Kelly Hoppenjans is a vocalist, voice teacher, and PhD candidate in Musicology at University of Michigan researching 21st century pop music, voice, technology, identity, and social media. Her work has been published in Ethnomusicology Forum and is forthcoming in the Journal for Popular Music Studies. She has presented at numerous conferences, including the American Musicological Society and the Society for Ethnomusicology, and she won the David Sanjek Student Paper Prize for her presentation at the International Association for the Study of Popular Music US conference in 2025.
Her dissertation focuses on voice-transforming technology in pop music and the way artists explore their humanity, agency, and identity through these sound-altering mediums. Kelly earned her Masters in Commercial Voice Performance from Belmont University, later joining the faculty and teaching commercial voice lessons and vocal styles classes before leaving to pursue her doctorate. She maintains a small voice studio focused on sustainable technique and developing individual vocal style. Kelly is also a singer-songwriter and has released several albums; her 2019 debut full-length album OK, I Feel Better Now was featured in NPR: All Songs Considered, The Alternative, Ghettoblaster, Various Small Flames, and American Songwriter.
Upcoming Short Courses
Tuesday 22nd September 2026
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
(London Time)
Doubles and Stacks, Reverbs and Effects: Teaching Vocal Production Skills
Kelly Hoppenjans
Vocal production, or the process of recording a voice, is a multifaceted practice requiring a diverse set of skills. It has traditionally been considered the role of the producer in a recording studio, and vocalists can often feel intimidated by learning complex technical skills or prohibited by the cost of recording equipment. This course is aimed at voice coaches and vocalists who want to learn to record and shape their vocal tracks, as well as how to teach these skills to voice students. No matter your technical experience or setup, you can record great-sounding vocals!