You’re preparing for a big singing job, but first you’ve got to actually learn the song. No one wants to step onstage worrying they’ll forget the words mid-performance. What’s the best way to make sure those lyrics are truly locked in?
Luckily for singers, there are plenty of ways to learn lyrics – and fast! To find out how to learn song lyrics fast, we spoke to singing teacher and performer Christina Licatalosi, who teaches at both the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art and Emil Dale Academy, about the most effective techniques performers can use to memorise lyrics.
1. Avoid listening to the cast recording.
When you’re trying to learn a song, you may be tempted to listen to a past recording of it on repeat. But Licatalosi recommends avoiding that if possible. “If you’re learning new music, you want to make it your own,” she says. “If you hear how someone else sang the piece, then all of a sudden it can trickle into your own version of it.”
2. Write out the lyrics.
Licatalosi suggests writing out the lyrics to whatever song you're learning, like a script. “There is a connection in the brain between writing and your brain. You can absorb words really well when you write them out,” she says. “Once you’ve written it a few times, you’ll be surprised how much of it has stuck in your brain when you next go back to sing.”
Writing it out will also highlight which bits of the song may not feel as natural yet. “It also shows you where [lyrics] flow and where you get slightly stuck,” says singer Clementine Delauney.
3. Take it line by line.
Licatalosi says she approaches learning a song in manageable, line-by-line chunks. “I’ll sing the first line, and then, when I’ve got that, I’ll sing the first line and then the second line. And then the first line, second line, and third line,” she says. That makes the whole task feel much less overwhelming, while also helping the lyrics settle into your memory. Rather than trying to tackle the whole song at once, you’re building it piece by piece.
4. Record yourself.
“The voice memo app is my best friend,” Licatalosi says. Cast recordings may be out of bounds, but listening to your own “neutral version” of the song is a great way to learn lyrics.
That technique is a go-to for performers who need to learn lyrics quickly. By recording yourself, you create a personalised reference track that matches your pacing, phrasing, and interpretation. It also taps into passive learning. Even when you’re not actively trying to memorise, repeated listening helps reinforce the lyrics in the background. “I listen to it back when I’m walking, when I’m on the tube,” Licatalosi says. “It is just kind of seeping into my subconscious.”
5. Recite the lyrics.
“Recite the lyrics out loud as if they were a poem,” Delauney says. Not only is it a great way to see where you may mess up, but it also helps you find the natural rhythm and flow of the words without relying on the melody. That technique strips everything back to the text itself. By removing the music, you’re forced to engage totally with the language. “In a way, it is quite similar to learning lines as an actor,” Licatalosi says.
6. Think about the emotion of the piece.
A song is, at its core, an expression of emotion. So Licatalosi advises focusing on the emotional journey of the piece when you’re learning lyrics, not just the words themselves. “When I’m doing my own practice, I listen to the accompaniment without the vocal line, as that is the foundation of the piece,” she says. “It evokes so much emotion. That feeling can absolutely inform what lyrics come next.”
When you connect each lyric to a specific feeling or musical moment, you’re building emotional cues that guide you through the song. It’s also why many performers find that the lyrics flow more naturally once they’re in the emotion of a piece.
7. Repeat them over and over again.
“Repetition is key when it comes to lyrics,” Licatalosi says. The more time you can give to learning them, the more secure you’ll feel. “It can be frustrating, but you can’t just jump ahead and rush the process.”
It may not be the most exciting method, but repetition sits at the heart of learning song lyrics. Each time you revisit the words, whether speaking, singing, or writing them down, you’re making recall quicker and more reliable.
Here’s the tricky truth: Even with all that preparation, forgetting lyrics can still happen. “Sometimes it can happen when you least expect it,” Licatalosi cautions. “You hear stories of people being in shows for years and then one day, suddenly, they just forget.”
If it happens, her advice is simple: Keep going. “I advise my students to think about ways they can keep their nerves under control,” Licatalosi says, whether that’s extra rehearsal, taking a deep breath, or reconnecting with the energy you had in the practice room. “Just try and stay calm. If you’re in an audition room, you can say, ‘Can we go again?’ But when that’s not possible, keep going. Sing ‘la la la’ until the words come back.”
Above all, don’t panic. “The thing that makes audiences feel uncomfortable is seeing the performer uncomfortable,” Licatalosi adds. “As long as you don’t freak out, it should be fine.”
