Lisa Null makes such excellent points. I've been trying to figure some of this out for a long time.

There are a lot of songs I like to hear other people do, but would never try myself because they are just too far away from any of the few styles I can do - that the songs would feel so artificial.

On the other hand, if want to sing something different badly enough, because it really speaks to me, then I'm able either to gradually let the song teach me a new way of singing, or else have had enough life experience to be able make the song my own.

Linda