I got into pronunciation training because of my love for singing — and because, believe it or not, I learned to speak Spanish with a pretty decent accent by belting out songs.
Over the past two years, I’ve had the joy of reconnecting with a group of Chilean and Greek musicians, reviving the old Toronto group Compañeros. This summer, I tackled the lyrics of a Greek song we performed. It reminded me just how much music can help you learn a language — remembering vocabulary, clarifying accents, mastering linking and reductions, and speaking with a more natural rhythm.
Here’s a clip I took of the band during one of the instrumentals — just pure joy!
And here’s one of my favourite songs in Spanish that we recorded back in the day.
Singing in Spanish was one of the best things I ever did for my pronunciation. (My neighbours may not have agreed — but my Spanish definitely leveled up!)
Why Songs Are Secret Language Coaches
Here’s the truth: language and music are basically BFFs (in case you don’t know the acronym – Best Friends Forever). Put them together, and suddenly learning a language doesn’t feel like homework. Singing lets you practice listening, reading, writing, spelling, pronunciation, intonation — basically everything — without realizing you’re “studying.” And the best part? You actually have fun doing it.
Songs slip in grammar, vocabulary, and idioms without you noticing. They set a mood, energize you and, paint pictures in your head.
Music also works wonders for memory. Melodies stick words in your brain, rhythms give you the natural rise and fall of speech, and tunes can even pull you back to past moments. Learn a song well and suddenly you’re dropping words and expressions into ordinary conversation without even thinking. And let’s be honest — singing out loud is a fantastic way to improve pronunciation and intonation too (but perhaps don’t try this at 7 a.m.).
Songs aren’t just for solo practice. Listening together, reflecting on lyrics or singing them out in a group helps people share feelings, exchange ideas, and get little glimpses into how a culture thinks and expresses itself. For newcomers, it can break through feelings of isolation, making language learning feel a lot more social and a lot less lonely.
Songs can even tackle tricky social topics. I once created an ESL module full of songs about racism, gender roles, cross-cultural communication, and domestic abuse – and it proved that music makes people much more willing to talk about topics that usually make people uncomfortable.
My “Playlist for Progress”
If you want to turn a song into your personal language coach, here’s how I do it:
- Pick a song you actually like: if you hate it, you won’t sing it.
- Find a clearly enunciated version (bonus points if it’s in a key you can survive singing in).
- Grab two translations: one literal (so you don’t sing about love when it’s actually laundry), and one lyrical (to catch the poetry).
- Copy the singer shamelessly: contractions, stress, rhythm and all.
- Scribble notes on the tricky pronunciation spots.
- Repeat until your tongue gives up — then repeat again.
And why not join a community choir? It’s the best of both worlds — practice singing and expand your community.
A good teacher can help you with those really stubborn sounds, but this exercise alone will get you miles down the road.
Music isn’t just entertainment. It’s a bridge to language, culture, and emotion — a personal coach that turns practice into play, memory into rhythm, and words into feeling.