How to interpret a song from within – for brave singers!
How to interpret a song is a question that all singers should ask themselves. Developing a great singing technique is not all it is to the art of singing. In fact, Technique is a tiny part of it. A very important one! But do never forget that voice technique is merely a tool for you to be able to use your voice freely.
The true art of singing is in communication. We sing to communicate emotions, tell stories, and connect. We live in a world in which we are more and more isolated every day. When I talk to people I hear them being happy that we live in a world in which they can do exercise, study, work, etc from the comfort of their home, without having to interact with anyone.
My years of study and experience in the healing arts warn me that connection and community are not only nice but also an essential need for us to be energetically healthy. We suffer (whether we realize it or not) when we are isolated. We are not wired to be alone.
And so, on my part as a singing teacher, I aim to help create community through singing. Singing is a powerful tool if you feel the need to express yourself and connect with others.
We live in a time in which our ego is in crisis. In a bygone age, the development of a healthy ego and sense of individuality is what we needed to evolve. But now the ego has become a barrier to a fuller life and we do need to keep growing. This strong sense of individuality affects our singing, amongst many other things.
How does our unhealthy ego affect our singing?
We always come back to the same idea: in an ideal world, we should be singing with a sense of security. If you take a look at old cultures, it is hard if not impossible to find one that didn’t use singing as a community activity. When we feel connected, when we feel that we belong to a group, we feel secure inside and our throats react to that. Remember that your brain reacts by closing your throat when your brain perceives real or imaginary danger.
But nowadays, when we think about singing we are very disconnected from the initial feeling of connection and community. Instead of enjoying the pleasure of singing with other people or sharing our voices with them, we think about how much we will be judged and how scary it is to sing or to be heard.
We get so stressed that singing is not a pleasant experience anymore.
How to interpret a song from deep within
So today I want to specifically talk about how to interpret a song from deep within and what it means to do so from a healthier perspective.
If we approach songs from this perspective of individuality, expressing a message becomes almost impossible. Commonly singers are not connected to what they are saying or to themselves, because they are focused on worrying about those high notes, or about being liked. We all want to be liked and accepted, of course! But when we sing, it is not about ourselves. If singing is about ourselves there is no connection with your audience. The experience of singing then becomes something much less fulfilling, meaningful, and magic than what it should be.
So, how to interpret a song then? There are multiple ways to approach songs from a deeper perspective, and numerous techniques that will help you.
But the main thing is that we must stop acting like singing is about ourselves only. It is a collective experience, even if you are the singer and the other people are the audience. Even if your audience is just one person! We are disconnected when we only think about what people will think of us; when we start over explaining why our voice doesn’t sound perfect that day; basically when we can just worry about being liked instead of thinking about GIVING to the audience with your performance.
If we have it clear that we are providing a magical experience for others, our focus shifts from ourselves to a bigger picture, a community-based one. One in which we are all sharing the magic experience of making music together, even if you happen to be the one singing.
From this new perspective, you can begin to start the process of truly interpreting your songs.
When we are just worried about how much people will judge us, we are not only disconnected from other people. We are also disconnected from ourselves. So from our new perspective, when we are connected with ourselves we can then start sharing that energy with other people and they can connect with us. Of course, there will always be people that don’t like your singing! But from this new perspective, it is not an issue anymore. It doesn’t matter. We focus on connecting with the people that are meant to connect with us, and that is enough.
How to connect with our songs from a deeper perspective
Once you understand what it means to connect with yourself in order to serve a higher purpose with your music, you are halfway there. When you are open to being connected with the community you are singing with (even if it is three people in the living room of your house), your whole energy will change, your brain will change and therefore the way your throat reacts to singing will change. You will experience a sense of safety, and with that emotion being the primary emotion, you will now be able to connect with your songs from a completely different place. Singing a song about that person that broke your heart will free you up, instead of you merely reacting to the rejection emotion.
If you have read my previous posts, you know we have different ways of dealing with emotions. We can react to them, we can hide them, or we can feel them and let them go. When we are brave enough to feel them, the emotions run their course. When we don’t, they get stuck in our bodies and they make us ill. There is plenty of material in this area.
It is connecting with your community and from that sense of security that comes from really allowing yourself to feel whatever emotion that comes to you through the songs, can be a truly healing experience for you. It can teach you to be in the present moment, which is what heals us. We get sick when we are constantly in the past and in the present, both getting stuck in emotions we no longer need or are relevant, or getting anxious about things that will likely never happen to us.
If you dare to truly sing from your heart, this process is necessary. Not easy, but rewarding. It will make you grow as a person and as a communicator, and in turn, you will be a happier, more mature person.
It takes time though! It is a process that can be long and it can require complementary activities on your part. That is fine. We live in a world in which everything has to happen fast, now. That has proven to not be good for us in any way. Let’s allow the process to happen in its own time. Let’s let go of the need to control how and when. The best we can do is to create a habit tied to a clear intention, and the magic will happen in its own time.
How to interpret a song: Comfort Zone + 1
If you are resonating with this, I suggest you get started easily: my magic formula is comfort zone +1. This means that if we are too comfortable with what we do if there is no uncomfortable feeling at all, it probably means we are not growing. So go ahead, pick that song that makes you a little uncomfortable and experiment with it in your own home. When you feel that you connect with it, that you are allowing yourself to feel whatever emotions that come up, try singing it for someone else. Even if it is just one person! Little by little the uncomfortable will become comfortable through habit and discipline, and you will be able to expand yourself more and more until you become the performer that you want, connecting with the people that you are meant to help through your music ❤️
Want to learn to sing from deep within?
At Auckland Contemporary Singing School we are all about learning to sing from a holistic and integral perspective!
We offer:
- In person singing lessons for adults, kids and teens , and very young kids (Auckland, NZ – Unsworth Heights area in the North Shore)
- Singing GROUP classes for adults in person (Auckland, NZ – Unsworth Heights area in the North Shore)
- Online learning – singing lessons and programs
Contact me to take the first step towards a free voice!
I help people to develop their voice and singing from a holistic approach. I teach vocal lessons in person in Auckland, NZ, and online. Also stay tuned for my new online singing programs!❤️
My greatest passion has always been the voice, music and energy arts.
My personal and artistic journey has led me to understand that the voice and the body are fully connected, and that includes not only the physical body but also the mental, emotional and spiritual body.
Through holistic vocal training you not only learn to become a great singer while taking care of your voice, but you also improve your mental and physical wellbeing❤️
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