20 Unique Jobs for Singers You May Not Have Considered

Want to make singing your career? Here are some ideas from Brooklyn, NY voice teacher Liz T. to make a living using your voice!

What do you want to be when you grow up? A doctor, a lawyer, an astronaut? How about a singer? 

Singers can have some pretty unique jobs. They can be teachers, coaches, or even work for Disney. They can also travel around the world performing in different venues. So if you’re looking for a creative and exciting career, consider becoming a singer!

Singers are known for their amazing voices, but what many people don’t know is that singers can also have careers in other fields. From acting to teaching, there are a variety of awesome jobs for singers out there. The job outlook for singers is excellent.

So if you’re a singer who’s looking for a new challenge, check out some of these awesome jobs!

What Jobs Can You Do as a Singer?

When most people think of a career in singing, they assume that the only options are becoming famous as a solo artist. However, some other unique jobs for singers include:

• Working at a theme park
• Singing on a cruise ship
• Becoming a musical soloist at a church or synagogue
• Doing voiceover or radio work
• Teaching voice lessons
• Singing in a cover band

Of course, the best way to get started in one of these in-demand jobs is to make sure you have the skills to back up what you’re putting on your resume. Sign up for singing lessons to make sure you have what it takes.

Curious about what you will learn in a singing lesson? Check out the video below to give you an idea:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQyFZ6Lh-mc 

 How Do You Get Hired as a Singer? 20 Types of Jobs for Singers

What are the best jobs for singers?

Having the gift of a great singing voice is not something you should let go to waste! While you are out there auditioning and recording, waiting for your big break, there are many performing opportunities that will help you get to the next level of your singing career! Check out these fun, unique jobs for singers that I have personally enjoyed doing.

1. Theme Parks

Theme parks are a great way for young singers to get performance experience. The entertainment is always top quality at parks such as Six Flags, Busch Gardens, Hershey Park, Cedar Point, Dollywood, and of course all of the Disney parks. Theme park shows include many different styles, including country, rock, R&B, and even opera!

If you get a summer gig working at a theme park, be prepared for hard work. Most singers’ schedules are six days a week, with possible shows from 10 am to 10 pm. You have to keep your body healthy during this intense schedule, especially if you are performing outdoors in the hot summer heat. Theme parks can pay anywhere from $400-$1,000 a week, depending if you are equity or not (some theme parks will hire both equity and non-equity actor/singers). Make sure to check if the theme park gig comes with housing, a meal plan, gym access, etc. — some parks will have these benefits for singers, while some will not.

Also, theme parks are a great way to take advantage of the holidays! Many of them have special Christmas or Halloween shows. They may need carolers for their Christmas season, or actors for their Halloween haunted house. Work as much as you can during these holidays, and your bank account will be happy!

2. Cruise Ships

Cruise ships are a great opportunity to perform the music you love, and to travel the world. You might be singing with a jazz big band, a Latin trio, or in a musical theater show. You can find opportunities directly with cruise lines, such as Norwegian, Royal Caribbean, Princess, Holland America, and Disney; there are also many agencies that you can audition for privately that can place you on these cruise ships.

The perks of working on a cruise ship are that you get free room, board, and meal plan. On board as a performer, you will work pretty much every single day, including holidays, but only for a few hours, usually in the evenings. You will have your days free to spend in port, sightseeing. Performers are treated very nicely on the ships, with many cruise lines giving you special guest privileges to the spa and gym. It’s also a great way to interact and meet other crew members and guests from all around the world. Most cruise contracts range from 3-10 months straight at sea, with no time off, and the salary ranges from $400-$1,200 a week.

3. Churches/Synagogues

Being a musical soloist at your local church or synagogue is a great way to share your musical passion with your community! Often, cantors are needed for masses, weddings, and funerals. Cantors will need to be familiar with classical, gospel, and American music. Compensation may be different for each service. Singing religious music is also a great way to stay in vocal shape and to work on your sight reading! These gigs are also great because they are mostly on weekends, so you can still take other work.

Also if you have piano or musical directing skills, you can become a musical director in your place of worship. This includes putting together the musical liturgy every week and perhaps directing the choir or ensemble.

4. Voice-overs/Radio

These are usually quick, easy jobs for singers to supplement their income. Big organizations or freelancers often need singers to sing or speak for their original recording, which could be a radio ad, jingle, web series, or podcast. I would first approach this as a freelancer, looking in your local entertainment job listings. Make sure you have a demo of your vocal recordings — you can also pitch these to agents and casting directors. You’ll find many jobs if you have a versatile voice, such as being able to record in different accents, languages, and age ranges. Rates for voice-over projects vary depending on your union status, and don’t be afraid to negotiate!

5. Teaching Voice

There’s no better way to share your love for singing than by teaching others! If you have received your training and hold at least a Bachelor’s degree in Music, then you are qualified to teach in most institutions (each state varies). There are many schools looking for choral and general music teachers, as well as artists-in-residence for after-school programs. Also, you can start off being a private lesson teacher to students in your community. This is a great option because you can set up a studio in your own home, as well as set your own rates and times. You can even become a voice teacher with TakeLessons!

6. GB Bands

Creating your own GB (general business) band or cover band is a great way to get out there performing! Your band might perform at weddings, restaurants, or corporate events. It’s a great way to make some nice money and also get comfortable performing on stage with a live band (and audience). These gigs pay pretty well — sometimes you can make up to $1,000 on a weekend! All you need is your own microphone, and the patience to have a few hundred cover songs under your belt! It’s also a good way to develop your own material, and put your own songs to practice. (Make sure you have a nice video reel to send to companies or promoters booking your act.)

7. Lounge Singer

As a lounge singer or club singer, your job will be to – you guessed it – sing in lounges or clubs. You might perform as a resident singer up to seven nights per week, or you might get hired on a rotation. You could get paid as much as $500 per night!

8. International Events Singer

You could get hired as a singer for on-eoff events like large corporate parties or product launches. These often occur in countries where English is not the first language. 

9. Karaoke Host

Love karaoke? Believe it or not, you might be able to make a modest living by becoming a karaoke host! You will usually have to have your own equipment and be willing to travel to different venues during the week. 

10. Songwriter

As a songwriter, you’ll come up with the lyrics and melodies for songs. You can compose music for one genre or many. You can choose to write songs that you will perform yourself or those that other singers will perform later on.

11. Music Publishing 

You could even work as a music publisher. Music publishers will promote songs to movies, computer games, and other places where songs might be needed. You’ll collect royalties on behalf of the original performer and build some strong industry connections. 

12. Musical Theater Jobs 

There are all kinds of musical theater jobs you can get as a singer. While most people automatically think of Broadway, this isn’t your only option. You may be able to go on tour to perform your shows in various parts of the country.

13. Opera

Opera might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but if you like performing and have the right kind of training, it might be a good option for you. You may need a bachelor’s degree in music, but usually, you just need the talent.

14. Join an Independent Traveling Show

You can join a troupe of other singers and take your singing talents to the road. This is a great way to make a living as a singer, especially if you want to see the country.

15. Backup Singer

Another job for singers is to work as a backup singer. Backup singers provide vocabl support to other artists, working in studios with session musicians or supporting an artist on tour. You may also have to learn choreography and dance as part of your job.

16. Jingle Singer

A jingle singer is someone who works to record jingles for advertising. The Screen Actors Guild of America has a minimum pay of $398 per day for employed singers, meaning you have the potential to earn some steady income here if you’re part of that union.

17. Singagrams 

If you live in a city, you might be able to find work performing singagrams. You’ll perform musical greetings for money, usually at an event, where you’ll surprise a VIP.

18. Kids Entertainer

Another one of the most unique jobs for singers is to work as a childrens’ entertainer. You’ll just have to do a few hours of sing-along with kids and you’ll get paid a few hundred dollars in return.

19. Session Singer

A session singer is someone who works in a studio, providing the vocals for studio-recorded songs or soundtracks. Usually, session singers aren’t a main part of the band but are instead hired for individual projects. You might also be able to play an instrument, like the piano or drums.

20. Music Therapist

You’re probably already aware of the healing powers of music. It can help you learn how to express yourself, improve your cognitive function, and more. It is an effective form of counseling for many people – as a skilled musician, you might be qualified to work as a music therapist. For this job, you’ll need to have a bachelor’s degree in music therapy, typically from a program that is approved by the American Music Therapy Association. This is one of the best day jobs for singers, especially if you’re willing to put in the time to complete your education.

What Jobs are Similar to a Singer?

If you want to be a singer but aren’t totally sure that regular performing is the right fit for you, you might want to consider working as a:

• Songwriter
• Karaoke host
• Music producer
• Music teacher
• Artist manager
• Sound engineer

…and so on. More in the next section to help you decide!

What Job Should I Have if I Like Music?

If you like music – but don’t necessarily want to make a career out of just singing – you might want to consider some of the following careers:

• Music journalist
• Instrument repair and tuning
• A&R representative (you’ll work for a record label to help them find new artists)
• Concert security guard
• Concert technician (yep – what you might call a “roadie”!)
• Conductor or music director
• Music supervisor (for a television show, movie, video game, or commercial) 
• Film composer
• Music publisher
• Accompanist
• DJ 
• Artists or performers agent
• Manager
• Music producer
• Entertainment lawyer 

As you can see, the options are endless! If you love music, there are plenty of unique job opportunities for singers to explore. 

What Careers Can You Have With Singing?

What are the best jobs for aspiring singers?

 If you’re a singer, or an aspiring one, and are looking for unique job opportunities, look no further. We’ve compiled a list of some interesting jobs for singers that you may not have considered before. 

From voice-overs to singing telegrams, there are many different ways to use your vocal talents. So consider these tips and get started on finding the perfect job for you. 

And if you want to make sure your voice is top-notch before you head out on your job search, make sure you sign up for singing lessons with a professional teacher. They’ll show you the ropes!

As you can see, there are tons of good jobs for singers to look into! You can absolutely make money and do what you love at the same time. Get on out there and sing!

Liz T. teaches singing, acting, and music lessons in Brooklyn, NY, as well as online. She is a graduate of the Berklee College of Music with a B.M in Vocal performance and currently performs/teaches all styles of music including Musical Theater, Classical, Jazz, Rock, Pop, R&B, and Country. Learn more about Liz here!

 

Photo by Jeff