No matter what is going on in the world, and let’s face the world is a scary place right now, there is a soft place you can land for moments of respite from all of the turmoil.
 
I am talking about creativity.
 
I am talking about emerging yourself into whatever form of creative expression it is that lights your fire. For me, it is singing, music and writing-see my book below! (and gardening, baking, reading.. oh so many more…)
 
For you it might be pottery, baking, cooking, drawing, colouring, painting, making ceramic ducks, you get the idea! 

​It is hard to stay in the darkness when you are completely absorbed by an activity that brings you happiness, that gives you a sense of accomplishment, that makes your brain tick and your soul dance.
 
Singing is obviously a big one for me, and for you! You don’t need to be a professional to sing your heart out to your favourite tunes. You don’t need anyone’s approval, permission, or attention to belt it out, hairbrush in hand.
 
I love hopping in the car, blasting my current favourite song obsession and singing my heart out. Anyone who sees me in my car would think I was having a moment and may need assistance, but I don’t care. I gave up feeling embarrassed a long time ago. The point is, when I sing, I feel a release, from all the shit going on in my life, or in the world around me. Even if I am singing through tears, I keep singing and letting it out. Talk about cathartic!

Why do we care so much what other people think of us, why do we seek approval or permission to take precious moments for ourselves? Why do we feel the need to give over every moment of our lives to our families, our jobs, our daily responsibilities?
 
You don’t need to ignore them forever, just for a little, so you can recalibrate, remember who you are and what is important to you.
 
Find your thing(s) jump in completely and immerse yourself. Life is too short to live a life lacking in creativity and joy. Work isn’t everything, the dishes can wait, the emails can wait, the cleaning can wait, the washing will get done, the kids can hang five..
 
Being creative is form of self-care. Embrace it beautiful ones.
 
Peace.

​Recently I was working with a young student whose faith in themselves was minimal at best. I know that for new singers, singing in front of others, especially voice teachers can be very daunting. I work hard to make sure my students feel safe, supported and valued. I do not EVER tell someone they can’t sing, because I don’t believe that. All I focus on is the potential, and everyone has potential.

This lovely student was singing through a song I had never heard them sing and stopped themselves at a certain point in the song. They said, ‘I can’t sing this bit,’ and tears welled in their eyes. I’m sure you understand how vulnerable it can be, firstly to sing but also to connect to a song emotionally, thus making yourself even more vulnerable.

I had never heard them sing this song, I didn’t know if they could or couldn’t sing the part, all I could see was their self-doubt and fear and honestly maybe even a little shame. I encouraged them to continue. They picked the song back up, and it was beautiful.
 
Now why did this moment happen? Maybe they just felt shaky in this section of the song? Maybe their throat felt tight? Maybe their larynx was too high? Maybe they were singing over a break in their voice? Maybe they just didn’t like the sound of their voice in this section? Maybe all of the above? OR just maybe someone who had heard them sing this song before had told them that it didn’t sound good. Guess which one it was?

So now as I work with this beautiful person and their voice, I need to undo the damage of someone else’s opinion (a completely invalid one at that) I need rebuild their confidence and help them reach their highest potential. I want them to know how amazing they are, I want all my students to see how brilliant they are all in their own unique ways.
 
When I was a very young singer, before voice lessons, I asked someone,
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'Do I sound good or am I just loud?’ They said I was, ‘Just loud’ I laugh now because I am loud, ask any audio engineer I have worked with! But imagine if I had listened to that person and stopped? I wouldn’t have lived my life exploring my passion. I wouldn’t be helping others do the same. I wouldn’t have lived my life filled with the joy of performing, recording, writing and singing.

​The point is, don’t do this. You know the old saying:
 
‘If you don’t have something nice to say, say nothing,’
 
No one has the right to squash someone else’s joy, to mess with their confidence, their dreams. Just get busy living your own life. An aspiring singer might only want to get better at singing in the shower or they may want to sing to their spouse for their birthday or maybe kill it at karaoke and that is bloody brilliant!
 
If you want someone in your corner supporting you and cheering you on, then reach out.
 
I’m here to help.

One of my first headshots. :)

​In the midst of the slow down of school holidays, the pause in work commitments, I have taken the chance to watch the latest season of The Bear (Season 3) It is one of the best shows to hit television of late, and if you think it is just a drama about running a restaurant, you are mistaken. It is funny, moving, and exhaustingly brilliant.

​Everyone in this show is exceptional. Every single actor brings so much charm and depth to their roles that I find it captivating. But for me, the absolute stand out is Jamie Lee Curtis, even though she is a minor character in terms of screen time. Jamie, perhaps most well known to some as the scream queen in the Halloween franchise, plays the matriarch of the Berzatto family.

​Now superficially, her face carries the lines and stories of her years and trauma, and it is brilliant. Donna Berzatto has lived, a hard life and carries a lot of emotional weight and with her, which she often unwillingly dumps in the rest of the Berzatto clan.
 
And that brings me to the reason for my post.
 
She is so immersed in the role, in being Donna, that you forget she is Jamie. She is an actor who commits with every inch of her soul. Without words you will see every thought, (this is the point) every emotional moment of turmoil, etched painfully into her face as she struggles to contain herself. She has left me stunned, tearful, and heartbroken. Season 2- Episode 6 Fishes, was one of the best dramatic episodes of a show I have ever seen and that is largely due to Jamie Lee Curtis, but the ensemble work was also exceptional.
 
And now in season 3, Episode 8 Ice Chips, again she brought me emotionally undone, even though it didn’t carry the same prolonged intensity of Season 2’s episode.

It is this commitment, this emotional vulnerability and connection that we as performers, singers, actors, must allow ourselves to sink into. It is what our audiences deserve.
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When it comes to singing, having a beautiful voice and technique is one thing, a good thing for sure, but if you stand up and sing with no connection, no emotion, no vulnerability.  Your audience will get bored. They may feel something is missing, although they may compliment you on your lovely voice, it goes no deeper than this. It is a missed opportunity and your audience and you deserve more.
 
This is one of the reasons I focus on more than just vocal production in lessons, I work with students to help them reach deeper levels of connection so they become well rounded and outstanding performers.
 
Taking some acting classes is something I would recommend for singers/performers. Allowing yourself to be vulnerable, choosing repertoire that you can connect too, or finding the common threads between the words and your motivation. It is all essential.
 
Be brave lovely ones.

​If I had a buck for every time I hesitated moving forward with a creative project due to imposter syndrome, well I’d have many more cats and tattoos by now. I have decades of experience, decades of knowledge, training, performing, writing, teaching, you name it… and still sometimes I feel like a fraud.
 
But what is Imposter Syndrome?
 
Imposter Syndrome is a term used to describe when you feel like a ‘fake’ or ‘phony’ despite any knowledge and successes you may have had. It is a feeling that one day you will be ‘found out’ and people will realise you are a fraud. It can be absolutely debilitating at worst and annoying at best and it can strike anyone,
 
“I have written 11 books, but each time I think, ‘uh oh, they’re going to find me out now. I’ve run a game on everybody, and they’re going to find me out.’” Maya Angelou
 
As a singer, or someone who might be considering taking some singing lessons, you might feel like it isn’t a step you are ‘allowed’ to take. Maybe someone has told you can’t sing (they’re wrong), or that they don’t like your voice (who cares?), or they might think you are wasting your time (you’re not).
 
Maybe you believed them?
 
Maybe you want to act, or write, or perform in some way, but again who are you to do that? Well, you are YOU and there is only one you. There is only one person in the world with your knowledge, your expression, your voice, your passion, your dreams, your way of connecting.
 
There is only one you! And you are freaking awesome.  
 
If you think everyone who is showing up, putting themselves out there and moving forward with their passion thinks they are all that, well, let me let you in on a little secret. Nine times out of ten they don’t, they are bluffing.

But what they ARE also doing is showing up, they ‘feel the fear and do it anyway’. That’s the trick, you keep going, you take the next step, you quieten the voice nagging you in your head (or is that just me?) and you just do it.

HOW TO OVERCOME IMPOSTER SYNDROME

I don't think Imposter Syndrome ever goes away but there are some steps you can take to quieten that voice a little.

• ​IGNORE THE NAYSAYERS - They aren't the one putting themselves out there.
• BREATHE- Sounds simple but taking some deep breaths and relaxing your body can help you deal with any stress you may be feeling.
• HUM - Humming activates the Vagus Nerve (the main nerve of the parasympathetic nervous system) Breathing does this too!
• FOCUS ON FACTS - Is your brain telling you the truth? or have you achieved more than you give yourself credit for.
• FIND A MENTOR OR COACH - Have someone positively reinforcing the steps you are taking and encouraging you keep moving forward. 
• CELEBRATE YOUR WINS! - Reward yourself, celebrate when things go well, or even when they don't. Just keep moving in the direction of where you want to be.

Remember, even the most outwardly confident of artists can suffer imposter syndrome... even Lady Gaga!
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​‘I still sometimes feel like a loser kid in high school and I just have to pick myself up and tell myself that I’m a superstar every morning so that I can get through this day and be for my fans what they need for me to be.'

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Now if she can feel it, anyone can, so don’t beat yourself up about it, and don’t let it stop you either. Remember, you don’t have to be Lady Gaga, you just need to be you.

I’m here to remind you and give you permission if you need it, to follow your creative heart wherever it may lead you. Enrol in the acting class, the art class, start writing that novel, pick up the guitar, or even book a singing lesson!