Some of us are born with a nice singing voice, but regardless of natural ability there are things we can do that will improve our ability. Whether you’re singing on a stage or around a campfire, don’t be shy about practicing and leveling up. Firstly, whether you’re new or not you should always rehearse with scales. Warming up is important but the reason why singers doing scales is a cliche is that you’re looking to push into the edges of your ability. Just as an athlete works

Let’s talk about the muse and how they function in the life of the artist. We all have influences that kick our artistic butts into gear. Growing up with my grandmother Helene‘s paintings I’ve long been fascinated by the literal artist model. I took a painting class in high school where the instructor told me painters tend to add their own features when they paint other people. “If you want to look good, hire a good-looking painter.” When my maternal grandmother lived outside

I’m pretty good with knowing references around divas so it’s a bit shocking to realize I missed one. Particularly as our youngest has the same name! Can I just pretend I named my kid after her? This Italian diva is gold. This is pop so beautifully sung it is heart breaking at times. She’s the sort of person where Chet Baker sleeps one off in her tub. The most unexpected person I ever found in my claw-foot tub was a drunken Mormon teenager sleeping it off. And her later looks

“We believe that everyone who has a body is an athlete.” Nike executive Phil Knight I never think of myself as an athletic person, but that’s an attitude that has to change. When I reflect on the life of any performer, it’s clear that our body is our meal ticket. We depend on our body the way a professional athlete depends on theirs. This seems especially true of the Olympian singers, the operatic singers. Opera singers are supposed to create music that is at the height nuanc