How do you find the right emotional tone for a song when you're recording vocals for a new project?

I listen to a song several times and I immediately have images in my head of what the vocals should sound like, what melodies would work best for a particular song. Everything goes on with emotion and intuition.

The key to finding the right emotional tone is creating a deep connection with the music. First, it helps to understand the genre you're working with; knowing the techniques and pouring your heart into it makes a big difference. Lyrics often carry a lot of emotions, so if you're not the lyricist, it's helpful to have a conversation with the writer to understand the story behind the words. With the right vocal techniques and some added nuance, you can reach a place where the emotion truly guides your voice, allowing you to find the perfect tone for the song.

Go into every project with an open mind. Every project can be an opportunity to stretch into new ground while still using the expertise you have developed to create something that your client enjoys as well as you. Communication is one of the pivotal steps in determining the approach as well. Most of the time, clients have an idea on the direction of what they would like. It is our role to ask the right questions up front to establish strong relationship before ever starting in order to properly capture the heart behind the project. Strong chemistry with the producer often times leads to inspiration and tonal direction simply because your heart is in it. Nothing compares to a singer who means what they sing. Singing for the sole purpose of getting paid to do it always taints the beauty behind the art of what we get to do. We get to tell stories that can resonate beyond language barriers and borders. Singing with that in mind while letting the client shape the context often gives them what they want.

It's important to understand the story behind a song to establish the correct tone. For example, the genre doesn't always dictate the emotional tone of a song, it is instead led by the lyrics and message behind the song. Is it happy, sad, vulnerable, hopeful, angry? Therefore, communication with the client beforehand is vital, to understand what their expectations are, and how I can best deliver them.

Assess and take time to listen to the track. It also comes in part with working on a variety of projects, and opening up to different genres - the more you work on songs, you'll be able to pick up a natural emotional response to songs - whether thats feeling an upbeat style and pace for the song or something slow, softer, fasletto tones, etc.

It's also super important to chat this through with your client - because they may have specific requests for certain sections of songs, and its important you're both on the same page to minimise confusion and ensure a delivery that the client is expecting. 

Finding the right emotional tone when recording vocals starts with understanding the genre. Each genre has its own feel and expectations, so it's important to capture that essence. Then, I dive into the lyrics—really evaluating them to ensure every word is expressed with passion and authenticity. Once I've connected with both the genre and the lyrics, I hit "record" and let the song guide me. I trust the process, allowing the music to naturally bring out the emotions it needs.