Bringing the "Attitude" Back to Pop
"No" by Meghan Trainor is a throwback to the early 2000s R&B vibe, reminiscent of Destiny's Child and Britney Spears. Released on her album Thank You, this track departs from her earlier doo-wop style and leans heavily into dance-pop with a massive serving of sass. The structure is catchy but deceptive; the rapid lyrical delivery requires precision timing.
To sing this well, you need more than just pitch accuracy. You need character. The vocals are punchy, rhythmic, and sit comfortably in a Mezzo-Soprano range, but require a strong mix to handle the dynamic shifts between the verses and the chorus.
AI Coach Tip: Watch Your Diction
The verses move fast. Our analysis shows users lose points on rhythmic accuracy during lines like "I think it's so cute and I think it's so sweet." Keep your consonants sharp and forward in the mouth.
Phase 1: The Rhythmic Verses (0:15 - 0:45)
The verses are almost spoken-word or "sing-rap." The pitch variation is minimal, staying centered around G3 and C4. The challenge here is the groove. You must lock in with the beat.
The Trap: Don't get lazy with the rhythm. If you drag behind the beat, the song loses its punch. Practice articulating the lyrics slowly, then speed up to the track's tempo (148 BPM).
Phase 2: The Pre-Chorus Climb (0:45 - 1:00)
This is where the melody opens up. On "My name is no, my sign is no, my number is no," you are climbing up the scale. This section requires a confident chest voice or chest-dominant mix.
- Volume: Increase your volume slightly here to build tension leading into the chorus.
- Placement: Keep the sound "forward" in the mask of your face to get that piercing, sassy tone Meghan uses.
Phase 3: The Chorus & Melismas (1:00 - 1:25)
The chorus is catchy and repetitive, but watch out for the R&B runs (melismas) on words like "let it go." These quick movements between notes need to be clean, not smeared.
The "Untouchable" refrain features stacked harmonies. If you are singing lead, focus on the main melody line which belts up to a C5. Ensure you are using diaphragm support so the high notes don't sound thin or shrill.
Frequently Asked Questions
The main belted melody hits a C5. However, there are background harmonies and ad-libs that reach up to an E5 in the head voice/falsetto register.
It's a great song for intermediates. Beginners might struggle with the speed of the lyrics. We recommend slowing the tempo down in the Singing Coach AI app to practice.
Smile slightly while singing and use a brighter vocal placement. Think of the lyrics as a conversation where you are confidently rejecting someone.
