Assignment #20 - Wes Davis - How to be a Pop Icon (or more accurately titled: How to Sing Maybe??)

I don't really feel qualified to speak, or educate, on any skill I've ever tried to acquire. I don't really see myself as being too great at anything, and if I did, this blog post would just make me sound even more self-absorbed than I already do (which I didn't think was possible). With that out of the way, today I'm here to teach you about how to sing! :)

So, I've been taking lessons for a couple years and have done a variety of vocal showcases and the like that would lead be to believe the advice I can give on this subject won't be completely detrimental to your future as an international pop icon and pop culture legend. I hope these help on your road to stardom xx

1) Breathe. Yes, I know many of you probably became aware of your breath when you read that. Unfortunately, breathing is something apparently no one really knows how to do (not until you're told how). By this I mean breathe from your diaphragm. Or, as I've also heard it, "breathe from your gut." Take one hand and place it under your rib and hold it firmly there. Now, breathe so that you can feel your stomach expand. Take in as much air as possible. Now, here's the hard part! Hiss the air out. When you do this, your stomach has to stay expanded! If you aren't mindful of this, your stomach will deflate after a couple seconds, and the whole point of the breath is defeated. This is called breath support. 

2) We're doing great! omg!! Okay, so now that you can actually breathe, we have to sing. For the most resonant sound, speak and sing in a place that sits right on the front of your face, and is forward. That doesn't make sense, sorry, but I'll explain. When you feel it you'll know what I'm talking about. One thing my teacher always tells me is to sing as if I'm biting into an apple. It works, and you should try it! I can't really give a ton of guidance other than that tip. It's something you have to feel out yourself for it to make sense. I've also heard it been described as singing as if you were smiling, which helps, but that doesn't make as much sense to me. Whatever phrase you need to help remind yourself to have a forward placement, do it! 

3) Okay I'm getting winded writing all this. I feel like I don't have any right giving you advice but we aren't done just yet. Go ahead and sigh now, just get it out of the way. I want to talk about stamina. If you're gonna be headlining a world tour, like I'm expecting you will, you need to make it through your own concert. Stamina is something built up over time, and hopefully maintained overtime, too. I have an absolutely torturous way to build stamina! So, here's what I always do before I start a new show: I run on a treadmill and sing through all of my repertoire for whatever gig I'm doing. It's awful. Well, it was at first. Training yourself to sing (and hopefully well) when you're both tired and focused on moving your body instead of just your voice teaches you how to sound good in not ideal circumstances. I've had to belt high G#s while out of breath for Putnam (I had to make it back on stage after running across the whole school it was awful I was so glad when the show closed lmao), and I was only able to do it because of this exercise. It sucks, but I believe in you. :) <3

If you read all this you really are the baddest and I support you completely on your road to fame!! I didn't mention actually having a sense of pitch or being able to read music, but I didn't mention those only because this blog post is already long enough, and also they're more obvious things to know. Can't wait to see you selling out concerts across the world! xx