[Big 3rd]

1. Miking technique. If your vocal sounds distant when recorded...compressing, equing, and the "drier" sound will only do so much for it.
2. Less is more when compressing, which keeps your vocal bigger right out the gate. Remember, your vocal is biggest when not compressed at all. But the less you compress, the more critical balancing the elements will be when you bring them in...as crowding will happen at a quicker rate.
3. Pay close attention to the relativity of your vocal when bringing in other elements.
4. The "dryer", the closer.

Pretty much what has already been said...but these points IMO are thee most criitcal when trying to get the huge vocal.