Ariana Grande is one of the most admired singers across the world, especially in pop music. Most vocalists would agree that being able to achieve the same vocal range and skill that Ariana Grande has would be beneficial. Learning how to sing like Ariana Grande can be easier than you think!
In this article, we will explore why Ariana Grande sounds the way she does and how you can learn to sing like Ariana Grande.
Who Is Ariana Grande?
If you hadn’t guessed by now, Ariana Grande is one of the most famous popular music singers across the United States and also globally. Ariana Grande has sold out arenas across the world and has released six studio albums.
To get an idea of where Ariana Grande came from, knowing her performance history will be very helpful. Not only has Ariana Grande had years of experience, but she also began her journey acting which gave her a wealth of knowledge on how to perform.
Ariana Grande first started her career in the arts as a child actress, appearing on the Nickelodeon TV show Victorious in 2009. After premiering in the show, Ariana Grande decided that she would rather focus on a musical career and recorded her first album, ‘Yours Truly‘, which was then released in 2013.
From Grande’s very first album, Grande has seen success after success and has recently released hits such as Side to Side, God is a Woman, and 34+35.
How to Sing Like Ariana Grande
Ariana Grande is not only a fantastic songwriter but an incredible vocalist that delivers impressive vocal performances that range in variety with each song. If you are starting your singing journey and would love to develop your voice to be as flexible as Ariana Grandes, then we may be able to help.
Why Ariana Grande Sounds the Way She Does
If you can master these key skills, you will be one step closer to sounding like Ariana Grande:
- The wide vocal range of four-octaves
- Dynamics
- Vocal Runs
Wide Vocal Range of Four-Octaves
Ariana Grande has an impressive vocal range which goes from very low notes to whistle tones. Ariana is able to hold all of the notes within her range confidently and for long periods of time. Ariana Grande’s vocal range covers four octaves. This may be a hard skill to develop as not everyone’s voice is the same.
With regular vocal exercises, it is possible to extend your range while not putting your voice under strain. If you are wanting to cover a classic Ariana Grande hit, then you may want to choose a song that really fits within your range as Ariana has covered all ranges within her albums.
Dynamics
Another skill that makes Ariana Grande’s vocal shine out from the crowd is her impressive control over her dynamics. Many vocalists prefer to stay within the range that allows them to belt sing as this style of singing sounds powerful but it is also comfortable within their own range.
Ariana uses a range of dynamics within her performance and performs in a hushed, almost whispering tone on occasions and then can switch it up later in the song to a more powerful performance.
The key to singing like Ariana Grande is being able to master both gentle, quieter dynamic singing and also powerful belting singing. The variation between the two singing styles provides interest and power to perform.
Vocal Runs
If you listen to just a handful of Ariana Grande’s songs, you will know that vocal runs are a prominent singing technique throughout and are sung effortlessly. Vocal runs are fast melodic lines that often sound like a slide of notes that decrease or a slide of notes that increase, almost like a vocal riff.
If you would like your vocal performance to sound similar to Ariana Grande, then mastering vocal runs will be key and will also add interest to your vocal melody and performance. Vocal runs are a common love for popular music singers, with vocalists such as Beyonce and Mariah Carey also adopting the skill throughout their music.
How to Sound Like Ariana Grande
If you have nailed the above skills and are still looking to make your voice sound more like Ariana Grande, then we have a few more techniques to share with you. Here is a list of the extra skills you will need to master in order to aim to replicate Ariana Grande:
- Aim to achieve the same vocal range
- Learn falsetto singing
- Learn whistle tone
- Master riffing
- Develop your natural vibrato
Aim to Achieve the Same Vocal Range
Ariana Grande’s vocal range covers four octaves. If you have been working on improving your vocal range for some time, then you may be ready to start trying to reach the same notes as Ariana. The lowest note that Ariana is known to have hit is D3 and the highest note Ariana is known to hit is E7. Ariana Grande is known to have a Soprano-type voice, which is typically the highest type of voice type for a female singer.
Working on smoothly transitioning to these kinds of notes will really help you master how to sing like Ariana Grande.
Learn Falsetto Singing
Being a versatile singer is key to being able to cover Ariana Grande’s material successfully. Singing is a falsetto style and practicing this style of singing to where it sounds smooth and natural will help you become a versatile singer.
Falsetto singing is known to be a very high-pitched and soft style of singing. It is not a particularly good singing style to learn or practice and many singers actually prefer singing falsetto.
When practicing falsetto singing, aim to avoid cracking sounds between your normal belting voice and a falsetto voice. This can be worked on with vocal exercises.
Learn Whistle Tone
The whistle tone may be the vocal technique that Ariana Grande is known best for today. A whistle tone is a note that is very high-pitched and almost so high it is piercing. Whistle tones are used in vocal runs and riffs.
Singing in a whistle tone is one of the trickiest vocal skills to learn as it requires strength in your vocal range.
Master Riffing
Riffing is known as a vocal skill that is almost improvisation and is performed around the original melody of the song. Riffing is an important skill to have as a vocalist and is very impressive when performing live as it shows the audience that you are comfortable with the song. Riffing also allows you to be expressive when performing and add color to the melody.
Develop Your Natural Vibrato
When people refer to your vibrato, they are referring to how you change pitch. Vibrato can help create beautiful tones in the voice such as breathiness which Ariana Grande uses a lot. Having a breathy tone can help express emotion in the song and also create the soft dynamic we were discussing earlier in the article.
How to Talk Like Ariana Grande
Ariana Grande not only has a very popular singing voice, but a lot of her fans love her talking voice too. Replicating someone’s talking voice is a lot more challenging than it may seem as it is not natural to force a talking voice.
The most important thing to remember when you are trying to replicate Ariana Grandes talking voice is to not strain your own voice in the process. Ariana Grande has a very high-pitched talking voice, as this is within her natural vocal range.
Ariana Grande’s talking voice is very relaxed and therefore, if you strain your voice you will add stress to your tone and it will force your voice rather than sounding natural.
The second thing you can try to mimic Ariana Grande’s singing voice is to try to copy the same tones. Ariana often sings and talks in a hushed and sultry way, especially when she is using the tones in the bottom of her vocal range.
How Does Ariana Grande Sing So High
Ariana Grande’s vocal range is very impressive, especially her top notes within her vocal range. She is singing in a mixed head voice that is also known as a “mixed belt”: a blend of chest voice and head voice. These kinds of skills do not develop overnight but are something that can be achieved if the work is put in every day.
How to Extend Your Higher Range
Developing these practices into your daily singing routine and making sure you apply the exercises that can develop your higher range will be beneficial to reaching higher notes like Ariana Grande. Here is a list of vocal exercises you can try to help develop your higher notes:
- Vocal slides
- Reach high notes gradually
- Scales
- Massaging the face to relax the muscles
Vocal Slides
Vocal slides are an exercise that makes your practice slowly rise from your lowest note in your vocal range to the highest note in your vocal range. Repeating vocal slides can help you develop a larger vocal range.
Reach High Notes Gradually
Trying to reach higher notes can put your voice under strain, therefore it is best to aim to reach them gradually. If you are trying to reach a note, aim to sing the notes below confidently first and raise up to the desired note gently.
Scales
As you can see in the video below, practicing scales can gently warm your voice up and open up your vocal cords.
Massaging the Face to Relax the Muscles
Relaxing the muscles around your throat and vocal cords is an important step in any warm-up. Massaging your face before practicing can help soften the muscles, allowing your voice to be more open.
Here is a video of Ariana Grande practicing her vocal exercises before performing:
Can You Sing Like Ariana Grande?
If you put in the time and can really master the set of skills Ariana Grande holds, then it is possible to be able to sing like Ariana Grande. When practicing singing like Ariana Grande, it can be really helpful to actually sing Ariana songs and therefore you will be able to try to replicate her exactly.
Replicating anybody’s voice is very difficult and it is important to remember that everyone has their own unique vocal tone. Replicating someone’s voice exactly may not be possible but learning how to sing in the same style as Ariana Grande is possible.
Quick Ariana Grande Vocal Warm-Up
Incorporating a simple vocal warm-up into your singing routine can really help you achieve the vocal skills you are aiming for. Focusing on warm-ups that help develop the skills needed to achieve what you would like to is also important.
If you are still struggling to develop some of these skills or would like to further develop Ariana grande singing skills then hiring a vocal coach is a great idea.
Here is a list of vocal exercises you can include in your warm-up:
- Singing scales with different vowels
- Sirens or ‘vocal slides’
- High falsetto lip trills
Here is a helpful video by Michal Towber Vocal Coaching which demonstrates the various exercises that you can do to follow the Ariana Grande warm-up:
Final Thoughts
If you are wanting to sing like Ariana grande, then we have you covered. Learning the same vocal skills that Ariana Grande is extremely skilled in will help you replicate her singing style. Taking the time to learn about your own voice and being knowledgeable about your own vocal range will help you set up a plan of how to develop your voice and achieve these vocal skills.
These vocal skills may take a few weeks to really pick up and daily warm-up practice will really help you and your voice. If you are still struggling with a certain aspect of learning the essential skills to sound like Ariana Grande you can always hire a vocal coach that can help you with certain aspects of your voice.
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