Feeling tense, worried, or even frightened before singing in front of people? Here are some stage fright tips to put behind you.
Stage fright manifests itself in many ways leading up to a performance and can really have a negative effect on your whole life.
The thought of getting up in front of lots of people may make you feel tense and nervous. You might start doubting your ability and potential. As the gig comes closer that fear may even progress to nausea, panic, and the desire to call the whole thing off.
This level of fear could easily derail your singing career if you don’t address it quickly. Even mild panic and a worry about singing in public can limit your full potential so it’s definitely worth doing something about it as soon as you can.
Did you know that countless people list public speaking as the biggest fear in life? And of course, singing takes that a bit further as you really need to express yourself effortlessly to make it work.
There are many reasons why singers and artists get stage fright and I hope that you can make use of the stage fright tips listed below. These are in no particular order, just find one that works for you and then add more
for total confidence.
STAGE FRIGHT TIPS
Other Singers Too
Remind yourself that many artists also get stage fright and that a little bit before you go on is a healthy thing to keep the edge on your performance.
You’re Not Alone
Remind yourself that many members of the audience also have some levels of apprehension about public speaking and that they’ll show empathy to an artist who is challenging themselves.
Tell yourself that it’s okay to be a bit nervous and that you are on stage to provide a gift to the audience. You are going to sing with your heart to people who want to hear someone sing with their heart.
It’s not judgment day, it’s a day to have fun and entertain people with your unique voice and presence.
Permission To Be Yourself
This tip is a good one that has worked for me…. Give yourself full permission to be yourself on stage! Don’t try to be like one of your idols or anyone elso for that matter as it just won’t work.
The best chance you have to get real recognition as a singer is to be yourself, true and honest. People pick up on that and will support you, making it easier and easier to reduce stage fright and gain a good level of confidence.
Relaxation Techniques Do Work
Learn relaxation techniques. Simply finding a quiet spot and breathing deeply at least ten or twenty times can take the edge of stage fright.
While doing this, think about a really successful performance you’ve had before whether in public or at home with family or friends. Focus on how good it felt and how happy people were. Promise yourself that you want to experience those feelings again and that the upcoming performance is an opportunity.
However you relax, it’s all about relieving tension in your body as that can cause your vocal cords to contract to lead to less than satisfactory singing. So techniques such as breathing, yoga, sitting quietly, and meditation all enable the tension to flow out of your body and as result, your vocal cords will open up.
Interestingly, these relaxation techniques will over time build quiet confidence in you which also enables you to reduce limiting thoughts and increase those amazing positive ones!
Visualize Your Performance
Visualize how the performance is going to be. See yourself getting ready before the performance and then getting up on stage to do your thing. For many vocalists, nailing those first few moments of a song can mean shedding the stage fright and really cutting loose with your singing.
Don’t try and visualise your performance while watching tv or driving your car. Do it in a quiet place with no interuptions. Imagine watching yourself getting ready and then entering the stage. As you do this, notice your feelings and it’ll help you identify what specifically it is that you are really worried about.
Know Yourself and Prepare
Before a performance, be comfortable with your preparation. Often people are nervous because they aren’t prepared enough and seem to be on the back foot.
Know yourself and prepare enough to be confident with the lyrics, music, band, equipment and venue. Some folks prefer to fly by the seats of their pants and that’s cool but others need to have things in place. Think about what your preference is.
Move Around!
When the adrenaline starts pumping levels of stage fright can start peaking. One way to combat this is to do something physical like dancing or exercise. Give the adrenaline an outlet by moving around and turn the rush into a positive burst of energy.
Do You What Works For You
Try lots of different ways and find the one that works best for you. It could something I’ve mentioned above or it could be a certain ritual or thing you do to bring you comfort.
For example, talking the performance through with a particular band member, getting to the venue with a certain amount of time to prepare, carrying a certain lucky charm, talking to the sound engineer about the sound you want, mingling with people in the audience before the show etc.
Here’s another recommendation to help dismantle any stage fright you may have. Check out the Singing Superstar karaoke software and invite
your friends over to go wild singing all your favorites.
Hope you find these stage fright tips useful and I wish you all the best.