My early training as a singer was to be a puffed up opera singer. Not to say that all opera singers are puffed up, but it is a very formal modality. Most likely it was my family of origin that aimed for that puffed up effect in general. It’s hard to shed all that, and find real vulnerability and authenticity in singing. Hmmm. Come to think of it, for lots of people, it’s hard to find real vulnerability and authenticity in general.
A few days ago, I was working with my singing teacher Rebecca Folsom to find my own way of singing Sara McLachlan’s beautiful song “Angel.” The challenge is how to present something that sounds “riveting” rather than just pretty. And that is no small goal. Rebecca knows how to do this. She had varied pieces of advice for me, but the most potent and the most profound was this: when you sing something you have to mean it. Don’t be afraid of making a fool of yourself. We all do that sometimes, whether we mean to or not. You need to reach down inside, and find something profoundly personal that connects with that particular song and get naked with it. Everything flows from that. I am not talking about skimpy clothing, despite the tendencies of some pop performers. I am talking about naked, authentic feelings. A risky business. Why is it that the most profound pieces of wisdom are the most simple and the most obvious? The Beatles got lots of appreciation for their lyric “All you need is love”, sung over and over, but never ad nauseam. Of course you have to mean it when you sing something. I am committed to keep trying. Here is the latest version.
Susan Rose: Singing Grandma 