How to Make Money From Singing: Tips for Beginner Musicians

Ever wondered how to turn your passion for singing into a profitable venture? For many, singing is a hobby, a way to express emotions, or just a pleasant pastime. However, what if you could take it a step further and find out how to make money from singing? This comprehensive guide delves deep into three key ways to monetize your talent. Whether you’re an aspiring artist or an experienced singer looking to diversify your income, these detailed strategies can help you take your career to the next level.

Making money from singing gives you the opportunity to turn your passion into a profitable venture. This not only allows you to do what you love but also to gain financial independence and stability. Monetizing your singing talent can open up various income streams, from teaching and performing to recording and selling your music.

One of the most straightforward and rewarding ways to make money from singing is by teaching others. Offering voice lessons can be a lucrative venture, especially if you’re skilled and experienced. Teaching singing requires a deep understanding of vocal techniques and the ability to communicate these effectively to your students.

Finding Clients

Finding and reeling in clients might feel like the most daunting task in the pursuit of turning singing lessons into profits. However, once you’re able to lock in your first few clients, you’ll begin to build a reputation that can carry your business on for years to come. To find your first client, look inside of your network and to your family. Have you already proven your abilities as a singer to others? If so, selling your lessons should be easier. Let friends and family know about your new business venture, and advertise your lessons on your social media accounts.

If you don’t already have potential clients in your network, you can start to build one on websites that offer platforms for selling freelance services. Fiverr, for example, is a website that connects freelancers to people willing to pay for talent. There are currently over 100 gigs offering singing lessons, and many of them are very active. To attract your initial client, you may need to start by offering your services at a low rate. Since you won’t have any ratings, potential clients may view paying for your services as risky and choose a seller with reviews instead.

Don’t worry though, you’ll only need to drop your rates for your first couple of gigs. Once you have at least one or two positive ratings on your Fiverr profile, your gig will start getting more traction. From there, you can start pricing your services at what you feel is reasonable.

Another popular online tool for selling services like singing lessons on Patreon. You can offer subscription-based lessons and get consistent monthly income. Building a community around your lessons not only creates a steady income stream but also helps you connect with students on a deeper level, making your practice more rewarding.

Although opting for a more hands-on approach like Patreon could potentially be more lucrative and enjoyable, the drawback is that you’ll need to work harder to build your community. Whereas on a site like Fiverr, the platform already has your clients and markets your product for you to them, for a 20% cut from your revenue. Still, you could use a freelance platform to get started, gain experience, build your portfolio, get testimonials, and then take your singing lessons to the next level.

Showing Your Credentials

Remember, people aren’t just going to pay for singing lessons from anyone. Especially if you don’t quite have any references yet, you’ll need something to show for in order to get people interested in your services. Besides testimonials or past experience, the best way to showcase yourself as a singing teacher is to demonstrate your own singing capabilities. Don’t be afraid to share clips of yourself singing or videos of past performances. Make potential clients say, “Wow – I want to do that!”

Also, if you have any kind of educational background that would make you qualified to teach singing lessons, be sure to showcase that. For example, maybe you hold a degree in the music or education field. Even something close might help.

In all, if you’re wondering how to make money from singing and know you’re also a gifted teacher, offering singing lessons could be a lucrative side gig. As you work through this endeavor, determine your rates based on your skill level and experience. Remember, as your reputation grows, so can your rates.

This one might seem obvious but it’s not always easy. However, with a strategy and dedication, you can make money as a singer.

Connecting With Other Musicians Who Need a Vocalist

Your voice is your product, so if you want to know how to make money from singing, start thinking about how you can sell your product. Luckily, vocalists are in high demand in the music industry, as lots of musicians and producers require vocalists for their projects.

The hard part here is perhaps connecting with the right people. There are online platforms designed specifically to connect vocalists to clients, and then there are general freelance platforms like Fiverr that connect all types of freelancers with clients. If you are using Fiverr for singing lessons as described above, you can build upon your growing reputation to offer other gigs, like selling vocal pieces.

Tailored platforms for musicians to connect with other artists professionally include SoundBetter, Kompoz, and ProCollabs.

Recording and Producing Music

Another excellent way to make money from singing is by recording and selling your music. Thanks to technology, it’s easier than ever to produce and distribute your songs without the need for a major record label.

Platforms like SoundCloud, Bandcamp, and Spotify make it possible for independent artists to reach a global audience. They allow you to upload and sell your music directly to consumers by way of streaming royalties.

Still, achieving this process without support can be difficult. You’ll need to play the role of the artist and the businessperson. Think marketing, branding, social media, management, sales… the list goes on!

To grow your fanbase, and in turn, get more listeners and royalties, you’ll need to focus your efforts on building a brand. Many growing artists have a hard time balancing art with business, especially when the latter is something they’re not familiar with.

Building a music career can be daunting, but platforms like Eleven Music Career Center can help. Eleven is a community for all kinds of musicians that offers detailed guides, events, and personal support along your journey.

Turning your love for singing into a money-making endeavor requires effort, patience, and strategy. Like any new business or creative venture, there can be a huge learning curve, and a lot of stress involved. The good news is that you have talent and passion, which poses a great foundation for your future success.

By either teaching singing lessons, recording and selling your music, or taking it a step further, you can start earning a significant income from your talent. However, the importance of a support system when embarking on a new music career should not be overlooked. It’s common for musicians to feel isolated or lost. 

The value of a support system when launching a new music career cannot be overstated. That’s why Eleven has created a community and coaching platform specifically for musicians who are either just starting their careers or ready to take the next step. This platform connects artists with real music industry professionals to discuss and define goals, emphasizing the value of human connection.

Join today to start building your music career.