Mastering the Mood of "Lovely"
Written for the soundtrack of 13 Reasons Why, "Lovely" is a masterclass in atmospheric chamber pop. Unlike powerhouse anthems, this song requires restraint. The challenge lies not in hitting high notes with force, but in maintaining a fragile, glass-like tone while navigating close harmonies between Billie's airy soprano and Khalid's warm tenor.
The song is set in E Minor and maintains a slow, melancholic tempo. To score high, you need to balance your breath control to achieve that "whisper-singing" style without losing pitch accuracy.
AI Coach Tip: Air vs. Tone
A common mistake is letting too much air escape, which dries out the vocal cords. Engage your diaphragm to hold back the air pressure, allowing only a thin stream to pass through. This creates the "breathy" sound without the dizziness.
Phase 1: Billie's Verse (The Upper Register)
Billie enters with a delicate, head-voice dominant tone. The notes hover around B4 and C5. The key here is placement. Focus the resonance in the "mask" (the front of your face/sinuses) but keep the volume low (piano). If you push too hard, you lose the haunting quality.
The Trap: Dropping the ends of phrases. Ensure you sustain the breath support through the very last word of each line, like "Thought I found a way out."
Phase 2: Khalid's Verse (The Lower Warmth)
Khalid brings a grounded, chest-voice texture to the track. His range sits comfortably for baritones and tenors. The contrast is vital—if Billie is the "ice," Khalid is the "earth." Use a slightly darker vowel shape (drop the jaw slightly) to capture his soulful resonance.
Even though he sings lower, resist the urge to get loud. The intensity comes from the tone color, not the volume.
Phase 3: The Chorus Harmony (0:55 onwards)
This is the emotional core: "Isn't it lovely, all alone?" Here, the vocals layer. The interval jumps in the melody (specifically the minor sixths) can be tricky to tune perfectly.
- Pitch Accuracy: The AI Coach detects sliding. Try to hit the center of the pitch immediately rather than "scooping" up to it, unless it's a stylistic choice.
- The "Ooh" section: Keep your lips rounded and small. A wide mouth shape will make the tone too bright for the sombre mood of the song.
Frequently Asked Questions
The main vocal melody reaches up to an E5 in head voice during the ad-libs and harmonies. The core melody sits comfortably below C5.
Absolutely. You can choose to follow Billie's top line, Khalid's lower harmony, or switch between them. The Singing Coach AI app allows you to isolate specific guide tracks to learn either part.
The "airy" style uses a lot of oxygen. Practice singing the phrases on a "Lip Trill" first to regulate your airflow, then apply that same breath pressure to the lyrics.
