Whitney Houston in Nottingham: “A Song For You” in Michael Jackson’s Memory

There she is. Dressed in a shiny and tight dress on stage. She strolls back and forth while her pianist plays the first few chords of "A Song For You". She takes her time, communicating with her audience and singing impeccable phrases a cappella.

She walks like a star and a real person at the same time. Whitney is back. She is showing the whole world how to sing a song and that she still has so much more to give to music. Whitney combines the spontaneity of a little girl who learned to sing at functions and the competence of a true musician, the pop star and the genuine artist that future generations of singers will keep in mind as a role model.

Singing requires a good voice and musical talent, of course, but that's not enough. You must know how to use your voice and develop your personal approach to carry a tune. This requires passion first of all, and commitment. So, if you have been told that you have a great voice, nice...but be aware that that's just the first step to become a professional singer. Get the best vocal training you can afford, listen to lots of music and sing live as much as you can. Surround yourself with like-minded musicians, write tight arrangements of your songs and rehearse, rehearse, rehearse!

Forget about the money, put music and your passion for singing first and the money will come naturally. All your work will pay off.

In conjunction with that, you should invest in guitar or piano lessons. Yes, if you want to learn to sing, you must be able to play guitar and/or piano. That will enable you to sing your songs whenever you like, improve your pitch and your sense of rhythm.

With a strong background in music, you will also be able to give your musicians those essential directions that will help them find the best arrangements for your songs. They will be happy to make you shine if you know how to interact with them on a common ground.

I know, I know... it sounds like lots of work but , with your passion to drive you, it'll always feel like fun. By the way, you don't have to spend lots of money in guitar or piano lessons. There are literally tons and tons of very well crafted online courses for beginners available that, for just a few bucks, can get you to start playing in a few months.

Trust me, if you combine your vocal training with guitar or piano lessons you'll cut your learning curve in half. Remember to send me a ticket to your first gig ;-)