First, let’s talk about this idea of a “big break.” Because that’s what these singing competitions promise — a ton of exposure and long-term success to the winner of the contest.

But is this idea all it’s cracked up to be?

Here’s what I think: making a living as a singer or musician requires hard work. It requires you to show up every day, practice, and get your name out there. Little by little.

Today’s music industry is much less about getting signed to a big label and way more about living the DIY musician lifestyle. Yes, record labels are still signing artists, but they’re also dropping them at an astounding rate.

According to music business veteran Moses Avalon, 99% of artists signed to a major record label don’t even get to release their first album because they’ve been dropped or shelved. Only about 0.2% of signed artists stay signed and fulfill their contracts.

So don’t put all your eggs in one basket (like a singing competition). Even if you win The Voice or America’s Got Talent and get a record deal, that’s not a guarantee of success.

What will get you to reach your picture of success is working hard. Build a career yourself, don’t let someone else control it.

All that aside, I’m not saying you shouldn’t compete in a singing contest. You should. I’m just saying don’t base your entire music career on a singing contest.

So if your success is up to you and not dependent on performing in a singing contest, what’s the point?

I’m so glad you asked. Here are four reasons why you should enter a singing competition.

Maybe the most important reason to try a singing contest is to try something new.

If you never challenge yourself or put yourself in uncomfortable situations, you won’t grow. That’s true as a person and as a musician.

The biggest reason you’ll improve by competing with other singers is because your area of improvement will become crystal clear. It will give you the motivation to give your best performance.

Sometimes, a little competition is healthy for us as musicians.

Plus, you’ll be able to get feedback from the judges and other competitors. Feedback is usually difficult to hear, but, again, friction can push you to succeed.

The amount of exposure you’ll get as the winner of a singing competition would be great for any artist. Regardless of the size of the event, any press for winning as a singer is good press.

But even if you don’t win, you can get some exposure at a singing competition. Industry professionals go to these events — Managers, Singing Coaches, Agents, and even record label people if the competition is well-known or in a music city.

At the very least, local press will go to these contests, so you could catch screen time (especially if you have a compelling story).

Performing in front of judges and in front of your singing peers is a lot of pressure. You usually get just one shot to impress the people who can advance you to the next round or send you home.

This is good practice for you as a singer. If you’re able to sing well in front of people who are actively and intentionally judging every note you sing, every vocal run you do, and the tone of your voice, you’ll do fine wherever else you perform. It will make you a better performer, which is a good thing for your career.

It doesn’t matter how well you do or how far you advance in a singing contest, you have the chance to network with other singers. If it’s a local competition, you could stay in touch with singers you meet — and who knows where that type of professional music relationship could go.

You might have the vocal chops to win a contest, but if you have trouble finding places to compete, it can be frustrating. So here are the best places to find singing contests.

The best place to start is in your town, city, or neighboring areas – anywhere within a reasonable driving distance. Ask fellow singers if they know of any good contests. Or you can simply go to Google and search “singing competitions near me” and the year.

If you think you’re ready to get on the big singing competitions, you could start with an online singing contest, like TalentWatch.

Once you find the right contest for you and go through the submission process, there are some things you can do to prepare.

By posting YouTube videos of yourself singing, you can get real people’s reactions, which will help you gauge if you’re ready for a singing competition. Plus, it will give you the incentive to sing and perform (online) on a regular basis.

And remember, lots of big Singers have been discovered on YouTube (like Justin Bieber, Carly Rae Jepson, and Soulja Boy). You could be next (maybe).

This one is obvious. You’ll need to know your voice and what genres and ranges it works well with. You can also sing the song for a friend who will be honest with you.

Singing the wrong song for the judges can ruin your chances of advancing.

Forgetting lyrics is unacceptable. Forgetting the melody is even more unforgivable.

Going into a singing competition, you have to be so prepared you could sing the song in your sleep. You should be able to sing the song without even thinking about what you’re doing. You should know the audition song so well, you can daydream while singing it.

So practice. A lot.

This one is pretty obvious, so this is just a reminder. Warm up your voice.

Your car needs to warm up on a cold day, right? Treat your voice like a car. Don’t let it overheat, just get it warm enough so it can perform like the well-oiled machine it is.

Don’t treat the judges as judges. See them as your audience. They’re there to hear you sing, so view them as an audience of potential fans. Perform in a way that makes them a fan afterward, regardless of the audition’s result. Help them feel the emotion of the song. Sing for them, not at them.

Eye contact with the judges is essential. Smiling also helps. Just have a good time and let the judges know it by your facial expressions. If you’re submitting a video audition, look into the lens like it’s the eyes of one of your fans.

Whatever the case, the judges are your audience — treat them like it.

Sometimes, an audition will be virtual, usually in the form of a pre-recorded video. Many times, this is the first stage of the audition process and is followed up by an in-person audition. If that’s the case, here are some tips for recording your audition:

• Set up your camera in a way that lets you perform like you would in-person
• Make eye contact with the camera lens so the judges feel more of a connection with you
• Stay loosey-goosey and natural – don’t be boring but don’t force a performs that feels inauthentic

Regardless of how you do in a singing competition, don’t lose hope. Don’t lose that passion, that love for music.

If you win, great. But don’t lay down, thinking you’re guaranteed success for the rest of time. You’ll need to work your butt off.

If you lose, remember that’s it’s okay. Hundreds, possibly thousands, of other people also “lost,” but you’ve only lost if you let the loss defeat you.

You should also ask yourself if you enjoyed it. Did you have fun? Did you like the people you met? What was the whole experience like? If you give it a thumbs up, try another!

Just keep going. You build your music career, it doesn’t fall from the sky. Your success is found in the notes you sing today, not whether or not a judge behind a table says “yay” or “nay.”

If you want to go big for the chance at tons of exposure, here are some of the best singing competitions you can enter…

• Britain’s Got Talent
• America’s Got Talent
• The Voice
• American Idol
• Eurovision (more of a songwriting competition, but involves singing/performing on TV)

Entering a singing competition can do great things for you. Aside from the benefits of winning, they can also offer you a challenge, you can get exposure even if you don’t win, and you can meet other singers in your area.

Once you’re ready to enter a contest, start posting singing videos on YouTube for feedback and practice. Then after you enter a contest, make sure you choose the right song for you and then practice it until you can sing it in your sleep.

And then continue, onward and upward.