How Your Favorite Singers Warm Up Their Voices
And what you can learn from watching them.
2/10/20262 min read
One of the best ways to understand healthy singing isn’t just through exercises. It’s through observation. Watching professional singers warm up gives us insight into how experienced voices prepare the body and mind for performance.
Below are examples of vocal warmups from well-known singers. As you watch each clip, focus less on copying the exact sounds and more on noticing how they approach warming up.
Why Vocal WarmUps Matter
Warming up the voice prepares the muscles involved in breathing, phonation, and resonance. Just like athletes warm up before training, singers use warmups to improve coordination, increase flexibility, and reduce strain. A good warm-up should feel easy, gentle, and gradual, not loud or forced.
Before watching famous singers warm up, it helps to know what a healthy warmup actually feels like. Start with the video below as a clear point of reference, designed to gently prepare the voice and train efficient habits.
Now that you have a reference for ease and coordination, you can start to notice how those same principles show up in the warmups below. With that foundation in mind, let’s take a look at how well-known singers warm up and what their habits reveal about healthy vocal production.
What Healthy & Effective Warmups Feel Like
Example 1: Gentle Onset & Easy Range with Ariana Grande
Many professional singers begin with soft, simple sounds. You may notice:
Light volume
Comfortable pitches
Smooth transitions between notes
These types of warmups help the vocal folds come together efficiently without tension.
Example 2: Breath & Flow-Based Exercises with Christina Aguilera
In this clip, notice how the singer stays relaxed and connected to the breath. Breath-focused warmups help regulate airflow and keep the voice from feeling pushed or tight later on.
This kind of approach is especially common among singers who perform demanding or high-energy music.
Example 3: Helpful Tools with Olivia Rodrigo
As the voice warms up, many singers gradually explore more of their range. These excercises often involve:
Sirens or slides
Light scales
Smooth vowel changes
The key is that range is introduced after the voice feels free, not before.
Example 4: Range & Flexibility Work with Celine Dion
What You Should (and Shouldn’t) Copy
Watching famous singers warm up can be inspiring, but remember:
Their voices are trained and conditioned
Their warmups are tailored to their needs
Loud or extreme exercises aren’t meant for cold voices
Instead of copying exactly, take note of these common themes:
Ease before power
Coordination before range
Consistency over intensity
How to Use These Videos to Create Your Own Warmup Plan
When using warmup videos as inspiration:
Start gently
Stay within a comfortable range
Stop if anything feels tight or strained
Focus on how your voice feels, not how it sounds
For guided support in building that kind of intentional practice, you can download a vocal app that walks you step-by-step through focused, effective sessions. Check out the one below...
Find the entire 5 day playlist here.
Even top artists rely on structured vocal practice to stay sharp. Tools like this matter because they help singers become their own vocal coach, providing real-time feedback on pitch, breath control, and consistency. It reinforces that strong vocals are built through smart, consistent training.
Want to warm up like Olivia Rodrigo?
Get the Better Voice Vocal Trainer here.
