Sunday, May 18, 2014

What is a REAL voice?

Sunday musings...

Spent the morning listening to the soundtrack of Jason Robert Brown's "Bridges of Madison County" and continue to remain inspired.

Bridges closes on Broadway today.  Ridiculous.  One of the finest shows in live theatre, and some of the FINEST singing I have heard across the boards in a long time.

If you haven't listened, then you need to.  The greatness that is Kelli O'Hara and the riveting Steven Pasquale will reveal to you what REAL voice is.

Singers in theatre,  you really need to release "where to put the sound",  "do I sing it in a mix/belt-mix/chest mix?"  which I shall say it now - is BULL SHIT - and just SING. 

It takes a long time to discover who you are as a singer.  It not only takes time,  exploration,  honesty and work to discover what your voice IS,  but it also takes times to discover the conversation you are having with yourself,  and the questions you need to ask to find the RIGHT conversation to have.

You will only sound like...YOU.  Trying to "type" yourself is always comparing to others.  Recognizing who you ARE if the first step of discovery.  Challenging yourself to become better than your PREVIOUS self is the work.

If you hear "you NEED to sound like so-and-so"  or "you will only get hired if you sing it this way" - RUN! RUN FAR AND FAST!

You need to learn how to sound like YOU.  Then and only then will you be able to dress that sound in the fabric of the style and genre you want/can/will sing.  YOUR voice informs how that is worn.  The style informs YOU.  If you don't know who you are as a singer,  how can you possibly be authentic?

If you aren't being noticed,  called-back, booking,  there are many things out of your control.  HOWEVER,  what is in your control is defining the authenticity of YOU.  What is YOUR real voice.
Get to know it,  find its idiosycrasies, its deliciousness, its annoyances,  its quirks.  Discover and embrace its imperfections,  its complexities,  its nuances and uniqueness.

Kelli O'Hara isn't a type.  She IS Kelli O'Hara.

Steven Pasquale isn't a type.  Steven IS Steven.

Let them inspire you - not to become LIKE them,  but to become YOU.

The authenticity of YOU is discovered in your work, your journey, your conversation.  Do not deflect or hide beneath a type.  Create YOU,  reveal YOU,  and walk in that room with all the foibles and fabulousness that IS you.

You will only create authenticity when you truly claim it as your own.

So what is REAL voice?   Revealing the truth.  Daunting perhaps.  Liberating and real?  you bet it is!

I DARE YOU!

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