We asked singers we like on Instagram,” What’s something you’ve learned that has been a game changer for your vocal health and technique?” Here’s what they shared!
Discover your resonators!
Keziah Grace @imkeziahgracemusic: A game changer for me was learning what a ‘mix belt placement’ is. My goodness, this was a hard one to find and understand! But what a blessing. I come from a classical soprano background, so when I trained in Musical Theatre I had to discover a more contemporary sound within my voice and I struggled with this, until my 2nd year when this great booming ‘‘belt’’ voice came out! This was an amazing achievement for me, and then over the past year having found a more mix quality within my voice and resonators has just made me so excited to be able to sing more frequently with good vocal health and better stamina. I strongly believe that longevity in this career is founded in good vocal health, so finally finding this healthier quality makes me very excited!
Sing through a straw!
Milica @milica_kiprovski: I’ve studied vocal health for many years but it wasn’t until I had some surgery that actually damaged my vocal chords that I really understood the depth of voice care. I’ve always looked after my voice, avoided certain foods and done my practice but my Speech Pathologist introduced me to the straw technique which saved my voice! Not many people know about it and since training with my Speech Pathologist and vocal coach, their combined support of this method has taken my voice to new heights. It’s something I wish I knew earlier along with myofacial massage technique. I’m also a trained massage therapist so to learn this technique to perform on myself has greatly reduced muscle tension around my whole head. I wish I understood the importance emotional tension plays in the overall performance of my voice.
Vocal Injury and Recovery!
Annie Gill @anniegill: In 2017, I had a vocal injury. This is something every professional singer dreads, and in fact many hide injuries because of the stigma surrounding this and what it implies about a singers vocal state and technique. I had an asthma attack in the middle of the night, and woke up with a very aggressive cough. The morning after this happened, I felt like I had gravel on my vocal folds. At an appointment with my ENT, they found small irritated spots on the outside of my folds – not burst blood vessels (thank goodness), but the beginning of what could lead to a bigger injury. Read more about Annie’s journey with voice specialist Melissa Bidlack (MS, MM, CCC-SLP) and voice coach Elizabeth Daniels here.
‘No pain, no gain’? Not with singing!
Jey Degrey @jey_degrey: Years ago, I would strain my voice, and I never really was aware that I was doing it. To me it all seemed and felt like I was really putting in the work, which I was, but looking at it from a ‘No pain, no gain’ point of view was very naive of me. So once I discovered what I was doing to my vocal health and also how wrong it was, I have been able to challenge myself vocally and hit my high notes, but in a more healthy and monitored manner.
More About Our Contributors:
My name is Keziah Grace and I’m currently 23 years old. Having trained in Musical Theatre, I graduated 4 years ago and went on to perform in several professional contracts. My experience has been with 2 different Cruise Ship companies, as well as performing in a production of Sleeping Beauty the Pantomime, and most recently returning from Japan where I performed as the Bride of Frankenstein in a large theatre production show at Universal Studios Japan. I’ve been singing since I was a very little girl and took it further when a school teacher pointed it out to my parents and they got me straight in to dance and singing lessons! It is truly my biggest passion, I can’t imagine ever wanting to do anything else, and if I can inspire others to use their voices and remember that they are unique in every way, then I will feel I have reached my biggest goal.
Annie Gill, Soprano, continues to gain recognition as a distinctive and versatile artist, as well as an established teacher of voice and piano. In addition to her classical singing career, Ms. Gill is a voice over artist and acts in commercials and television, notably appearing as the “Opera Singer” in the Season 2 Finale of House of Cards. Most recently, Ms. Gill performed the role of Musetta in La Bohème with Opera Camerata of Washington, appeared as Soprano Soloist in Haydn’s Seven Last Words of Christ from the Cross with the Maryland Choral Society, and performed a reprise of the recital “Písně Lásky a Naděje” – “Songs of Love and Hope”. In concert, she appeared as Soprano Soloist in the Verdi Defiant Requiem (Defiant Requiem Foundation/Indiana University of Pennsylvania Chorale/Penn State Altoona), and as Soprano Soloist in Handel’s Messiah with the Landon Symphonette. Ms. Gill made her studio album debut for composer Garth Baxter’s Ask the Moon, Visit her artist website at www.AnnieGill.com for more information and links to social media pages.
Jey Degrey is a South African singer, songwriter, rapper, record producer, model and entrepreneur. From an early age, Jey would listen and connect to music that people around him believed was not the type of music a kid, then, should be listening to and relating to. Hence, he has been labeled an ‘old soul’. Jey fell in love with music, and at the age of 12, he began to write his own songs. Fast forward to today, Jey is killing the game as a singer-songwriter and recording artist, and he says he is not planning on stopping or looking back any time soon! Jey’s music can be found on all music platforms. Follow his @JeyDegrey on Facebook and Twitter, and @jey_degrey on Instagram.
My name is Milica Kiprovski and I’m a singer song writer from Sydney, Australia. I’ve been singing all my life and also sing in several languages such as Macedonian, Serbian and Lebanese/Arabic. I was accepted into Newtown Performing Arts High School and was even selected as top 1% in Australia to perform solo at the Sydney Opera House. I sing a variety of styles, and music is my life! I can be found on Instagram @milica_kiprovski.
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