THE EMPOWERED ARTIST
The Empowered Artist is an open chronicle of the artistic process.
How to create art while balancing motherhood, happiness and kinky hair each day, one day at a time.
Creating A Voice Ritual For The Season
Some people crochet, some people knit and some like myself choose to sing. Just like Yoga or meditation, running or walking, practicing music can be a healing and centering balm amidst the chaos of news headlines, flooding inboxes and holiday stress. So this time of year as we are just a day away from the winter solstice, I invite you to deepen your vocal practice as a means towards dispelling negative/anxious energy and creating more lightheartedness, peace, and joy.
To begin creating your voice ritual for the season, first think about what it is that you may be needing or what you want to create more of. Remember your energy and intentions are truly magical!. Do you need an emotional pick-me up? Do you want to send someone who is grieving comfort? Do you want to create a sense of playfulness and joy in your home? Once you have your intention, you may come up with a phrase or word that sums up this feeling. This word or phrase can become something you use at the end of your ritual.
Next begin to connect with your body. Start with some slow breathing exercises and or stretching in order to drop into your body as an instrument and to release some of the mental chatter you may be experiencing. Next start to vocalize. Ideally you want to do vocal warmups everyday. (I offer a monthly vocal warm up to help you develop healthy exercises to release and strengthen your voice and smooth out your “break” or transition). If you get a good routine routine going with your vocal warm-ups, will make all the songs that you want to sing, improvise or write so much easier to express. One of my NYU students recently shared that he initially feared private lessons might take away his unique sound but after a semester of private voice he actually feels more much in control of his pitch and emotion in order to express himself.
Once you have fully warmed up your upper register and lower register and sung between the two, it’s time to sing something meaningful to you. This might be a song you have been wanting to learn, a composition you are writing or maybe even that phrase from before that you chose for the day. Trust your instincts on this.. Set a timer and sing for at least 5-10 minutes and then notice how you feel. You may feel more energized, less scattered, your voice may actually be louder, and you might feel inspired to do something that is calling you next.
To gather more ideas like these for your music practice, order a copy of my book Lost & Found: Finding The Power In Your Voice and sign up for next month’s Vocal Gym to prioritize music making your way:). And Happy Winter Singing!
Great Ways To Spend Your Time & Money This Season
This time of year there are sooo many ads and emails urging us to spend! It’s easy to feel overwhelmed and behind about what to get, for whom, which group to support, and how to stay true to our values. While I love the energy of nesting and lights, I want to be more conscious about who and what I’m supporting. More than anything I notice I’m wanting to rest and create fun experiences. So I thought I would share this list for anyone interested
Go to see a live performance/ living music. You can never replicate the experience any other way and you will be creating memories and supporting artists’ livelihood.
Go to an art exhibit, art fair, gallery, or museum. Finding something visual to inspire you can have a positive ripple effect in your life. We’re having a great Family Holiday Art & Music Pop-Up this Sunday, December 8th.
Purchase artwork by a local artist. Choose to invest in something unique and or original instead of mass produced. When I look at the handmade things I own or music by friends, I always think of the people or place where I received them giving me ongoing positive feelings.
Make something with your hands. Bake, paint, sew, bead, and enjoy the reward of your own efforts and the meditation that making can bring.
Sing. Sing in community, sing with friends, sing alone. But do sing. Singing and humming increases your breath, stimulates your vagus nerve which helps to balance your nervous system, and opens your heart which we need in this world! Prioritize singing now by signing up for my monthly vocal warm up Vocal Gym!
Go for winter walks with friends, family, pets…in nature and in the city. You can spend money to go on a vacation out of town or you could create your own Staycation imagining your city/town as a new place to discover. Sometimes I’m happily surprised at what adventures I can create from home. Plus there’s the added benefit of having less of a negative impact on air pollution..
Sign up for a movement class (dance, Yoga, roller skate, tennis, etc) to not only improve your circulation, breath, and muscle tone but to also move and release emotions. Take time for yourself or do something fun with a loved one.
Listen to a good podcast. I recently appeared on The Courageous Voice, a podacst created by singer/composer/teacher Chanda Rule. Podcasts can be a great way to begin to settle into winter hibernating while also growing deeper connections to your interests
Support your local bookstore. If you’re wanting to gift someone a book this season, try a copy of my memoir Lost & Found. It’s also great to purchase used books (and used clothes).
What else would you add to this list? I’d love to know.
Sing A Simple Song & Other Birthday Wishes
Photo by Aria Isadora
“I think we all don’t realize how much we hold inside our bodies, and how much we carry and how much that affects our sound and our voice and our ability to make sound.”
-Angelina Jolie on playing Maria Callas
Can music really change you? Where’s the proof and how do you do this? First, just try and sing a simple song. Pick something you really love so you can feel all the good and deep feelings right away. Feel the way your body starts to tingle or the way you suddenly feel hopeful or happier or maybe like crying a good cry. Feel how you just HAVE to dance! Sometimes I want to stand at a podium and tell people that if they’re looking for a way to greater self fulfillment, joy and connection, they ought to sample a singing lesson or start a band:). If you’re a music lover and have never tried making music, be ready for a surprise.
Some people have been singing their whole lives and pretty much take it for granted that they have the ability to regularly tap into this fundamentally human power. Some people have been singing their whole lives and never quite make the connection between their soul, or deeper self, and allowing themselves to step into their vulnerability.
My birthday wish, this Thursday, November 14th (the same day as my late great Aunt Marjorie’s birthday, same week as my paternal grandmother Lillian’s birthday and my great grandmother, Gertrude Pierce’s, birthday) is that you give music and art a try. Another way of saying this is I wish that we all would speak our truth and vulnerability to create more healing connections in this world.
Some people need scientists and lab studies to prove that music heals but I’ve seen it my whole life. As a child of the arts, as a teacher, a student, performer, and mentor, I see and feel the power of music all the time. I’ve witnessed students of all levels cry in a voice lesson. Even if you don’t feel ready for that level of heart opening just yet, I want to thank you for being a part of my circle in some way. Thank you for supporting my music, writing, recordings, teaching, and performances for the last two decades (and some people even more than that:). I hope you will join me next month in celebrating the upcoming release of my audiobook. RSVP here. And in the meantime, keep singing!
Music As A Liferaft
I know we’re all trying to keep calm and carry on as this US election is nearly complete and the larger world continues to present its challenges. The world is disturbing, confusing, unsettling, infuriating and often heartbreaking these days. Sometimes I wonder if art can actually make an impact or even make a dent in this climate. I believe it can help from the therapeutic effects to the mentally and physically stimulating effects art can have. Art matters and it encourages our humanity.
I often tell students that building time to do your vocal warm ups is like building a music ritual. It’s something that can serve you in a variety of ways like a liferaft. It can give you a sense of confidence and strength to know you’re capable of learning this skill. It can hold you and support you through the bumps of life. It can float you along life’s joys and celebrations and soothe your grief. It can help you to voice inner turmoil and frustration with the world and social injustice. Music can create communities of healing and joy. And in our often isolated yet busy lives, art can carry us into community to restore parts of us that we forgot were there. It encourages our humanity.
If you want some time to connect with like minded community, save the date for my FIRST open studio holiday celebration which I will be doing along with my husband Nikolai Moderbacher and Nikos Kids Music Center this December 7th and -8th. Email to receive further details. Can’t wait to see you there!
Listening To Your Body’s Music
In all my joy and passion for making music sometimes I forget that composing can be much simpler than I tell myself. Even when I feel I've tapped into a process I like! But then my body lets me know! “Okay lady, you can slow this down!” And that’s when I realize that there’s a slight fear I have that slowing down might mean I wont be producing fast enough. (Hmm, I wonder where that idea came from? Capitalism anyone?).
So this week as I’ve been resettling into composing since a full summer season. I’m starting to heed the call of Fall to go inside and trust what’s there. So how do you listen to your own body’s music?
Carve out time to get quiet.
This might mean meditating, silencing your phone, even going for a walk or sitting in nature. We have a ton of information coming at us in every direction so often just quieting down for a few minutes will reveal what is actually aligned and wants to come out.
Call on support from your guides/inspiration.
This could be mentors, musicians, family, or friends (living or passed on, human, plant or animal) and ask for assistance in creating in a way that feels good to the whole of you. If you need ideas for a project or can’t decide on which project to work on this is also where you can request help.
Set an intention.
I recently heard someone in an artist group I am a part of state that they speak aloud their own “artist’s oath” before working. I loved this idea so much that I created my own and have started using if after my meditation as well.
Begin the work/Begin to play.
Then follow your inspiration! And if you’re looking for further support to lead you on your creative journey, pick up a copy of my book Lost & Found. Order directly from me and I will personally sign a copy for you.
The Wisdom of Abbey Lincoln
The world is falling down hold my hand
Abbey Lincoln
Music and magic are closely aligned. voice and creativity are also.
Jeanie LoVetri
This past July I took the opportunity to review the teacher training for Somatic Voicework, the LoVetri Method, created and founded by Jeanie LoVetri, my voice teacher for close to 20 years now. The training was held for a week (I could only stay for several days) outside of Cleveland, OH. It was a great reminder of the standout values and effectiveness to this functionally based method that I’ve taught for the last 16 years.
When I was a young college student (and after college) I searched for a voice teacher who understood healthy vocal technique and appreciated the wide range of musical styles this world has to offer. I was looking for a teacher who could make art out of science and our human need for expression. Low and behold I found Jeanie LoVetri! She was, and still is, a rare gem in the field of voice pedagogy. In much the same way that an Abbey Lincoln or Betty Carter were standouts in their field of music, so too does Jeanie’s voice and experience ring out.
.
These two very different but impactful voices came together my last night at The LoVetri Institute. I was reflecting with other students on how amazing Abbey Lincoln’s writing was in speaking to the current state of our world. Her song “The World Is Falling Down” captures much of this political and environmental moment we are currently in. But not only does she describe the landscape as literally “falling down”, she also advises us on what to do, “hold my hand”. Similarly one way to view our work and service as voice teachers and performers is to lend a hand. Through the chaos we can find other good people doing good work, join them and hold on.
Why Getting Older Is Good For Your Artmaking
When I look at my younger students (in their late teens and early twenties) as they’re beginning their journeys into music, it’s beautiful to witness all that’s open to them but I don’t entirely miss being twenty something. I think part of it is related to being more self-conscious of oneself as people often are at that age. I see my younger students and other young singers and how emotion can sometimes become performative and less authentic. There’s a cool thing about getting older and being an artist. At 46 one of the things that I love about singing is that it’s so easy for me to deeply feel the music.
Don’t get me wrong when I was in high school playing live shows at The Bitter End, Bond Street Cafe, and Wetlands with my band mates, I had no trouble feeling the music. I was oblivious in the best way that one is in their youth. But I also didn’t have as full a spectrum of feeling as I do now. I also didn’t have the technical know-how that I have at this age. Now I’m much more precise with how I use my voice and express emotion.
So while our society (and industry!) is constantly beating everyone over the heads with the idea of staying young, I want to make a stand for the aging artist. The maturing artist. I’m aspiring towards singers like Betty Carter and Aretha Franklin who kept it going a long time. There is sooo much power in knowing yourself better and being able to express yourself with greater depth. But no matter your age, you can emphasize this within your practice by including a somatic approach to singing. If you would like your voice to continue aging like fine wine, then make sure to sign up for my upcoming Vocal Gym next month, September 11th. Let’s see where technique and expression meet!
Home Sweet Home
Can you believe these pictures are from 20 years ago?! They were taken by an old friend, Rayne Roberts, who was a young photographer at the time. We rode the train out to Dobbs Ferry, NY to shoot the album cover for my debut album Sweet Home: The Music of Robert Johnson. I was a few months pregnant and no one around me knew except my husband, my husband and I’s parents, and maybe a few close friends. I started a lot of new things at that time. I began training in the Alexander Technique, I started recording an album of music by Robert Johnson with some incredible musicians - many of whom would become staple players in my bands for years and travel through national and international tours with me, and I was at the start of a lifelong journey of becoming a mother.
This past March 2024 both my daughter and Sweet Home, The Music of Robert Johnson turned 20! That feels crazy to be able to say! I’m so proud of my ongoing commitment to make original music that I believe in and I’m even more proud of this incredible human I have had the opportunity to raise who doesn’t need me all the time now (which is kind of surreal and a tiny bit sad:). But of course this means that now I have more time to make music.
So if you’ve been wondering what I’ve been doing. That’s it. After completing and releasing my first memoir Lost & Found: Finding The Power In Your Voice last July, I told myself I would make space to compose some more music. And now I have a whole new theme since the music I’m writing is based on the book. So if you haven’t ordered a copy yet, I encourage you to buy one today. And if you want to hear more behind the scenes make sure to tune in to the conversation I’’ll be having with April Reigart on Friday, July 12th at 12pm noon on Instagram Live.
A New Musical Landscape
So right now I’m doing something that I really rarely do. I’m listening to my second album, Of The Air, released on Random Chance Records in 2005 ( I can’t believe this album will be 20 years old next year!). The personnel for this project featured Lisa Mezzacappa on bass, Shelley Doty on guitar and vocals, Micha Patri on drums, with special guests Dimitri Moderbacher on saxophone and clarinet, Dana Leong on cello, Ryan Scott on guitar, and Myra Melford on harmonium.
It’s not often that I listen to my original music, unless I’m needing to relearn a song for a particular performance. But it’s interesting to listen to something over nearly two decades old because I can appreciate what I was reaching for as well as my musical influences. I remember touring this project with the musicians mentioned above and the challenges I felt being a young mother creating a home away from my beloved NYC. Years later, I feel a little less critical of my singing and also deeply appreciative of where I am now as a vocalist and composer. So it kind of feels like the best of both worlds to be bringing some of this music back for my upcoming audiobook!
One of the exciting and unique things about designing an audiobook with music is that I get to build a totally new take on my music! Of course when I first thought about this project I imagined I would try to combine newly composed music for a new album along with my voice over for the book. But that would be a little too much (which is my tendency) and these days it seems people are overwhelmed with information as it is. So thankfully I had the insight to bring in the technical expertise of composer, bassist, and producer Alexis Cuadrado. That’s when he had the suggestion to actually remix music from my prior releases to create something new and fresh to uplift the text from Lost & Found: Finding The Power In Your Voice. Yes! Great idea! This is why collaboration matters.
You can hear my conversation with Alexis and more of our process in the coming months on September 13th on Lost & Found: Behind The Book. But in the meantime, you can learn more about the makings of my memoir by listening to my most recent conversation with writer, educator, chef, and one of my beta readers Alicia Hines. And if you don’t yet own it, grab a copy of Of The Air today!
How Writing Gave My Music Breathing Room
If you open up the windows
And if you open up the doors
You will see
Yes, you will see
-Living Room by Abbey Lincoln
One of the best things about writing my first book was that I put soooo much less pressure on myself than with music. I didn’t have a trillion dos and donts, shoulds and shouldnts, or general desires to wow the crowd. I felt calm, hopeful, and inspired with a hint of “I’m not too bad at this”. The only other times I really purposely surrounded myself with writers was at Oberlin when I started a creative writing group with a bunch of other students (that included author and now MacArthur awardee Kiese Laymon) and again after college when I co-created an intimate writing circle with authors hattie gossett and Madeline Murray. But I didn’t choose to major in writing, I didn’t believe I was supposed to be an amazing writer when I was in kindergarten, and I didn’t impress people with my writing in high school. So somehow writing became this kind of free zone. Free to be me with a lot less self-judgment. Who would like some of that??
For some people writing holds immense pressure and I get it! I mean Toni Morrison…Need I say more? Talk about intimidating. Toni Morrison and James Baldwin became some of my favorite writers early on. I used to read James Baldwin in high school and almost cry at the perfection and craft in how he put together a sentence. ( I still feel that way). But I never put myself in the Baldwin/Morrison camp. I was a music kid. Always and forever. So I was in the Sarah Vaughn, Chaka Kahn, Jimi Hendrix, Sade, Prince camp. And that’s a pretty heavy camp too!
But it was OH so liberating to remove or put on another art identity a few years ago. I didn’t realize how badly I needed it and what trouble it would actually get me out of. As I mentioned last week on my podcast in conversation with Nikki Starcat Shields, writing a book really allowed me to lift the lid and gift myself more room, or freedom, in my music making process. One of the things I also loved which Shields emphasizes in her writing programs is that there are two ways to learn writing. You can study writing by taking classes about it or you can study writing by just writing. If you haven’t yet listened to this conversation, I urge you to take a listen here.
What about you? Are you wanting some more living room in your music making practice? Send me a reply. I would love to hear from you.
What Are The Cornerstones To My Embodied Artist Practice?
Generally speaking people know that life and music go up and down. What’s that Buddhist saying? “Nothing is permanent”. Sometimes we have high highs after a great show or recording (or great news) then other days are low lows from a performance to a tour or even the news. Therefore it can feel like you’re not making progress in your art or any number of personal and or life’s challenges that may be occurring. Part of why I feel so strongly and grateful to teach a holistic approach to vocal technique is for all the ways it can directly support me through the ups and downs, twists and turns of life and music. So I thought I would share the cornerstones to my own Embodied Artist practice in the hopes that it inspires you..
I don’t always practice these in the following order but this is an example of a regular day’s flow for me.
The Four Ms:
Meditation
Over the years I’ve practiced a variety of meditation methods from Hatha Yoga to silent Quaker meetings, from Qi Gong to Authentic Tantra, from chakra and ancestral meditations to Yoga nidra and more. Rather than listen to guided meditations, I guide myself and mix/marry different approaches. I spend anywhere from 5-30 minutes to meditate usually followed by a short visualization of how I would like to experience my day.
Meals
Having had food sensitivities for most of my life now I’ve had to learn how to nourish myself without a lot of the many comfort foods people like to go to like caffeine, sugar and refined flour. So I’ve learned how to really enjoy eating what my body needs, not just what my mouth or taste buds might be craving. Instead I have to go for what’s actually going to fuel my body. And now at this point in my life I really can’t skip out on eating, especially if I have work to do like a long day of rehearsals or teaching for example.
Movement
This almost feels like the top M for me. I’ve gone for many months where I skipped on my sitting meditation, even performing but movement I’ve discovered is really central to my mental health even if it’s just going for a walk to clear and refocus my mind after a day of work. I’ve created my schedule so that I pretty much always start my day with some kind of movement from strength/weight training to Yoga or pilates, and or walking.
Music
I believe music in itself is like meditation. Sure there are aspects that can feel more computational or technical like when you’re learning a new piece of music, composing or dealing with the technical set up for recording. But music can be very meditative and therapeutic when you’re warming up or refining a piece. So I need my daily dose vocal practice to not only get my chops warmed up but also to center my mind.
So these are the pillars, or cornerstones, that I rely on to get through jetlag, multiple activities, and life’s challenges as well as keeping up with my own music business. Which, if any of these pillars do you resonate with and which if any would you like to incorporate into your day/week? Send me a reply I would love to know.
The Many Stages of Music Making
I recently I had a voice student share how astounded they are at the number of stages or phases there are to making music. If you’re writing, performing and or recording music (whether that be originals or covers) you might be experiencing this gestation process and wanting to understand it better so you can know what’s coming next. Knowing what’s coming will also help you to prepare your energy and expectations. So I thought I would share some of the many phases of music making as I’ve experienced them.
Building Your Vocal Practice
So first there is just the act of creating a vocal and music rehearsing practice. This is often one of the initial reasons students come to me. Although it seems simple there are a lot of things in life fighting for your attention (plus those negative inner voices) which can interfere with your creative flow. This is why having a program and aligned teacher can be so helpful.
Rehearsing & Unearthing Your Repertoire
Once you get your regular practice going, you might start singing/rehearsing music 3-4 or maybe even 7 days a week. The great thing about this is you will definitely notice an improvement in your voice and growing confidence in yourself and your material.
Prepping For Performance
Sometimes we practice just to continue growing and refining as an artist or student of music but other times you may need to prepare for a live show, wedding, memorial, birthday, etc. If so, you’ll want to refocus your time towards things like sequencing of songs, arrangements, rehearsing with amplification as well as identifying your challenge areas and zooming in to work on those specific spots.
Prepping For Recording
If you’re preparing for a recording the steps will be somewhat similar to a live performance but often with even more refinement. Now you’ll have to focus even more on articulation, dynamics as well as blending, and song arrangements. The difference with recording being that every little nuance gets noticed so sometimes you have to adjust your performance delivery. You may even want to practice recording before going into the studio.
Promoting & Packaging Your Performance
Once your recording or show is ready for the road, you might feel like you’re done but low and behold you’re actually at the start of a new phase. Now you have to promote your project with aligned artwork, appealing and genuine text that describes your brand and you have to learn to get comfortable with talking about yourself. You also need to do this with consistency so you can really connect your music to your audience.
Showtime!
Suddenly it’s time for your performance which is a whole other flavor of energy and output. Now you get to interact with the public and feel how your music feels with people in the room. You may have amazing moments and you may also make mistakes but there’s nothing like human connection to make the music making experience come alive. Afterwards you may feel again like you’re done but it’s actually time to remain committed to where you started - rehearsing/writing, and studying your instrument.
Writing Time
Sometimes your music goal may be to write original music. It can be hard to juggle writing time with the other parts of your practice like maintaining a steady vocal warm up routine. But your vocal warm up routine will actually support your writing so that you don’t strain when trying out new material. Songwriting or composing can also be a fun opportunity to explore working with a collaborator(s) and trying new creative possibilities without the pressure of an audience.
Repeat
Just like life, the stages of music cycle over and over. The more you practice, the more you can find your groove but also sometimes you may also get stuck which is when it’s great to call on a music mentor or coach and like minded community for support.
Where Are You?
What phase of music making are you currently in? Sometimes you may be in several s at once and that can be a tricky balance. Either way if you would like some support in your current music stage, please reach out to set up a free phone consultation so we can discuss how to make your music dreams a reality.
How To Unearth The Gems In Your Voice
It’s a little counterintuitive but listening is a crucial part of your practice. As singers, songwriters, and sound explorers we can often become absorbed in making sounds without fully listening back (often because it can make people feel uncomfortable to hear themselves). But there are gems there for you to uncover. Those of you who regularly attend my monthly, vocal warm-up, Vocal Gym, know that I am a big advocate of doing your vocal exercises consistently to make singing whatever material you most enjoy easier. (Sidebar, I have a student at NYU who began practicing her vocal warm ups for seven days in a row and when she came in for her lesson practically all of the technical things we were working on the week prior had worked themselves out. That’s how effective consistency is and Somatic Voicework). But what about the parts that vocal warm ups don’t seem to fix, or fix right away? Things like vocal color, emotional interpretation or rhythmic phrasing.
Some of you might still be thinking “Wait, Pyeng I don’t have time to do vocal warm-ups seven days a week!” (Don’t worry we can get to that later. It’s literally the reason I started offering programs like my 3 month program). Well, that’s completely understandable, and exactly where your listening can serve you. When you’re commuting, doing household chores like folding laundry, washing dishes, or just going for a walk, this is a perfect time to review your voice lesson to hear the cues and feedback to understand what your voice is actually doing!
So much of the time if you’re singing along with yourself or a recording, you can’t hear all the results that you’re getting from an exercise. You might miss the explanation for why a certain exercise has been suggested or notice that you weren’t breathing or were straining to hit a note. This kind of insight is directly applicable to improve your vocal timbre, emotional conviction and phrasing. In addition, you ought to be spoiling yourself with the music of others for inspiration. If you’re wanting to uplevel your vocal routine so that you can sing the songs that you love and share them with all of your heart with your desired audience, then reach out to find out about my 3 month program , I would love to see you and hear you :-)
Those Voices In Your Head
If you’re a person with a dream, it’s highly likely you have an accompanying doubting voice somewhere inside. What do you do with the voices in your head? Is it possible to separate the helpful ones from the harmful ones? Sometimes I wish I could just press an on/off switch to mute those unrelenting, negative voices but maybe that would cancel out my deeper instincts. And my deeper instincts provide me with so much helpful insight and creativity which I rely on and need to tune into for life and music. Last week I launched the first episode of my mini podcast Lost & Found: Behind The Book and one of the first topics I discussed with my guest and beta reader Nikolai Moderbacher, was how he identifies (or HEARS) his intuitive voice. (By the way if you don’t yet own a copy of my book Lost & Found: Finding The Power In Your Voice, you can get one here. The first entire section of selected writing is based around the theme of one's intuitive voice).
I believe one of the first steps with intuition is hearing, or learning how to listen to your instincts, which is why you can see that as the subtitle for this first section of the book. When you develop a stronger capacity to hear yourself, you can better recognize what things your voice is saying that are helpful, or supportive, and what things are less helpful, or even destructive. You can also gather next steps for that artistic dream that’s been wanting you to take action.
If you want support so that you don’t get deterred from your music dreams, then I highly recommend you take a listen to this conversation. And hope to hear you and see you at the next one!:)
How To Shatter Self-Doubt and Fully Own Your Power
“I’ve learned that I’m most powerful when I’m doing my art”
Andre 3000
There are two things that have motivated me to sing pretty much all of my life, pleasure and power. But when I think about power I don’t mean power in the maniacal Despicable Me kind of way I mean power in the Moana “I have a special thing” kind of way. We all do. Performing can be a way to connect to your own power, your personal power and unique voice and story. It’s part of why I love teaching singing/songwriting from a holistic perspective..
Most people would love to feel more power in connection to their voice and even their body as a whole. I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone who said “I’d really love to feel less confident and powerful when I’m speaking or singing”. Even the “best” or “most talented”or skilled singers are open to accessing greater freedom as well as strength and authenticity when using their voices. But how do you do this? How do you go from wanting your music, presenting, communication and leadership skills to improve and actually arriving there?
Like most things (counter to what Capitalism, White supremacy and Patriarchy says) it’s often a bit of a zig zag path. In order to connect to your power, you need to own the fact that you want to feel your power and for some people just that might be uncomfortable or scary. But let’s assume you’ve identified that you want to own the power of your voice. Here are some steps to guide the process.
Step 1: Find a safe and supportive place to grow and explore your voice. A voice teacher, program, institute, school, class or even band to collaborate with on your singing journey.
Step 2: Establish a consistent vocal practice so you can start to experience the cumulative changes that will begin to happen with your vocal development.
Step 3: Make sure you have some form of accountability (this leads back to Step 1) for those inner voices that may pop up doubting you from time to time. Also, it’s equally important to have a group to celebrate your progress. Remember small wins matter just as much as the big ones.
Step 4: Connect to your body. Many singers forget this and it can also be one of the big challenges in performance anxiety. There are many ways to sense the whole of your physical/energetic body but I find slowing down and noticing your breath as well as your emotions is hugely helpful for you and your artistic expression.
Step 5:* Extra Credit: Bring all of this into your experience while singing. Bring your connection to your body, movement, breath and emotions into your song/performance.
Want some support with these steps? Find out more about my 3 month program here.
What Does Being In The Studio Look Like?
Despite the fact that I grew up around all kinds of multidisciplinary and multi-hyphenate artists (before we were even set on using those terms), it took me a long time to find and value my artistic voice, particularly after graduating from college. I’ve shared this many times, but growing up with a composer for a father I became accustomed to watching him sit at the piano and write for hours at a time. I never really looked at the other things that he was doing which were influencing his process like reading, researching, going to see live theater and dance, visiting museums, going for walks, and other activities. I mainly observed him focused on pulling music out of that piano and his brain, to continue putting out more and more music.
So when I graduated college and started performing with my own groups, I thought I too had to sit for hours and hours at a time at the piano. But there was a problem, one I hated sitting still for that many hours, two I wasn’t a great pianist, three I wasn’t great at transcribing music! So for years, I actually cut myself off from a multitude of musical ideas because I thought my process should look the same as my father’s.
Fast-forward to one day many years later when I decided I wasn’t going to call composing composing anymore. I instead chose the term “studio time”. For whatever reason redefining composing helped me to expand my definition so that I could actually be a part of it. Nowadays I switch back and forth between either phrase composing or studio time. Here’s a list in no particular order of what my composition/studio time/artistic process looks like:
Sitting at the piano and playing,
Singing and recording into my phone at the piano,
Going outside to walk and singing ideas into my phone,
Writing and rewriting lyrics,
Listening back to dozens of voice memos to discern which ideas to delete and which I want to continue developing,
Recording demos of my songs,
Creating harmonies,
Researching ,
Cleaning my studio,
Puttering around the house,
Staring at the wall,
Listening to podcasts,
Listening to music that I specifically want to learn something from,
Listening to interviews with other artists or musicians,
Warming up my voice,
Rehearsing my original music
So, as you can see, there are so many different ways in which I generate, develop and refine my own music. If you’re looking to strengthen your voice and boost your confidence so you can feel grounded and like your true self, reach out to me about my 3 month program. I hope to hear and see you soon!
What Kind of Voice Do You Have?
In getting to know one’s voice, people often wonder what voice type they are, meaning how high or low they’re able to sing. Since the 19th century and even as far back as the 16th century in Italy, we’ve used titles like bass, soprano, baritone, alto, mezzo-soprano or tenor to describe this. So one category of voice type is the actual range of your voice which you can often hear in peoples speaking voice as well. But these labels don’t really matter for most contemporary/popular/experimental artists. For example, if you’re a singer/songwriter or even a Jazz singer, you might notice that you always sing and write songs in your lower register, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t also sing up high.
Another category that most people are trying to distinguish is figuring out their style of music. I would put this in the category of your artistic voice. Your artistic voice has more to do with your musical taste. Your likes and dislikes but it’s not just limited to your favorite artists. You may LOVE Beyonce but actually have a voice and style more similar to Sade. All things are possible when it comes to musical style and expression.
Lastly there’s what I like to call your intuitive voice. This is the place from which you gather your artistic ideas and impulses as well as your deeper insights and reflections. Your intuitive voice can be very helpful for building your artistry, deciding how you want to put your voice out in the world or for general decision making. In order to learn more about what kind of voice you have and how to align it with your musical goals, order a copy of my book here or even better email to learn more about my 3 month program. I hope to hear or see you somewhere soon!
How Do You Make An Audiobook?
How, you might wonder, does one make an audiobook? When I started writing Lost & Found: Finding The Power In Your Voice I knew it would also be an audiobook. Additionally, a lot of people that I teach express a desire to use their voice in a variety of ways from singing to songwriting, presenting to voiceover. So I thought I would take this week to share some of the behind-the-scenes from my experience recording my first ever audiobook!
Truth be told, it’s not my first time recording an audiobook (you can purchase Dreamland Burning or The Evening Road both of which I read for here), but this is my first audiobook.
So my day usually goes something like this: I wake up, walk my dog, come home, shower, get dressed, eat breakfast and pack a lunch. At some point during the process of showering or while I’m in the kitchen, I’ll do my vocal warm-ups because amplified speaking picks up all the nuances of your voice. So you don’t want to sound extra groggy, raspy or have a dry mouth. Then I pack some water, tea, my hard drive and iPad, which has the Kindle version of my book and head to the studio.
Once I arrive at the Clive Davis Institute, where I’ve been recording (and currently teach) Charles McCrorey, who is engineering this project, handles all the technical set up and after about 20 minutes we’re ready to record. We always do a test to check that the levels and tone of my voice match the first day of recording. I then go through the book, reading chapter after chapter. Charles follows along on his laptop making sure I don’t misread anything. If I do, we stop and I re-record or “punch-in” in the moment. I decided early on to block out 3 hours for recording because I wanted an amount of time where I could make headway and also stay peppy and clear headed. I usually read anywhere from 40 to 50 pages. Just like with singing I’m super focused on the message behind the text and revealing it through the tone of my voice, articulation and energetic intention.
For more behind-the-scenes for this audiobook, make sure to join the mailing list and Instagram. And to start your own voice journey, email here to find out about my 3 month program to expand your range and the impact of your voice in the world.
Your Inner Critic Is Not Creative
It may be mischievous and persistent even destructive but really your inner critic is not the creative one, you are. You’re the one creating time in your busy schedule to practice music, you’re the one listening to your favorite songs and new artists to study this expansive discipline. You’re the one writing original music that sometimes you like or sometimes you love. You’re the one risking safety to share how your heart really feels through music. You’re the one thinking of band names, song titles, and what to wear. You’re the creative one, so don’t give that inner critic more credit than they deserve. They’re trying to keep you safe by any means necessary and that means playing mind games with you. You can appreciate their effort so thank them and be on your way creating good, bad, odd, provocative, and wild work!
Do you want some help making music your way? Do you want to listen to your heart and your body while tuning your voice? Email here to find out more about my 3 month program. I would love to see you!
How To Wine & Dine Your Voice
When you care about someone or if you’re just interested in a person, you naturally start to enquire about their likes, dislikes, and habits. What things a person is drawn to is like knowing what part of your vocal range you most often sing in and what kind of music you’re drawn to.
In order to “find” your voice you need to spend time with it in the same way that you might if you were beginning a romantic relationship with someone. You want to know how your voice behaves when it feels good as much as when you’re stressed or tired or afraid. What does your voice sound like in your upper register and what does it sound like in your lower register. You want to study how much time your voice needs to get ready (i.e. warmup for a performance or recording). Does your head voice need 5 minutes or does it prefer a longer slower session? Is it different on different days?
Remember your voice also has feelings. It may need some encouragement and patience from time to time when it’s not performing as you expected. So do things to take care of your voice like getting a good night’s sleep, exercising, drinking lots of water, and eating healthy meals.
And of course your voice needs quality time! Consistent time doing warmups, time to explore different kinds of music, and even time discovering your artistic voice. This will give you the best relationship results with your voice.
Now don’t you want to build a stronger connection with your beloved voice ?
Here are 4 ways to get started!
1. Order a copy of Lost & Found: Finding The Power In Your Voice and start reflecting on your voice journey.
2. Schedule a free phone consultation to talk with me about your music and voice dreams for 2024.
3. If you are a woman/non-binary person, sign up for my 3 Month Program to commit to honing your singing and performance skills while honoring your authentic self.
4. Buy one of my 4 solo albums and listen to some incredible musicians to start thinking about your artistic vision and what you want to put out into the world.