How to Find Your Next Audition Song

Building your audition book and finding the right pieces, I would say, is in the top 5 most annoying things for an actor. It’s difficult to vet songs, and create a repertoire book. When you have the right pieces, you feel like you have material that lets you “be” in a room. It’s material that gives a “whiff” of the kind of person and artist you are, therefore, letting teams get to know you in 16 bars. 

Finding the right audition song is less about proving you can sing, and more about revealing how you exist inside material. The goal is not to pick the most impressive song you know, the one that shows off the highest note, or the one you think “they want to hear”. It’s to find the piece that allows your instincts, your intelligence, and your most unique qualities to come forward. I can’t tell you what the industry wants from you in an audition. But I can imagine how refreshing it is to see evidence of a person, then just countless riffs and stratospheric notes. An audition song can reveal someone who understands tone, understands themselves, and who isn’t hiding behind performance. The right song doesn’t make you work harder…it makes you more available. 

Here are some things to consider when choosing pieces:

1. Am I giving the team "me", or someone else? You want to find songs that instantly tell folks in the room (or those watching your tape) who you are. Like really who you are. It’s a blessing to watch someone perform and think “I feel like I know them” from the way they constructed a piece. Just because everyone else is singing “insert song that doesn’t REALLY connect to you” doesn’t mean it’s integral you add that to your book. Who cares what others are doing? They aren't you. Period.  
2. Are you finding material that lets you “navigate something” and not just sing?
   The best audition songs feel active. We should see your brain working, and your angle on the story in real time. If the song is just about vocal delivery, does it show how you work? Mind you, some auditions call for HUGE vocals.
3. Having 4-5 different genres, as opposed to 50 songs that sound the same. We definitely want some versatility in our songs. If it helps you to organize this way, a great starting place is to find songs in the following genres: contemporary musical theatre, legit musical theatre, pop/rock from the 2000’s, pop/rock pre 2000’s, and a 50’s/60’s song. I threw in a Sondheim I love when I moved to New York as well :). 
4. Prioritize songs that match the tone of the show, and not just the genre. It’s strong to walk into a room/film something using a piece that meets the show's meat and juice. A contemporary musical theatre project doesn’t always mean it matches every contemporary musical theatre song you have; these musicals all sound different. Heathers the musical is very different from Big Fish. Listen to the show's mood and tone. I like to think “would the character I want to be put this song in THEIR audition book?” 

Ultimately, your audition song should help them understand you, not impress them. You’re not there to prove how much you can do. You’re there to let them see how you think, how you feel, and how you exist inside material. The right piece settles you. It puts you in a position where you’re not trying to get it right, you’re just being clear and present. When that happens, the room can actually see you. This industry is ALL about remaining “you” while meeting what the show breakdown suggests. I can't wait for your next audition!!!