Back when I was in university, I tried out to be one of the performers for MMUsic (MMU’s music club). I chose to sing It Ends Tonight by the All-American Rejects for my audition, practicing enough that my mom learned the lyrics.
Fighting my nerves, I sang in front of 4 committee members that night, only for them to tell me that though they liked my voice, my rendition sounded like someone who has never been in love (kena kecam weh for being a single person). I found that weird since the song I chose was not exactly a love song. But that got me thinking, do I really need to be in love to actually pull off singing a love song?
Here’s my take: you don’t need to be head over heels in love to sing a love song like you mean it. If that were the case, I’m pretty sure half of us would retire from karaoke.
Singing love songs is about the connection, not your relationship status. Even if you’re perpetually single like me, I believe you can still deliver a heartfelt performance. Because at the end of the day, singing is storytelling.
Think about Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody. Do you seriously think that Freddie Mercury is a murderer confessing his crime on a record for the entire world to hear for all eternity? Nah. He’s channeling his emotions. Putting up an act. Roleplaying. Basically, it’s empathy, imagination, and maybe a bit of drama.
You don’t need to be in love, but you do need to feel something. You’ve loved your late-night nasi lemak. You cried over the ending of Hachiko (at least, I have). You feel longing when your pet ignores you (Misha, please). That’s all emotional fuel you can tap into.
How to Sing Love Songs Without Being in Love Then?
- Find your story: Who or what are you singing to? Picture it.
- Use real feelings: Remember how sad you were over your broken phone? That’s valid.
- Practice technique: Love can’t fix pitch problems, so focus on your breath control and vocals.
- Act a little: Sell it with a little ✨drama✨
And if you are in love? Great! It might add some sparkle to your voice, give you that dreamy vibe. But it’s still not compulsory. Even single people can slay a love ballad if they commit to the emotion.
The key is conviction. Your audience doesn’t care if you’re serenading a person or longing for that burger Ramly tepi jalan. As long as you mean it, they’ll feel it.
So next time you’re performing for your shampoo bottles, don’t worry about your relationship status. Feel the song. Own the drama. Belt it out like your neighbour actually requested an encore.