The Message!

When the singer is singing for her audience, she cannot be thinking about herself, she must focus on delivering the message of the song.  Her technique should be in her muscle memory so she does NOT have to think about technique.   She must have a clear understanding of what the song means to her, so she can demonstrate its meaning through her body language, facial expression and her voice.  

Yes, the singer sometime is nervous before a performance, but she must always remember that once she steps on the stage, all practice is done, now it is time to let go and sing.

I had the honour and pleasure of being asked to present a Masterclass at Carleton University where I demonstrated two examples of singing. The first is from a nervous singer’s point of view, and the second from the point of view of a singer who is completely focused on delivering the message of the song. 

It is important to practice as regularly as you can so that your technique becomes part of who you are, so your body can support you while you effortlessly sing the message of the song. 

Remember that the audience has come to see you, hear you, and feel.  In order for the audience to feel what you are singing, you need to feel also.

The reason why music is regarded as a universal language is because you don’t need to understand the language to feel the song.  The message of the song comes alive because of the sentiment, and this is produced in the singer while she is singing.  If you are nervous and only thinking about the mechanics of what you are doing, the sentiment of the song will get lost as your focus is elsewhere. 

As singers, we need to remember that we have a responsibility. We need to demonstrate the emotional content in every song we sing in order for the audience to feel it.  In life, we all have our part to play, and I make sure and remind my students that singers, musicians, performers do not only entertain, but also give their audiences permission to feel.  So in order to do that, you must be clear about the message and always demonstrate it with your entire being.

Keep on singing,
Roxanne Goodman