Hey it seems to me like musical theatre and opera people sing with perfect technique or somewhere close but I don't like their voices as much as pop artists and I think it's because pop artists don't have that perfect technique? If that's true, how do you know where to draw the line with technique!

I'd propose that pop singers have different technique - and that they more often "break the rules" of perfectly healthy technique. The thing is: great singers can "break the rules" sparingly and dial it back - for example, using some grit, breathiness, or shout quality, but not all the time. Where you draw the line will depend on your desired tone/style and what your voice can healthily do (which will vary from day to day).