L |
Canada
| College name | Average Fees (INR) |
|---|---|
| University Of Toronto, Toronto | 33.68 L |
| University Of Montreal, Montreal | 10.62 L |
| University Of Alberta, Edmonton | 16.33 L |
| McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario | 19.73 L |
| University Of Calgary, Calgary | 9.88 L |
UK
| College name | Average Fees (INR) |
|---|---|
| University Of Cambridge, Cambridge | 28.04 L |
| University College London, London | 20.51 L |
| University Of Edinburgh, Edinburgh | 27.60 L |
| King's College London, London | 23.90 L |
| University Of Manchester, Manchester | 19.53 L |
Australia
| College name | Average Fees (INR) |
|---|---|
| Australian National University, Canberra | 18.82 L |
| University Of Melbourne, Melbourne | 16.11 L |
| University Of Sydney, Sydney | 19.87 L |
| Monash University, Melbourne | 24.11 L |
| University Of Queensland, Brisbane | 18.76 L |
Benefits of Becoming a Singer
The following are some of the benefits of becoming a singer.
- Musical Therapy: What you play on the musical instrument is up to you, and you can play and create any type of music you want. In other words, you can use music to express your inner feelings. Musical therapy is a well-known phenomenon that helps to relieve stress.
- Fame: A piece of good music will get you fans worldwide Fame brings more contracts to you. Thus, helping you earn an unimaginable amount of money.
- Travelling: A Musician or a singer performs several concerts in different countries all over the world. You’ll get a chance to visit abroad to perform in order to satisfy and make your international fans happy.
Skills Required To Become A Singer
| Motivation | Perseverance |
| Strength | Determination |
| Teamwork | Confidence |
| Self-control | Innovative |
Salary of a singer
The following section highlights the salary trends of musicians and singers in India.
Specialization Wise
There are various job roles for the musicians and singers to pursue after the completion of the degree, they are
| Job Roles | Average Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Music producers | INR 5 L |
| Lead singer in a Band | INR 3 L |
| Broadcast Sound | INR 2 L |
| Songwriter | INR 4 L |
| Singer | INR 8 L |
Experience-Wise
| Experience | Average Annual Salary |
| Fresher | INR 6.50 L |
| Mid-level | INR 7.50 L |
| Experienced | INR 11.50 L |
How to Become a Singer: FAQs
Ques. What is the duration of the course of B.A. in Music?
Ans. The duration of the course is 3 years with 6 semesters in total. Some colleges offer a course of 4 years as well.
Ques. How do I get admission to music institutes?
Ans. Shortlist the colleges and go through their eligibility criteria, if the student fits under the mentioned criteria, they can get admission to the college they like. Some colleges take a common entrance test, which is mandatory to take. Scoring well in the test can help in admission to those colleges.
Ques. Does the music therapist make a decent living?
Ans. The salary of any artist differs with place. A music therapist makes a decent living. The income is around INR 10 lakh to 25 lakh yearly.
Ques. What is the course duration of PhD in music?
Ans. The course is of 3-5 years duration. The completion of the course is dependent on the submission of the thesis.
Ques. What is the average package of a musician after completing.D.?
Ans. The standard salary varies from INR 3, 00,000 to INR 5, 00,000 yearly.
Ques. What are the best colleges to study music?
Ans. The top best colleges for studying music and singing are Hindu college, Miranda House College, Ramjas College, Christ University, Indraprastha college for women.
Ques. What are the course fees of masters in music and singing?
Ans. The course fee for the master’s course is INR 1,180 - INR 1,10,000 yearly.
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