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As we are in this beautiful time of spring awakening. The birds are chirping, the breeze is blowing, the flowers are blooming. It's a time we can also reflect on the things in our life that can be renewed.
Our voices are one thing that many singers feel is a fixed scenario. Sometimes there are dreams long forgotten and the lack of attention on a vocal instrument can create muscular atrophy and dis-coordination that can convince a singer everything is "all over".
3 days ago, I received these lovely tulips. However, I had meetings all day in the city, so I couldn't put the flowers in water until the evening. When I came home, the poor tulips were so wilted, the flowers were completely dropped to the table due to the stem becoming weak and fragile. I thought, oh no, I wrecked these flowers, now they will just wilt and rot and I'll have to throw them away. But no, look, after 3 days, their heads are pulling up from the table. The stems are gaining strength and rigidity again. The flowers are alive!
Voices can be revived also. It may not seem like it when there has been consistent technical imbalances, or years of no practice. However, I have seen it with my own eyes more times than you could imagine. A voice comes in, seemingly in distress, and maybe even complete collapse. Then slowly, very slowly, the seeds of renewal come in through consistent application of targeted daily exercises and a lot of faith. I have seen voices come back from the dead with this patient and consistent application. But one must have the faith.
In our throwaway society, it is so easy to also throw away anything that isn't working anymore. We make cheap clothes and furniture now with the intention that we won't fix it if it's broken, but we will throw it away and buy something new. Quality is secondary in this way of thinking. It's why we have an industry filled with young artist hopefuls who get pushed to the brink of their technical and vocal development, then are thrown away and blamed when it doesn't work the same anymore. Onto the next new singer.... Real technique and real alignment of the voice doesn't matter as much anymore. It's about the moment... can we deliver the goods in the moment whether it is right or not.
I can't tell you how many clients have come to me with these complaints:
1. I'm getting hired but things feel terrible.
2. Things feel terrible and no one can help me.
3. No one will help me because I cannot sing well anymore.
4. I used to sing well, now I can't even vocalize half of my range.
What does this tell you? Should we blame the singers? NO! CATEGORICALLY, NO! It is our whole societal construct of building short term enterprises at the expense of quality and endurance. One huge hallmark of quality IS endurance, and this is something our world has yet to figure out. But maybe with the increasing landfills of throwaway clothing, and the proverbial landfills of singers who have had to lay their voices to rest, we can see a ray of hope.
The promise is this: Nature knows best. We can be revived and renewed. If you are a singer reading this and you've given up your journey for any of the reasons listed above, know that there is a way. Maybe you haven't found it yet, but it is there. It is waiting for you if you want it. Let this period of renewal remind you of the infinite potential locked within you. Muscles can be changed. Coordination can be re-discovered. But, don't lose your faith and your strength of belief.
xxoo, Julia