Extreme dieting and dehydration impairs singing abilities by drying out the vocal folds, weakening the respiratory muscles, and also disrupting one’s vocal resonance. There aren’t any studies on K-Pop idols specifically regarding this (for obvious reasons), but there are resources on how extreme dieting can negatively affect one’s vocal abilities, so I’m wondering if that could be one reason why idols struggle with live singing, especially during promotions, when they are under the most pressure to look perfect.
Singing and dancing together require significant energy and muscular endurance, studies performed on nutrition, such as research from Auburn University, show that inadequate dietary protein and hydration can cause increased voice fatigue. Furthermore, severe caloric deficits deplete glycogen stores and weaken the abdominal and intercostal muscles needed to regulate subglottic air pressure.
According to clinical voice analyses cited by Classical Singer Music, rapid weight loss reduces fat deposits in the pharynx, tongue, and soft palate. This alters the shape of the vocal tract’s resonating cavities, changing how singers physically sense their own vocal placement, requiring muscular retraining to maintain control.
Rapid and extreme weight loss can cause the fat pad surrounding the Eustachian tube to become smaller (shrink), triggering a condition called patulous Eustachian tube syndrome. Singers with this condition hear their own breathing and voice echoing loudly inside their heads (autophony), making it extremely difficult to judge pitch and volume with accuracy on stage.
I’m not a medical professional, and I don’t believe that idols shouldn’t sing, but I wonder if this could be one of the reasons why idols struggle with singing so much?
Edit: Just to clarify, I strongly oppose extreme diet culture 🙂
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