Look, Listen & Feel
iREViEW
meaningful way. Using exaggerated vowels
allows Perry to drop her jaw, loosen her face
muscles, and belt the hook with less strain on
her vocal cords. The emphasis on the vowels
also highlights an internal rhyme. !
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(breath) I got the EYE of the TI-ger,!
(breath) a FI-ghter,!
(breath) DANC-ing thrOUGH the FI-re!
(breath) 'Cause I am a CHA-mpion!
(breath) and YOU’re gonna hear me ROAr!
LOU-der, (breath) LOU-der than a LI-on!
(breath) 'Cause I am a CHA-mpion (breath) and
you’re gonna hear me!
RO-Uh-Uh-Uh-Uh-Uh-Oar!
(breath) Uh-Uh-Uh-Uh-Uh-Oar!
(breath) Uh-Uh-Uh-Uh-Uh-Oar!
(breath) YOU’re gonna hear me ROAR!
KATY PERRY “ROAR”
WRITERS: Katy Perry Lukasz Gottwald Max
Martin Bonnie McKee Henry Walter
Anyone who has attempted to cover a Katy
Perry song, whether singing in the shower or at
an open mic, knows how much vocal stamina is
required. “Roar”, Perry’s single from her album
Prism, is no exception. !
!
In the verses, Perry uses a comfortable chest
voice fitted to telling her story of self-discovery
and empowerment. The melody is simple and
she reserves the use of vibrato and breathiness
for ending her phrases, so it’s very easy to sing
along with (unlike a typical Whitney Houston
ballad replete with runs that last as long as
phrases do). Perry’s d iction and pronunciation
are clear and she exudes a certain swagger in
her delivery, characteristic of her individual style
as a singer. !
!
Much like her previous single, “Firework”,
“Roar” is an anthem and the hook is sung in the
upper register of Perry’s chest voice at high
energy. There are two major things she does to
maintain control of her voice: good breath
placement, and the use of exaggerated vowels.!
!
Proper breath placement does more than give
her the power to execute those notes with
precision; it allows her to phrase the lyrics in a
iSing | issue 1
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Note: If you find yourself needing to cover
this song, it would serve you well to
internalize the breaths, phrasing, and vowel
placements. If you have a hard time singing
this live, don’t feel bad cause it isn’t easy for
her either. It’s a very tough song.
Katy Perry has a down-to-earth, relatable voice;
she has mastered smooth transitions between
her different vocal registers and is dynamic in
her delivery. So, whether you love it or hate it,
it is a catchy song that is well-matched with
Perry’s vocal strengths.■
SOPHIA MOON
WHO IS SHE? Sophia is a seasoned recording artist,
singer-songwriter & performance coach with an
entrepreneurial spirit. She released her solo album,
Staring Back at Me, on iTunes in 2009. In prior years,
she co-founded a record label (Fifth Street) and
released an album (No Limit) with two featured artists
from the label. Most recently she released the single,
Real Thing; and started her own boutique marketing
agency, JaggerMoon Creative Group.
WEBSITE?
www.iamsophiamoon.com
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