Anthropomorphic animals enter a singing competition that changes their lives: Sing, a 2016 film from Illumination Entertainment, shows the power and difficulty of singing in a variety of ways. For example, stage fright. An elephant named Meena is afraid of performing on stage and cannot sing in front of others – but in the end she is able to show her talent and express herself.
Like Meena, many people do not like to sing with or for other people. They are afraid it will sound terrible. As your voice is something very personal and unique, failing to sing with it makes it even more embarrassing. Many have memories, for example, of auditions in music class that went wrong and were deeply embarrassing.
However, there are many reasons to overcome the fear of singing. In this article, I will give you some good reasons to start singing and some motivational advice.
- Everyone who sings now had to start at some point. It is normal not to sound perfect in the beginning! Of course, there are differences in talent. But you can never discover your talent unless you try.
- Singing does not cost anything. You do not need to buy an expensive instrument; your voice is always with you. Plus, there are lots of tutorials on how to sing on the internet.
- You can gain self-confidence. Singing on stage, expressing your emotions on stage, needs practice. When you learn to sing, you also learn to use your voice in front of an audience. You will become more confident not only in singing but also in speaking because you will learn a lot about your voice and performance.
- This brings us to the next good aspect of singing: Singing is a way of expressing your personality. Your voice is unique, it is part of your identity. Gradually you can even develop your own style of singing, your own technique and characteristics. Personally, it also helps me a lot to process my feelings, for example when I am sad or angry: I just sing my emotions out loud.
- Singing can be used in many different types of music. Singing classical opera takes a lot of practice – but you can discover many great and famous pieces of music and become very familiar and confident with your voice. Jazz singing is great for developing your unique style and experimenting with your voice. There are also many more different styles of singing for you to discover. You can also apply your knowledge of your voice to several different genres.
- Singing can be a bonding experience. It opens up a whole new world of new friendships – and it is fun! There are an infinite number of choirs to choose from, but if you want to try something a little less professional, try karaoke. Here the expectations of performing perfectly are not as high. Singing together is a great and easy way to start singing in general. You are part of a larger group – even if you miss a tune, no one will notice. It is a wonderful feeling to experience the same emotions together, to express them in a unique way, and to enjoy making music.
- There are also many health benefits linked to regular vocal training. Singing can improve your lung function – especially in classical singing you learn a lot about controlling your breathing. It also helps to reduce stress and anxiety. Singing can even improve your memory and your ability to stay focused.
As you can see, there are a lot of positive aspects to singing. There is no harm in starting – maybe in a group, maybe on your own. You do not have to perform on stage, you can benefit from singing by yourself. There is no need to be embarrassed or force yourself on stage. Take your time and have some fun. Like any learning process, learning to sing is a journey – it won’t always be easy. But with these good reasons in mind, I hope you can overcome your doubts and get started!
References:
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sing_(2016_American_film) – Wikipedia Community, accessed 06/03/2023
- https://www.operanorth.co.uk/news/10-reasons-singing-is-good-for-you/ – Opera North, 01/02/2023
