May 9, 2014 — Many singers who grew up in the United Kingdom, or any other part of the world outside of the U.S., have very noticeable speaking accents detectable by the American ear. Once they take the stage, however, they suddenly sound like someone who grew up right next door. How does this happen?
According to phonetic experts, most singers lose their “accents” because the “American” accent is neutral. This is also true for most American singers with heavy regional accents from Boston, or one of the southern states, for example, who also sound “neutral” American when performing.
Phonetic experts also explain that while a person’s accent is noticeable when speaking at a normal speed, a song’s melody often cancels the intonations of speech, forcing singers to elongate their vowels, creating a more neutral sound.
I’m so glad I know that now.