How do you sing with twang?

How can I sing better?

• Okay, so I think I sing okay. But I don't sing English stuff. I sing all the Japanese and Korean and Asian stuff. Yeah, I'm Asian. So I sing the ever so popular 2NE1 songs. I try singing their song "Go Away" a bunch of times. I literally sing it at least 5 times a day. Never gets old. But when I start singing the verse with the high notes, my brother states honestly that to him, I sound like I'm killing myself. Which I do agree. When I sing that part, I end up nearly screaming or yelling it out which is a big difference in volume. Even so, I still don't reach the note. I can only "reach" the note when I use my head voice which makes me strain my throat and makes apparently makes me feel like I'm just eating the words instead of singing. I am asthmatic with induced asthma. I grew into it. So constantly, I have phlegm which is a big disturbance and worry to me cuz sometimes I sing in a very very tiny group of Asians to a church. And of course, the songs we are told to sing have high notes. So are there any SUCCESSFUL exercises for singing that increase your vocal range? I don't want to end up screaming and I constantly breathe for air and start several verses a tad late. I want to learn how to sing it as if I were singing Mary Had A Little Lamb. I can only sing low notes. But I truly want to be able to sing high notes. I'm already taking notes from Eric Arcenaux or how ever you spell it on YouTube. :) thanks for reading! And ps, I can't afford to take singing lessons.

• Answer:

  Take vocal lessons. If you can't afford it, join choir at school. Or do a lot of karaoke.