Where to find singers for your original songs

Start by deciding what you need

"A singer" can mean several different jobs, and asking for the right one gets you better replies. A demo singer records a clear, simple vocal so you can pitch the song or test an arrangement. A lead vocalist carries the finished release. A backing vocalist stacks harmonies behind a lead. A topline writer writes a new melody and lyrics over your track. If you also need the words written, you are really looking for a songwriter as well.

Before you look, write down the key, the tempo, the genre, the range you think the melody covers, and one or two songs with a voice similar to what you hear in your head. That small brief does most of the work of finding the right person.

Where to look

• Music collaboration sites. On CollabWav you post a request describing the song and singers reply with a message and a sample, so you hear their voice before you reply. This is useful when you do not know any singers in your city or your genre.
• Local scenes. Open mic nights, jam sessions, songwriter rounds and small venues are full of singers who want original material. Go, listen, and talk to the ones you like.
• Schools and teachers. Vocal teachers, college music programs and community theater groups know singers who can read a chart and take direction.
• Choirs and church groups. Strong harmony and backing singers are often found here, especially for gospel, soul and pop.
• Online communities. Music forums and chat servers have collaboration channels. Read each group's rules first, and never post someone else's music without permission.
• Paid session singers. If you have a budget, freelance marketplaces list session vocalists who work for a flat fee and deliver in a few days.

Write a post that gets replies

Singers get many requests and answer the ones that are clear. Include:

• The genre, tempo and key, and what the song is about in a sentence.
• A link to a rough mix or the instrumental, so the singer can hear the track. Only share music you own or have permission to share.
• Whether you want a lead, harmonies or a feature, and whether it is a demo or a release.
• Your deadline.
• What you are offering: a flat fee, a share of the song, credit, a trade or free. Say the numbers if you can.

"Looking for a female vocalist, R&B, 90 BPM, key of A minor, flat fee of $100 plus credit" will get a better response than "need a singer."

How to judge a singer from a sample

1. Pitch and timing. Is the voice in tune and with the beat? Everything else can be fixed more easily than this.
2. Tone. Does the voice suit your genre and the mood of the song?
3. Recording quality. A phone sample is fine to start. For the real take, ask for a dry vocal with no heavy reverb or effects, so your engineer can shape it.
4. Reliability. Do they reply quickly and clearly? Do they ask good questions about the song?

Ask the singer you like most for a short test take over thirty seconds of your track. It costs them little and tells you more than any playlist.

Recording remotely

Most collaborations happen over the internet. Ask for:

• WAV files, 24-bit if possible, at the same sample rate as your project.
• Every take starting at the very beginning of the song, so files line up when you drop them in.
• A dry lead, and the harmonies as separate files, named clearly.
• One or two alternate takes of the chorus.

Send the singer a guide track with a click or a clear beat, the key and the lyrics, and tell them how many rounds of changes are included.

Agree on money and credit first

CollabWav does not process payments or enforce agreements. Before the singer records, write down the fee or split, who owns the recording and how they will be credited. A short split sheet prevents most arguments later. If the singer is writing the melody or lyrics, they may be a co-writer of the song, which is a different arrangement from being paid to sing.

Common mistakes

• Choosing on the first sample without hearing the voice on your own track.
• Not saying the key, so the singer records in a key that does not fit their range.
• Leaving the credit and ownership conversation until after the song is released.
• Asking for unlimited revisions without saying so, then running out of goodwill.

More guides

• How to split songwriting royalties fairly
• How to prepare stems and demos for a mixing engineer
• How to find musicians for a band or recording project
• All artist resources

This is general information for musicians, not legal or financial advice. For a contract that matters, ask a music lawyer.