Stop this 1 thing and improve your singing immediately

Imagine improving your singing immediately by just changing one thing—how awesome would that be?

Here it is:

'Stop Emphasizing the Rhythm'

You as the singer are not the drummer. This phrase emphasizes the distinction between singing and drumming. A singer doesn't need to replicate the rhythmic emphasis of a drummer. It's a reminder to focus on the smooth flow and melody of the vocals without overemphasizing percussive elements in your articulation or phrasing. 

The key lies in singing in Legato!

Legato, Italian for "tied together", indicates that musical notes are played or sung smoothly and connected. So the transition from note to note, vowel to consonant, consonant to vowel is done without gaps. For our voice, this ensures a continuous airflow and helps tp balance the air pressure. Our voice loves consistency in our breath support and doesn't like sudden bursts of air and imbalances of muscle vs airflow. 

One way to practice legato is to speak the phrase as if it were all one long word. So you blend one consonant with the vowel and vice versa without interrupting the flow. Try it on one pitch at first (which will sound like a very monotonous phrase) to get the feel for it, then apply the melody to it while still maintaining the continuous airflow. 

If you're worried that your singing will sound classical or not percussive enough, just try it out for yourself. Record yourself singing a phrase and emphasizing the beat and then sing it in legato. Legato is still articulated but the transitions are smooth rather than choppy. 
If you stop emphasizing the beat in your phrasing but lay the melody on top of the rhythm it will actually sound groovier. 

Happy Singing!