Obstacle is defined as: a thing that blocks one’s way or prevents or hinders progress. How do you SEE obstacles? Do you see obstacles as a problem or as something put before you to assist you in your development?

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Students arrive in my office having made up their minds that they want to take vocal lessons even though they are extremely terrified to stand on stage in front of an audience and sing. 

As a little girl, I regularly heard the words that I could achieve the goals that were laid out before me, but I did not believe I could. I daydreamed about being a singer, but I did not think it was possible. Whenever I allowed myself to leave my daydreaming bubble, and think about actually getting on stage and singing in front of an audience, fear would grip me and I would feel ill.

I have always felt that entertainment, because of its overwhelming potential to shape society, should be inspirational; only because music and singing does conjure up emotions in a human being that triggers memories.

In the powerful Netflix documentary ‘Summer of Soul (…Or When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised)’, I was struck by this statement that was made approximately 50 years ago by the First Lady of Soul Nina Simone, she said “an artist duty, as far as I’m concerned, is to reflect the times. And at this crucial time in our lives, when everything is so desperate, when every day is a matter of survival, I don’t think you have a choice. How can you be an artist and not reflect the times?”.

In order to be an amazing musician, singer, instrumentalist, performer, entertainer or whatever you choose to call yourself, you need to be honest and willing to give of yourself. If you are not willing to be honest and give of yourself then what you share with your audience will be based only on wanting them to like what you are doing, and that is NOT entertainment.

When we hear ‘work with what you’ve got’ we usually think of resources, but I have decided to apply this statement to someone that is extremely important, myself.

When the singer is singing for her audience, she cannot be thinking about herself, she must focus on delivering the message of the song.

Let’s start with the most obvious question, what is an entertainer?