Get rid of stage fright
Having stage fright when you are about to perform?Don’t worry,you are not alone.Not many people know that even famous professional singers also get stage fright now and then.Bouts of terrible stage fright prevented the great Barbara Streisand from performing live for many years.
The good news is that you can conquer stage fright and get rid of it permanently.Yes,you can banish the fear of performing in front of your audience.Barbara Streisand did,didn’t she?
Put it into context,stage fright is only a mental condition for the fear of the unknown.Yes,it is the basic human fear,sort of a survival instinct.Stage fright is a very common affliction.It affects all singers to varying degrees when they go on stage to sing in front of an audience.It is a known fact that many people fear public speaking more than death,what more a singing performance?
There will always be many questions racing through your mind before each performance such as 'Omigosh,I have a sore throat today,how badly will it affect my singing?Will I sing out of tune or out of time?How will the audience react to my performance?' This is when you will break out in cold sweat and become frigid with stage fright.
As answers to these questions cannot be known until after your performance,you get even more stressed up with anxiety and fear weigh in heavily on you.These negative self talk will compound your fears even further!
How to conquer stage fright
I call these fears as irrational fears.Why?It is because all your fears are about events that may or may not occur in the future.You are fearing something which is not even happening or may only happen and most probably will not happen.
So why let something which is not happening at all give you stage fright?Hey,why fret when no matter how much you wreck your mind,you will never find any answers until after your singing performance?
Stage fright fear triggers a fight or flight response producing hormonal changes in your body,making your body rigid,shutting down digestive system and increasing your heart rate.This definitely is not an ideal condition for singing.
By harboring the negative thoughts,your imagined conditions may actually bring your stage fright into reality and make you freeze over on stage.
You do know that stress and anxieties can affect your voice,persona and performance in a detrimental way and that will compound your fear even further.
One of the best ways to overcome and conquer stage fright is to be mentally and physically well prepared.Having known that you have practiced your songs and performance thoroughly will give you the confidence and resolve to take to the stage and flaunt your singing talent.
Another way to overcome stage fright is to take your mind off it.Easier said than done?Well,what better way to take your mind away from your irrational fears than doing warming up vocal exercises.I know that many singers do not even bother warm up their vocal cords before a performance.How can a singer sing effortlessly without warming up their instrument,in this case,the vocal cord properly?
Warming up before a performance not only takes your mind away from the stress and irrational fears,it also helps you hit the notes easier and protect your vocal cord from damages,sometimes,even permanent damage.
Just as important as warming up is to cool down your voice after a performance as your vocal folds are all stressed up and need to be relaxed.By not cooling down your voice,you risk vocal damage when your strained voice,having not recovered before your next singing performance,you will risk another bout of anxiety attack leading to stage fright.This is a vicious cycle.
Do affirm to yourself that stage fright is only a figment of your imagination which can be conquered and gotten rid of if you are determined enough to do so.Don't just worry and cram your mind with negative questions.Do something like stepping onto the stage and give the best singing performance of your life.
Once you have done it,you can do it again and again and you will succeed in getting rid of stage fright forever.That will be the most beautiful feeling a confident singer can ever feel.Conquer stage fright now!