We’ve showcased a few good songs to sing at talent shows, but we heard you wanted more! Here, Brooklyn, NY voice teacher Liz T. shares 50+ more options, along with the three helpful steps to ensure an amazing performance!
Singing at your school’s talent show is a great experience for young performers! Many singers, however, are shy to sign up because they are nervous or don’t know what to songs to sing. I’m here to help you work through these concerns!
First off, WHY should you sign up for a talent show? Performing in front of others has many benefits. You’ll learn how to overcome stage fright, how to sing with a microphone, and — depending on your set-up — how to perform with a background track, pianist, or band (or maybe even accompanying yourself!). If you want to become a famous singer someday, it’ll also prepare for you for those bigger gigs!
First Step: Choose a Song
If this is your first talent show, or if you are new to performing, choose a song you know — one that you have practiced a lot and that you feel comfortable singing. You will sound better and look more comfortable on stage when you feel confident and at ease with the song you are singing! Also, some of the best songs to sing at a talent show are ones with simple lyrics that you can remember, just in case those nerves kick in!
Next Step: Prepare, Prepare, Prepare!
If you really want to “wow” the crowd, I recommend working a voice teacher leading up to your performance! He or she can help you prepare for your talent show, including choosing the best song to sing, working through stage fright, and polishing up your overall performance. Even with natural talent, a singing coach can help you bring your skills to the next level. Singing isn’t easy, and it’s smart to have a strong foundation!
Final Step: Have Fun!
Ready to perform? The crowd is waiting! But what should you do if the nerves kick in? Sometimes we can’t help but get those jitters and butterflies in our stomachs when we step onto the stage. Here are my tips for how to deal with them:
- Be prepared! Know your material well, and bring extra copies of the music or backup CDs. This will help you in case something goes wrong with the equipment or you lose your sheet music –you’ll be ready!
- Bring water, and hydrate yourself regularly. One side effect of nerves is a dry throat, so drinking water will help!
- Do some meditation, yoga, or stretching right before you go on stage. This will help those tight muscles and body jitters!
- Bring headphones and an iPod, and listen to your song right before going on stage so it’s fresh in your mind.
- Have fun! Your friends and family will be cheering you on.
What Are the Best Songs to Sing at a Talent Show?
Still unsure about what to sing? Here are some talent show song ideas, along with the artists who either wrote or popularized the tune:
Traditional/Folk Songs
- “Amazing Grace”
- “God Bless America“
- “Danny Boy“
- “This Land is Your Land“
- “Leaving on a Jet Plane” by John Denver
- “Bridge Over Troubled Water” by Simon and Garfunkel
- “The Rainbow Connection“
- “Puff the Magic Dragon” by Peter, Paul and Mary
- “Shenandoah“
- “This Little Light of Mine“
Oldies
- “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” by Aretha Franklin
- “Imagine” by John Lennon
- “Killing Me Softly” by Roberta Flack
- “Respect” by Aretha Franklin
- “Lean on Me” by Bill Withers
- “In My Life” by The Beatles
- “Dancing in the Street” by Martha and the Vandellas
- “What a Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong
- “Can’t Help Falling in Love” by Elvis Presley
- “Sir Duke” by Stevie Wonder
Broadway/Musicals
- “Dancing Queen” from “Mamma Mia!”
- “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” from “The Wizard of Oz”
- “Anything Goes” from “Anything Goes”
- “The Impossible Dream (The Quest)” from “Man of La Mancha”
- “My Favorite Things” from “The Sound of Music”
- “Tomorrow” from “Annie”
- “Fame” from “Fame”
- “Hopelessly Devoted to You” from “Grease”
- “Beauty and the Beast” from “Beauty and the Beast”
- “Footloose” from “Footloose”
Jazz
- “Summertime” by Ella Fitzgerald
2. “New York, New York” by Frank Sinatra
3. “Misty” by Sarah Vaughn
4. “I Got Rhythm” performed by Judy Garland and others
5. “Georgia on My Mind” performed by Ray Charles and others
6. “At Last” by Etta James
7. “Feeling Good” performed by Michael Bublé and others
8. “Fever” performed by Peggy Lee and others
9. “Blue Skies” performed by Willie Nelson and others
10. “Someone to Watch Over Me” performed by Linda Ronstadt and others
’80s/’90s Pop
- “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” by Cyndi Lauper
2. “Something to Talk About” by Bonnie Raitt
3. “Beat It” by Michael Jackson
4. “Living on a Prayer” by Bon Jovi
5. “Don’t Stop Believin’” by Journey
6. “I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)” by Whitney Houston
7. “Total Eclipse of the Heart” by Bonnie Tyler
8. “Turn the Beat Around” by Gloria Estefan
9. “Your Song” by Elton John
10. “Piano Man” by Billy Joel
Contemporary Pop
- “Don’t Know Why” by Norah Jones
2. “You Belong With Me” by Taylor Swift
3. “When I Was Your Man” by Bruno Mars
4. “Rolling in the Deep” by Adele
5. “Wanted” by Hunter Hayes
6. “Happy” by Pharrell Williams
7. “Love Song” by Sara Bareilles
8. “Beautiful” by Christina Aguilera
9. “Stronger (What’ Doesn’t Kill You)” by Kelly Clarkson
10. “Waiting on the World to Change” by John Mayer
Duets
- “I’ll Be There” by The Jackson 5
2. “When You Believe” by Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston
3. “Lucky” by Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillat
4. “(I’ve Had) the Time of My Life” by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes
5. “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell
6. “Anything You Can Do” from “Annie Get Your Gun”
7. “Summer Nights” from “Grease”
8. “All I Ask of You” from “Phantom of the Opera”
9. “I Got You Babe” by Sonny and Cher
10. “One” by U2 and Mary J. Blige
I wish you all the best of luck in preparing for your talent show, and hope to work with many of you soon!
Post Author: Liz T.Liz T. teaches online singing, acting, and music lessons. She is a graduate of the Berklee College of Music with a B.M. in vocal performance and currently performs/teaches all styles of music including musical theater, classical, jazz, rock, pop, R&B, and country. Learn more about Liz here!
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