Isn't it time for you to take the next step? You're on the same road, doing the same thing...day after day... You're not satisfied with where you are at today and you know there has to be a better way. You're done playing small and you're ready to take a leap. 

I know this is your year for huge expansion. With the start of a new year comes the very real opportunity to launch your voice and singing career onto an unstoppable trajectory towards success!

If you desire to stand in the spotlight of you life, you've got to be relentless. You have to believe in your dreams more than your fears and harness the courage that develops when you push through what's holding you back. 

This is why I've selected for you the TOP 16 Tips To Fast-Track Your Singing Success to inspire you for the new year ahead. Everything on this list is taken from the I Heart My Voice training programs.

I have seen these tips turn ordinary singers into superstars, and of course, this is possible for you too! 

Let's do this together! 

16 Tips To Fast-Track Your Singing Career

1. Establish your daily maintenance singing routine and stick to it! A great goal to start with is to make sure you practice at least 30 minutes a day, 5-6 days a week! The voice is a muscle that needs to stay fit! Just as pro athletes train daily to develop various muscles groups at the gym in order to compete at the highest level, you have to warm up and drill your vocal muscle groups as part of your singing routine every day, so that you have the strength and coordination to rock your power notes!

2. Work regularly with a professional vocal coach to give you the vocal tools and training to help you discover, attain and maintain your dream voice and signature sound! Consistent training with a coach will not only maximize your unique sound and master vocal technique, vocal health and vocal anatomy, it will also give you the accountability you need to succeed. I Heart My Voice offers multiple training options to fit your goals.

3. Get clear on your signature sound and "Wow Factor". Your "WOW Factor" is the combination of your most powerful, impressive and inspiring qualities, abilities and artistry that make you stand out from the crowd, drive you to create work that only you are capable of that expresses your authentic voice so you can confidently break into the industry. Click here to learn more.

4. Learn how to read and write music! Learn the basics of music theory: scales, intervals and chords. With this basic knowledge, professional singers are able to sing on pitch, in time and harmonize with other singers on stage and in the studio. Once you can write the melodies and rhythm of the songs you love to sing, you will be armed with the creative tools to now write your own original songs from a powerful and undeniably professional musical space. This will propel your artistic growth and success as far as you can imagine!

5. Write 1-3 songs a month to develop your songwriting. When you record your EP, album or single this year, you will have a large number of songs to choose your best work from. While live covers are all the rage on YouTube, if you want to go beyond YouTube, you've got to have one great song. You can be the greatest, best-looking singer in the world, but without a good song, there will always be a limit to how far you can go in your career. Katy Perry wrote many dozens of songs before her breakthrough single "I Kissed A Girl". Also consider finding a songwriting partner. Did you know that over 90% of the songs on the Billboard Top 100 in the last year had 2-4 songwriters? Collaborating can make songwriting easier and more fun, and it increases your chance of writing that breakthrough song!

6. Memorize and master how to sing at least 25 killer cover songs that you love sing! Perform each song using your unique signature sound, style and range. Picking 25 songs can seem like a huge task if you are a beginner, so be patient with yourself. Always be on the lookout for crowd-pleasing new releases to add to your songbook! Now you are ready to gig and jam with other pro musicians! Create your songbook binder with 25 lead sheets of your songs in your correct singing key, plus a table of contents. When the band wants to jam with you, you can all be on the same page instantly!

7. Record a video of your live performance and upload it to YouTube. With advancements in technology, more musicians are releasing processed studio vocals. For this reason, industry reps and booking agents request that you send a live performance video to be considered for gigs and label signings. So your live-recorded performance video is quickly becoming your new calling card for credibility and career growth! Hire a professional video/audio engineer and capture footage of your next live show or of you performing at home or at the studio!  

8. Release your 2-5 song EP in 2016! The EP has slowly been replacing the album as the most popular way to release your music. With so much music available that can be listened to immediately by streaming, artists cannot disappear for a year or more without releasing new music to keep their fans engaged and interested. This is good news: because an EP can be as little as 2 songs, that gives you no reason not to release your EP this year! You can release a combination of covers and your original(s) songs. Your recorded music is the original calling card in the music industry--with a recording, all doors can open to you, from radio airplay to interviews, reviews, and yes...income! Don't let another year pass without releasing your recorded music! 

9. Take professional photos you need for social media, your website and promotions by being the star of your own branded photoshoot! Before the shoot, envision and create your unique artistic image that identifies with your fan base. From there, choose your outfits and locations that you are drawn to that tell people who you are. Find a photographer whose work you admire that is also a good match for your brand. For the day of the shoot, hire a pro make-up artist and hair stylist—it’s worth it! As they say, a picture speaks a thousand words—so you want to make these photos count!

10. Start your Twitter & Instagram accounts and Facebook artist pages. Post quality content at least 1-3 times a day that is authentic and real to who you are. Establish your brand as an artist. Your brand should be consistent in themes, colors, fonts, and your personal tone. If you aren't consistent in your posting or your branding and message, your fans will have trouble believing you and won't be able to rely on you as the up-and-coming artist they love to check in with. The single most important thing you need to do in social media is BE CONSISTENT. 

11. Increase your followers by playing "the follow game". Apps like  manageflitter.com and crowdfireapp.com allow you to see who you follow on Twitter and Instagram that are not following you back. You can play the follow game each week to increase followers by following these simple steps 1. Click the followers of the singers, artists and celebrities that are similar to you. 2. Follow people who have profile pictures and a bio (to make sure you are following real people). Many will follow you back! 3. Wait a week and unfollow the people who didn't follow you back. Not only will you increase your followers quickly while keeping your own follow list low in comparison, you are much more likely to gain real fans who followed you because they like you!

12. Create your own website. In 2016, your single most important piece of real estate online is your personal website. Your website is where you can express yourself, your voice and your music more freely and more completely than any other platform. In addition to linking all your social media, you can also link to your live YouTube covers, publish your blog, showcase your gallery, highlight your bio, and sell your music yourself as digital downloads--and keep nearly 100% of the profit! While some website builders like Wix make creating a website very easy, I recommend that you use Squarespace; it's the best looking interface and makes it easy and quick to create a world-class looking website. Click here to learn more.

13. Download a digital copy of How To Make It In The New Music Industry by Ari Herstand, the definitive handbook for any independent artist. Here you will find all the steps and answers from industry experts to every area of being a successful indie musician. You also receive a comprehensive list of music magazines, blogs and radio stations that feature indie musicians, as well as indie promoters, publicists and other tools and resources. Do your career a favor and read this book in January, so that you have the knowledge and resources you need in advance to plan your strategy for this year to write, record, produce and release your single, EP or album this year, not next!

14. Purchase and read "The War of Art". Can't figure out why days or weeks will pass by without you singing? Not sure why you aren't singing or songwriting or performing consistently, even though that's what your heart beckons you to do? "The War of Art" reveals the cause of your inner struggle with singing and creating: it is the "Resistance" within you: the self-doubt, inner critic, procrastination, lack of support and fear of being judged--all of which serve to block your success by any and all means--whether it be directly or indirectly, consciously or subconsciously. If you suffer from resistance (and we all do), and you want to sing every day in 2016, this book is your ticket. Click here to learn more.

15. Remove the habits that do not serve you. An artist knows to avoid trouble at all costs because it interferes with her art and ability to create. Clear out all the gunk in your life that prevents you from having the space, time, energy, motivation and inspiration to PURSUE YOUR SINGING DREAM. Establish healthy systems and structures that support and facilitate daily progress towards your dream. Consider working with a vocal success coach for pro support and accountability for your goals.

16. Meditate! Clear your mind of the ego, repetitive thought patterns, chronic negative thinking and self-battling to make a space for stillness, presence, and gratitude. This will help lay the mental and emotional foundation to focus on your singing dreams and goals without distraction or blockage. Set aside 5-10 minutes each day and simply focus on your breathing. When a thought arises, just observe it, and let it pass. Then gently return your focus on your breath. Start your daily meditation practice today! 

I can't wait to see you succeed this year.

I'd love to hear about some of your goals and plans for this year! Just email me at info@iheartmyvoice.com, or message me on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter at @iheartmyvoice!

If you are ready to take action, then enroll in our most popular program, The Thriving Singer.

The Thriving Singer is an investment in you, your dream voice and your purpose. This comprehensive vocal training program isn't for everyone--it's for the select singers who are looking for real results in their singing career, and who are willing to take action to manifest their dreams.

It is time to make a change! This year is yours for the taking!