The original question in this thread:
Is it better to learn songs exactly like on the record or to interpret them and add your own character to them?

My answer: Only you have your vocal cords, the unique instrument born in each of us. If you want to be an impersonator, which many people do for fun or as a profession, then learning to imitate is the way to go. If your goal is not to be an impersonator, (and most singers are not), then developing your own voice is what you should be doing from the very start of your training and rehearsal. We are all influenced by the sound of whoever we hear singing, especially when we listen to recordings over and over, programming our memory. Develop your own voice, your own way of singing a song, and run from any teacher who tries to teach you to imitate if that isn't your goal.

-alice