A busy drum fill can make a singer wait until the final hit before entering. If the breath starts there, the first consonant is already late. This practice isolates only the last two beats of the fill and the first two beats of the vocal line so you can hear when to prepare and where the first word should begin.
Listen for the cue before the final hit
A late vocal re-entry does not always mean you cannot hear the drums. Often the singer is listening too carefully to the last fill hit and breathes after it. Pick one problem entry and notice whether your body can prepare one beat earlier.
Loop only the last two fill beats and first two vocal beats
Repeating the whole chorus hides timing inside energy and fatigue. In Jium, make a short loop that includes the final two fill beats, the breath space, and the first two beats after the word. Cue, breath, and first word should all fit inside those four beats.
Alternate drums and vocal with part mixing
Bring the drums forward first and look for a cue beat before the last hit. Then bring the vocal forward and hear exactly where the reference first consonant starts. Alternating the parts separates the sound you should wait for from the sound you should prepare before.
Compare takes by first-word timing and strength
Record one take where you wait for the fill to finish, then a second take where you breathe from the chosen cue beat. In recording comparison, ignore pitch and expression for a moment. Judge only whether the first word lands in time and whether the consonant has enough strength.