The aim in this thesis was to explore how accomplishments and failures contribute to the development of the identity of female pop–jazz singers and female pop–jazz voice pedagogues accompanying the effects of the successes and failures of their colleagues and pupils.

A group of three women in their thirties who share the same nationality and a similar background in education were interviewed for this study. From a psychological standpoint they are all going through the same phase in life. Dunderfelt describes this as a sort of a structuring phase.

For the definition of identity Stuart Hall’s ideas of the identity as a sociocultural phenomenon were used. In addition, I have also explored how age, gender, nationality, self-esteem as well as the relationship between the teacher and their student affect identity.

A qualitative research was used as a study method since I am interested in the quality of my interviewees’ experiences rather than the quantity. In this study phenomenography and hermeneutics were used because the focal point was in my interviewees’ experiences and perceptions about the subject. From the two methods mentioned above phenomenography was the main method of analyzing the data, where as hermeneutics served as a circular element in thought process.

As a result a list of factors was gathered that affected the development of the identity of pop–jazz singers as well as pop–jazz voice teachers. Those factors included teachers, feedback, the accomplishments and failures of the interviewees, their pupils’ accomplishments, the success of the colleagues, the failures of others, the use of their accomplishments in teaching, competition, self-esteem as well as musical self-esteem.

This thesis is meant for singers and voice teachers and can be used as an example in pedagogical studies of factors that may affect their growth as pedagogues as well as singers, and also as an example of what to take into consideration when advancing from the student field into the field of professional singers and singing teachers.