"you have to be ready to really let loose."

That can be very dangerous to your voice!
Everyone has a natural vocal range, and if you sing too much out of that range you can do vocal damage. Also singing without proper support, and with stress in your throat and upper registers can also lead to vocal damage. So don't just let it rip. Once you discover your vocal range (the range of pitches you can sing with comfort), you can then improve your singing of those notes at the upper an lower limits of your natural range.

Just a few vocal lessons can really help in learning proper breathing and support, and relaxation in your throat and upper registers. Vocal exercises are helpful in warming up your voice and developing good tone. You want to begin easy - softly and in your lower range before you venture up to the top of your range. But as far as extending your natural range - that's not possible.

As a classically-trained singer, I used to go through all the exercises. Now I often just begin with a simple song that goes up and down in pitch with a moderate range, and begin to sing softly at my lowest comfortable pitch, and then gradually raise the pitch and, as I warm up, sing more loudly.

Good luck,

Cheers, S. in Seattle