The big question everyone asks us is how not to be nervous when singing in front of people? The most experienced of us gets nervous when we sing in front of people! Even Adele said in an interview with Rolling Stone, “I’m afraid of audiences”. Many singers find their rituals and exercises that they do before every performance to get them relaxed before getting up in front of people to sing. That can look different for everyone from stretches to warm soothing drinks. We all find our own methods for calming down and staying calm.
But here we share three common tricks and tips that you can use to help you keep it together when singing in front of people.
1. Keep Breathing
Proper breathing is the first thing that goes when we are nervous! Since proper breath support is essential to stable vocals, it is important that we keep our breathing free and supported. If we hold any tension in our body our breathing gets shallow and tense. It needs to stay deep and flowing.
What makes a shaky voice is a shaky breath. Even breathing means even vocals since the voice “rides” on the airflow that you put out. If anything, don’t focus on your voice when you are singing in front of people. Just focus on your deep breathing and the voice will follow!
2. Look Over Heads
If it makes you nervous to look at people when you are singing, then look over people! Keep your gaze right over their heads. If you’re brave, look at their foreheads. Doing this makes it look like you are looking at the people but really, you’re not and you don’t have to see them looking at you.
3. Don’t think. Have fun.
Lastly, don’t let yourself slip into thinking too hard. That’s for practicing beforehand. Let your developed singing habits carry you through what you have trained your body to do for singing with your voice teacher. You just focus on having fun just as you always do when you are singing alone. Don’t think. Have fun.
Each time you sing in front of an audience with these three simple things in mind, you will become more and more comfortable singing in front of people. But also remember that some of us never become fully comfortable. But that’s ok! If you can’t get rid of the butterflies, learn to fly with them!