Breathing is key. Here’s a way to tell if you’re really breathing as deeply as you are capable of breathing.

Stand up, put your hands, palm down on your back about where your kidneys are. Then breathe in deeply. Do you feel your hands moving out with your breath? It should be a definite pushing out feeling.

If you don’t, then do it again, but this time, bend at your waist as far down as you can go without tipping over. then breathe in deeply again. this time you should feel your hands pushing out. that is the sensation you want when you’re standing.

I saw this demonstrated (and have use it to judge my own breathing capacity) at a Master Vocal class conducted by a major American opera singer. Pop isn’t opera for sure, but deep breathing is deep breathing.

Good luck on expanding your range! You’ll do it!