After completing her studies at Juilliard, Singer signed with Elite Modeling Agency. She continued to perform as a concert soloist, and in 1980 won the Bergen Philharmonic Competition. She subsequently shifted her focus to acting, inspired by her brother, Marc. Commenting on her decision to pursue a career as an actress, she said: "In a world where such terrible things are happening, it's just so fantastic to become someone else." In 1982, Singer was cast as Julie Miller, a shy high school student, in the television series "Fame", and appeared in the first two seasons. The role of Miller, a teenage dancer and cellist, was written specifically for Singer's talents. In 1983, she and a number of other cast members—under the group name the Kids from "Fame"—performed a live concert at Royal Albert Hall, which was recorded and released as a live album.