Jacob Collier Quotes

Thousands of kids and parents come up to us and say, How do we get better as a singer?

As I am a lyrical singer, I really have to work hard. I'm still really training on a daily basis on my vocals. Because of the lyrical training, it never really ends.

I knew that I could sing when I was young. I would listen to a lot of jazz; I'm a big jazz fan. When I first got to high school and studied musical theater, I could sing. But I added certain things to my voice, and I realized after graduating high school that this is the kind of voice I had. It's not very nimble, but it's heavy.

As singers, we're always taught to sing forward and place everything in the front of our resonating chambers. Donna Summer always sang in that space and had it naturally. Her muscle memory, the way she was built - she was a natural singer.

When I first started singing - before 'Treat Me Like Fire' when I was working with a vocal coach - I realized that I wasn't even breathing when I was singing.

You have to get to know your voice and its strengths and play on those. It took me quite a long time.

I try to frighten my very young colleagues into studying and understanding their voices before they attempt things that are beyond them. It's wise to take gymnastics and swimming to strengthen the body, because people don't realise what an athletic undertaking singing actually is.

I don't believe in singing lessons. You can sing or you can't.

Someone told me that you could learn to sing, and that there are muscles that if you build, you will sing.

I was a boy soprano. I had a natural kind of voice and then trained it after my voice changed.

When I first began to learn to sing, it took me from three to four months to learn two simple hymns.

When I first began to learn to sing... I would get off on nearly every line and did not know it. I have learned to know when I am off.

Singing is incredibly physical.

I know what I'm missing. I know what I have to work on. Coloratura. And I sing sharp sometimes. It happens when I'm nervous.

My singing voice isn't like my speaking voice.

I just wanted to show people - maybe I'm wrong - that I can still really sing. I can sing better than I ever have before. My intonation is way better, my timing, my phrasing - there's a lot more expression; I feel it's a more lived-in, soulful voice.

Yeah, I'm just blessed to have this very strong thing, my vocals. I'm very healthy in that regard.

The voice is an instrument that you really must take time to develop. It's like a good red wine Give it time.

When I first started, I was much weaker of a singer because I wasn't used to singing so much. Now I've learned, when I'm singing on stage, not to go over. You can go over and mess yourself up. I used to do it all the time, wouldn't know how to preserve it for the next show.

I thought everybody had falsetto. And since I wasn't a schooled singer who studied with anybody, I just thought anybody who had a voice could do anything they wanted with their voice.

When I was younger, I did what I now call 'extreme singing.' I could do this thing where I would sing really high. I can't really do that anymore, at my age. My voice has shifted. It's changed.

I couldn't have recorded this record 15 years ago. My voice didn't have the depth to pull these songs off.

With classical singing you have to put out so much air - you project, you emit force.

Contrary to the norm, as my technique improved my voice became higher.

At Julliard we had some voice classes. It was really just so you could carry a tune. It always just helps with your speaking voice also, when you connect your diaphragm and your breath.