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Musician & Singer

Creative

Play one or more musical instruments or sing. May perform on stage, for broadcasting, or for sound or video recording.

You can enter this career straight after SPM. A degree is optional, not required.

Creative Arts & Media

What you'd do all day

The tasks that matter most in this job, most important first.

  1. 1Perform before live audiences in concerts, recitals, educational presentations, and other social gatherings.
  2. 2Sing a cappella or with musical accompaniment.
  3. 3Interpret or modify music, applying knowledge of harmony, melody, rhythm, and voice production to individualize presentations and maintain audience interest.
  4. 4Specialize in playing a specific family of instruments or a particular type of music.
  5. 5Sing as a soloist or as a member of a vocal group.
  6. 6Observe choral leaders or prompters for cues or directions in vocal presentation.
  7. 7Memorize musical selections and routines, or sing following printed text, musical notation, or customer instructions.
  8. 8Play musical instruments as soloists, or as members or guest artists of musical groups such as orchestras, ensembles, or bands.
  9. 9Sight-read musical parts during rehearsals.
  10. 10Play from memory or by following scores.
  11. 11Practice singing exercises and study with vocal coaches to develop voice and skills and to rehearse for upcoming roles.
  12. 12Research particular roles to find out more about a character, or the time and place in which a piece is set.
  13. 13Listen to recordings to master pieces or to maintain and improve skills.
  14. 14Learn acting, dancing, and other skills required for dramatic singing roles.
  15. 15Teach music for specific instruments.
  16. 16Provide the musical background for live shows, such as ballets, operas, musical theatre, and cabarets.
  17. 17Audition for orchestras, bands, or other musical groups.
  18. 18Seek out and learn new music suitable for live performance or recording.
  19. 19Make or participate in recordings in music studios.
  20. 20Promote their own or their group's music by participating in media interviews and other activities.
  21. 21Transpose music to alternate keys, or to fit individual styles or purposes.
  22. 22Direct bands or orchestras.
  23. 23Compose songs or create vocal arrangements.
  24. 24Make or participate in recordings.
  25. 25Arrange and edit music to fit style and purpose.
  26. 26Improvise music during performances.
  27. 27Collaborate with a manager or agent who handles administrative details, finds work, and negotiates contracts.

Also known as

What this job is called on JobStreet, LinkedIn and in job ads. Search these too.

  • Tenor
  • Bugler
  • Cantor
  • Oboist
  • Rapper
  • Singer
  • Cellist
  • Flutist
  • Harpist
  • Pianist

How far is this from you?

Roughly how much preparation this job usually takes. In Malaysia your UPU route and the programme's syarat still decide entry, so treat this as a guide, not a gate.

  1. 1

    Entry straight after SPM

  2. 2

    SPM + sijil / short TVET course

  3. 3

    Diploma / TVET (sijil–diploma)

  4. Typical entry

    Degree (ijazah sarjana muda)

  5. 5

    Postgrad (sarjana / PhD) or professional route

Typical educationBachelor's degree

Subjects that matter here

The SPM subjects worth your effort for this career, with the reason for each.

Visual Art (PSV)Draws directly on Fine Arts — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
EnglishDraws directly on English Language — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Arabic LanguageDraws directly on Foreign Language — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Chinese LanguageDraws directly on Foreign Language — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Tamil LanguageDraws directly on Foreign Language — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).

What you'd need to know

The subject areas this job leans on most, and the SPM subjects that build them.

  • Fine Arts91%

    Visual Art (PSV)

  • English Language63%

    English

  • Foreign Language50%

    Arabic LanguageChinese LanguageTamil Language

  • Education and Training49%
  • Communications and Media48%

    EnglishBahasa Melayu

  • Customer and Personal Service47%

Tools you'd use

Software and equipment that show up in this job, worth learning early.

Where to learn these, free

Scholarships & funding

What the work feels like

Day-to-day working conditions, so you can tell whether the job suits how you like to work.

  • Face-to-face discussionsOften
  • Contact with other peopleConstant contact
  • Dealing with customers or the publicNot at all
  • Leading or coordinating othersA little
  • Handling conflict situationsRarely
  • Indoors, air-conditionedOften
  • Outdoors, in all weatherAlmost never
  • Noisy environmentEvery day

AI and demand for this job

A few real, dated data points — not a single score. AI making some tasks faster usually means a job changes, not that it disappears.

10%

Share of everyday tasks today's AI can already help with (2023)

This estimate is from 2023 — already out of date, since AI moves fast. Treat it as a rough, aging starting point, not the current picture.

Pay in Malaysia

We don't have a sourced Malaysian salary range for this job yet, and we'd rather show nothing than a number we can't stand behind.

Where to check:

  • JobStreet and Hiredly job ads for this title
  • DOSM Salaries & Wages Survey
  • SSPA scheme tables, if you're aiming for a government post
See pay for a related career: Broadcast Journalist / Media Producer

Check what you may qualify for

Enter your SPM grades and see which routes and programmes you may qualify for. An estimate to plan with, not an offer.

Check my eligibility Not sure yet? Take the quiz

How to get here

Post-SPM pathways with programmes in this career's fields. Tap one to see real programmes and entry requirements.

Asasi / Foundation

One-year runway into a specific university: public via UPU or private direct entry.

12 months

Diploma

Skill-first qualification. Work after, or enter degree Year 2. Polytechnics keep it affordable.

2.5–3 years

Related careers

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About this information

This describes what the job involves. Pay, demand and entry routes differ in Malaysia, so check the Pathways and Programmes pages for local requirements.

O*NET occupation: Musicians and Singers

Job responsibilities, knowledge areas and work context from O*NET 30.3, US Department of Labor, used under CC BY 4.0. onetcenter.org

Programmes that lead here

Programmes from the official UPU (KPT) and MQA catalogues whose field of study typically leads to this career. Matched by field, not a job guarantee.

Public universities (UPU)

Private institutions (MQA-accredited)

Search the programme catalogue