Few vocal performances stop you in your tracks quite like the live duet of Skyscraper performed by Demi Lovato and Ben Platt. This breakdown takes a close look at the vocal techniques behind this stunning performance, what is actually happening in both singers’ voices, and how you can begin to apply these ideas to your own singing.
Two Very Different Voices, One Powerful Song
What makes this live performance of Skyscraper so fascinating is that Demi Lovato and Ben Platt bring completely contrasting vocal styles to the same song, and the result is nothing short of extraordinary.
Ben Platt delivers with a rich, stylized tone and a generous use of vibrato, while Demi Lovato commands the stage with power, warmth, and a signature edge. Neither approach is the “right” one. Both are deliberate artistic choices that serve the song beautifully.
Thyroid Tilt: The Foundation of a Sung Sound
One of the most important concepts to understand when listening to Skyscraper is thyroid tilt. The thyroid cartilage sits at the top of the larynx, where the vocal folds live, and when it tips forward, it creates that quality that makes a voice sound truly sung rather than simply spoken.
Both Demi Lovato and Ben Platt use thyroid tilt throughout this performance, and it is the primary reason their voices carry so much warmth, resonance, and height in the range. When you hear that beautiful, slightly emotional, almost cinematic quality in a voice, thyroid tilt is almost always involved. It is also the main technical difference between speaking and singing, and it is one of the key areas worked on in vocal training.
Ben Platt and the Art of Vibrato
Ben Platt’s use of vibrato throughout Skyscraper is one of the defining features of his vocal style. Vibrato is most effectively used as a coloring device, often appearing naturally at the end of a phrase rather than being layered on constantly throughout.
As a singer reaches the end of a breath, a natural and beautiful balance is created between vocal fold closure and breath pressure, and that is what brings vibrato on organically. The vowel sounds Ben Platt chooses also play a role here. Vowels with an “ee” quality carry a natural degree of thyroid tilt, which can bring vibrato on more readily, whether that is a conscious choice or a happy accident of the voice.
Demi Lovato’s Approach to Power and Edge
What Demi Lovato does with Skyscraper is a masterclass in how to add volume and intensity without forcing the sound at the level of the vocal folds. Rather than simply pushing harder, she adds a subtle tightening above the larynx, combined with a widening of the mouth and a specific tongue position, to give her voice that extra boost in presence.
This creates more projection without strain. It is worth noting that this technique does not work identically for every singer. As with much of advanced vocal work, it is about finding what serves your individual voice rather than copying what works for someone else.
Vocal Qualities in Skyscraper: What Are They Actually Doing?
Throughout the performance, both singers move between different vocal qualities with impressive ease. Here is a breakdown of some of the key qualities heard in Skyscraper:
- Mixed voice: A blend of thicker vocal folds with thyroid tilt, sitting between full chest voice and falsetto. Demi Lovato draws on this quality through much of the song.
- Belt: A louder, fuller sound associated with chest voice carried higher in the range. Both singers approach belt territory in the climactic moments of Skyscraper.
- Falsetto and thin vocal folds: Ben Platt moves into falsetto for some of the higher harmonies, while Demi Lovato tends to stay in a thinner thick fold quality rather than crossing fully into falsetto.
- Full voice with stiff folds: Heard in moments like “you can take everything I have,” where the vocal folds are held with less airflow, creating an intense, powerful sound that has a slightly breathy texture but carries enormous emotional weight.
Mouth Position and Vowel Shaping
Mouth position is something both Demi Lovato and Ben Platt use deliberately throughout Skyscraper, and it has a meaningful impact on the sound they produce. For lower notes, a slightly forward lip position helps elongate the vocal tract and makes darker, richer sounds more accessible without as much muscular effort.
For higher notes, opening the mouth wider can help some singers access those pitches more comfortably, though this is not a rule that applies universally. The transition from an open vowel to a closed vowel, such as moving from the “r” to the “ee” in the word “skyscraper,” also naturally assists the shift from a thicker vocal fold quality into a lighter sound, which is a useful tool when navigating the upper part of the range.
Singing with Economy: The Real Goal
One of the most striking things about watching Demi Lovato perform Skyscraper live is how relaxed she appears. She is singing at a very high, very loud level and yet looks almost effortless. This is what is often called economy in singing: the ability to produce a technically demanding sound with minimal visible tension or effort.
It takes considerable time and consistent practice to reach this level, and it starts by building solid technique lower in the range first. The cool, calm, and collected approach to a high note like a D5 does not come from simply attempting that note over and over. It comes from developing the muscle coordination and breath support at lower pitches before moving upward.
What You Can Take Away
Skyscraper is not an easy song to sing, and the way Demi Lovato and Ben Platt perform it live represents genuinely advanced vocal technique. If you want to work toward this kind of singing, here are some key areas to focus on first:
- Build a strong, well-supported chest voice in the lower and middle part of your range before pushing higher.
- Work on thyroid tilt to develop that sung, resonant quality that lifts the voice above a spoken sound.
- Practice moving smoothly between vocal qualities rather than forcing one sound throughout the whole song.
- Pay close attention to jaw and tongue tension, especially as you move into higher notes.
- Avoid copying specific physical habits, such as tilting the head, as these can signal underlying tension that needs to be addressed at the source rather than replicated.
If you want to learn more about how you can learn to implement these singing techniques into your own voice, let’s sit down for a chat and discuss if the vocal academy is the right fit for you. You can join us here.