<p>So I've found an audition song that literally fits my voice PERFECTLY, it's Breathe from In the Heights. I know it's slightly overdone, but I've been told the most important thing is that I'm able to sing it well, which I definitely am. The problem is I'm a tall blonde with blue eyes and blinding white skin; aka, I have literally no trace of ethnicity in me whatsoever. I know that a large majority of the schools want to to choose songs with characters similar to your type, or ones you could play in a production. Obviously this is a problem, because it would be really hard for me to pass as a latino. But the character is still relatively close to my age and one that I would certainly be able to relate with. I was just wondering if it would be completely awful if I did end up doing it, and if colleges would really have a problem with me singing a song by a character that is not my type. If it wasn't the perfect song, I would probably just move on and find one similar to it. But it'll be hard to come across another song that I feel this attached to, and one that fits my voice so well.
I appreciate the feedback!</p>
<p>In my opinion, I don’t think it matters at all that you are not Latino in singing this song for the purposes of college auditions. For these auditions, you are not auditioning for a role. It would be different if you were trying to be cast in this role in In the Heights and are not the right type in terms of ethnicity. I think when auditioning for college, they want the song to be in your stage age range (so, in other words, don’t sing “Rose’s Turn” from Gypsy!) and your type insofar as if you are more the ingenue type, a song that is believable of that sort, and so on. But for example, I’ve heard of Caucasian girls singing Waiting For Life from Once on This Island for college auditions. Now, if the lyrics in a song are, for example, about being Black and the singer is not African American, that would not work so well. But if the song is not that tied to ethnicity and is a song for a young woman, then I don’t think it will matter that you are not that ethnicity. I think the fact that you are not Hispanic is fine for this song and the purposes of singing to get into a program and not to be cast in a role.</p>
<p>In addition to the ethnicity & overdone factors of that song, it’s generally a rule to avoid anything that has recently been on Broadway. So, if I were in your place, I would start searching for a new song. But it’s all up to you. I know it’s hard to hear this, and believe me when I say that I had a tough time finding songs too! I can’t tell you how many songs I went through (and am still going through!) to find that perfect song that isn’t super overdone! It’s a frustrating process, but is SO worth it in the end, since you’ll have a great audition package! Break a leg in your auditions!</p>