Can you share an experience where your creative input as a vocalist significantly influenced the direction of a song?

One of my first ever released songs was a nice and sweet Deep House song. But I had a lot of private problems while trying to create the vocal melody and lyrics and it came out pretty dramatic, sad and melancholic. But I couldn't write something else, I just had to put all of my sadness to paper. It became one of my best projects and the producer loved it immediately, although the plan was to create a happy dance song. So he changed some instruments and made it more emotional after he got my vocals. And the song became so beautiful!

My clients often come to me with a general approach of: "here's a demo but do whatever you see fit. I trust your expertise."

I love this creative freedom and especially with vocals, there is a lot you can experiment with in terms of timbre, arrangement, the use of harmonies, grit or no grit or anything in between...

I remember one time where a client of mine wanted me to do some "uhh" over the last chorus to give it a little bit more energy. I tracked a whole 8-part choir for this and they were completely blown away.

When in doubt, record a choir, it usually works  

Yeah, it happens sometimes.
I usually try to do vocals that fit the mood and emotion of the song perfectly.
But sometimes adding harmonies, interesting sound techniques and backing vocals can change the feel of the song a little bit, I always make it happen for the better
My clients sometimes wonder - how did I do that? Coming up with melodies they would never have thought of on their own.

I remember a project where my creative input as a vocalist truly shaped the song's direction. I focused on crafting a delicate balance between the main melody and harmonies, creating a seamless blend that resonated with the composer. This approach allowed the song to convey the client’s intended emotion while drawing the listener in, encouraging them to follow the story from start to finish. It felt like weaving a narrative through the music, where every layer added depth, inviting the listener to experience the song's full meaning.

Yes of course, I feel this happens very frequently and part of my job as a vocalist is to creatively influence a song to be the best it can be. This may be by changing my tone to a softer, more legato performance on emotional tracks to help emphasise the emotion in the lyrics and melodies. It could also include my vocal arrangements with the additions of doubles, octaves, harmonies and adlibs to help bring certain sections to life and make the Chorus lift in the mix. Being a professional vocalist is so much more than singing lyrics, I want the listener to feel and believe every word I sing and the performance does that.

Absolutely! My creative input as a vocalist has influenced the direction of a song many times, often through harmonies and adlibs. But sometimes, it’s as simple as how the lead vocal is delivered. There are moments when a song calls for more power in a chorus or specific section, and by adding that extra intensity with my voice, the producer is then inspired to add new elements to match that energy. I also frequently suggest vocal harmonies as an option, and even if they weren’t part of the original plan, once the producer hears them, they love them so much that they end up reworking the arrangement to make room for those extra layers.