Singing in Different Languages

Have you ever sung in a language that isn’t your native language? If so, awesome! If not, then I highly recommend trying it. Singing in a different language is challenging on so many levels, but it’s also a lot of fun!

Music allows us to express ourselves, and singing songs in a foreign language can be challenging, but so rewarding at the same time. You can either directly choose a song, or start by defining what language you want to sing in. Once both things are decided, listen to the song a lot. Do research on the lyrics to make sure you understand them. We want to go for the word for word translation here – so we always know exactly what we’re singing. Generally speaking, song translations are not literal.  Most of the time they’re quite close to the original, but I’ve come across songs that I sang in different languages where the translation wasn’t even CLOSE to the meaning of the original. Knowing the meaning of each word we’re singing will help to deliver the related emotional intent when performing. It’s also so much fun to discover how languages “work” lyrically and how much the lyrics are influenced by cultural aspects.

Another thing is diction! You may come across some sounds you’ve never made before, and if that isn’t exciting, then, what is??? Discovering that there are certain sounds you’ve never made before when singing or speaking –  because that certain vowel or the way it is pronounced doesn’t exist in your native language – is challenging and fun. PLUS, it gives you one more formant and/or maybe even a feature component to add to your vocal exercises. Don’t be afraid to spend time listening to the song and doing research on pronunciation. You can also always search online for pronunciation tips in different languages and ask your teacher or a native speaker for help.

Of course there’s a lot more that could be said, but I just want to add one last thing. When looking for songs in other languages, you might discover a new favorite artist, music genre, or maybe even a new language that you want to learn. SO MANY POSSIBILITIES!!!

Go for it! Try something new! And you can always ask a Certified Throga Instructor for help – we love working with you!

AUTHOR: BRIGITTE KRAHN