SENHIT delivered a memorable Eurovision moment for San Marino with her track “Superstar,” a club-ready anthem packed with vocal nuance worth dissecting. Whether you caught the performance live or are revisiting it now, there is plenty to unpack about how she uses her voice to ride that pulsing EDM beat. Here is a look at the key techniques she uses throughout “Superstar” and what you can learn from them.
Chest Voice with Thyroid Tilt in the Verses
In the opening verses of “Superstar,” SENHIT settles into a chest voice quality, but it never sounds heavy or pressed. That softer, slightly breathy sound comes from a combination of two things: a healthy dose of thyroid tilt and a slight opening of the vocal folds to allow more air through.
Key elements at play in the verse:
- Chest voice as the foundation for a grounded, conversational tone.
- Thyroid tilt to soften and round the sound.
- Slightly parted vocal folds to add breathiness without losing pitch.
This is a great example of how breath can be added intentionally rather than by losing fold closure entirely. The trick is keeping just enough closure that you do not run out of air or cough your way through the song.
Vocal Stability While Moving on Stage
One of the most impressive things about SENHIT’s performance is how stable her sound remains while she is moving across the stage. Choreography puts huge demands on breath support and posture, and the thicker chest voice quality she leans into helps her hold back air efficiently while she dances.
When you watch the performance of “Superstar,” notice how the tone barely wavers even as her body is in motion. That stability is partly the result of years of experience and partly a smart technical choice. Chest voice with thicker vocal folds is generally easier to control while moving than a lighter, airier setup.
Taking Chest Voice Higher
The chorus of “Superstar” sits surprisingly high. SENHIT delivers phrases up around B flat 4, B4, and even pushes up to C sharp 5 in moments. Traditionally, B flat 4 was considered the upper edge of where chest voice could comfortably sit, so what she is doing here is genuinely demanding.
A few things make this possible:
- A higher larynx position to support the brighter tone.
- Increased subglottic pressure to power those thicker folds at altitude.
- A wider mouth shape that helps her tune the higher vowels.
- A hint of mix voice quality blending in as she ascends.
It is worth noting that the wide mouth position works for SENHIT, but it is not a universal solution. For another singer, a higher tongue position and slightly more closed mouth might be needed before opening the vowel on a note that high.
Why You Cannot Just Copy and Paste Technique
A recurring theme in “Superstar” is how personal vocal technique really is. SENHIT’s larynx size, body size, and years of training all shape what she can do, and trying to mimic her exactly without understanding your own instrument can lead to strain. Timbre differences between singers often come down to larynx height and the physical size of the larynx itself, which is usually tied to the size of the person.
The takeaway: study what artists like SENHIT do, but always translate it through your own voice. There is no one technique that works for everyone.
Slack Onset for Energy in the Second Verse
In the second verse of “Superstar,” SENHIT brings in more energy by playing with the start of her phrases. Listen for a slack onset (that “ah” quality at the beginning of a word), which lets her access a thicker vocal fold setup without piling on pressure.
Why slack onsets are useful:
- They add urgency and emotional weight to a phrase.
- They let you tap into thicker folds without forcing or squeezing.
- They are a favourite of pop artists for a reason. Think of that Britney Spears style entry.
It is a small detail, but it changes the feeling of the second verse completely.
Volume Control Between Verse and Chorus
Another subtle but important choice in SENHIT’s delivery is how she manages volume across the song. Choruses tend to sit higher in the range, and verses tend to drop lower, so when you return from a big chorus back into a verse, the volume needs to drop too. Otherwise, those lower notes get over-pressurised and lose their relaxed quality.
This is something a lot of singers overlook. The dynamic dip back down protects the voice and also gives the song shape, which is something handled beautifully throughout “Superstar.”
Husky Quality and Vocal Individuality
There is a touch of huskiness that creeps into SENHIT’s voice across “Superstar,” especially in repeated performances. That texture can come from a number of places: a small amount of constriction, vocal fatigue from a heavy performance schedule, or simply the natural morphology of the voice. Eurovision artists perform their songs over and over again, so a little extra texture is to be expected.
Rather than chasing a husky tone for its own sake, it is worth watching multiple performances of any artist you admire and learning to love the unique features of your own voice. SENHIT clearly leans into her own sound, which is part of what makes the song feel so confident.
Larynx Position and Neck Engagement
You can see a fair amount of work happening in SENHIT’s neck during the high parts of “Superstar.” That visible engagement is not a problem. It can actually help stabilise the larynx in its higher position when the chest voice is being pushed up high.
A quick note on neck engagement:
- Visible muscle activity does not mean a singer is straining.
- Some tension is genuinely useful for keeping the larynx where you want it.
- Tension from stress is a different conversation from tension used as part of technique.
If you try the same high chest voice exercises that SENHIT uses in “Superstar,” you may notice your own neck working harder to keep the larynx raised. That is normal at the top of the chest range.
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.