What Does it Really Mean to Sing Your Life?

Certainly, I do not suggest that no matter what is happening, that anyone should go through life singing non-stop, 24-7. That's not only unrealistic, but ludicrous! And it's not what I am suggesting.

When we chose the phrase Sing Your Life" for our website, it was meant to represent a philosophy of what I believe with all my heart it takes to have an exquisite, magnificent, glorious, and incredible vocal performance...and nothing less!

The other day, I was listening to a student in the studio singing a song she was about to perform at a function. She knew the song top to bottom, all the words, all the notes, all the dynamic changes, key changes, all of it!

As she sang her song for me, I felt myself drifting away, thinking about something else entirely; my "to do" list, my next student, whether I remembered to turn off the coffee pot before I left the house. I caught myself and returned to my student's performance, intent on listening harder so my critique would be of real value to the student.

The voice was fabulous! The emotions...apparent. Notes were struck on pitch and all of the singing fundamentals that I have taught this student were being used correctly. Still, I had a hard time staying with her.

At the conclusion of her song, I sat silent for a second and then found the words to express my response to her performance...which I will share here for all of you.

I said,

"That was very good, but...I got the feeling that as you were singing, that you were standing behind yourself watching yourself sing the song, y'know? Like you weren't in it. It's as if you are editing the song as you sing it to make sure it's perfect. Are you doing that?"

"Well, yes! Of course! I want it to be perfect, don't I?"

"I don't know...do you? Is perfection attainable in the physical world we live in? Are you perfect?"

We discussed it for a while, what her intention for the song should have been from the point of view of creating a reality and communication with an audience. What it is that touches people...the would-be listeners. And as we shared our views on performance, something interesting occurred to me, and it's this:

If we are to express the essence of who we are through our singing, then it must be ALL of who we are.

So I said to my student,

"I want you to go home and write down 10 qualities that define YOU as an individual. I don't care whether they are good and wonderful traits, or bad and nasty, as long as they are true. Are you a generous person? Then be generous when you sing to an audience? Are you sweet? The put some sweetness into your singing. Do you have a dark side? And everyone does, y'know. Let's hear it in your song."

I am not saying that a singer can always express all of his or her emotions in one song. I AM saying however, that in order for the singer and the song to be ONE, the singer needs to let the song be expressed by interpreting the lyrics and melody in one's unique way, and colored through the veil of one's authentic qualities.

And perfection?

As we say in New York, "Fuggettaboutit"!! Why do people go to concerts? Not to hear a duplication of a perfectly recorded CD. No, they go to be touched, to make a connection, and that can only occur in the presence of truth and real authentic communication, not perfection. Perfection can leave you cold without the truth and authenticity.

So how 'bout it, singers? Got the guts to make your list? Who are YOU? What qualities define YOU as an individual? Write 'em down.

Then embrace them all and bring them to the microphone.

And THAT, my dear singers, is Singing Your Life!