I recently received a wonderful email from a former student of mine that illustrated the importance of finding courage and building community as a singing artist.
When Michelle first started working with me in 2012, she was terrified. She knew that she wanted to sing, but before coming to take lessons with me, she had never sung in front of another person.
What do you do when you dream of doing something you have never done before? You gather up your courage and seek out a community. You ask for help. Often taking that first step — singing with a supportive and knowledgeable teacher — can open the door.
Michelle found me, and I became the first member of her new musical community. I was able to help her feel at ease and supported, which translated into self-confidence for her. From our work together, she found her courage.
After Michelle started working with me, she joined a gospel choir in New York, expanding her community. Then she moved to Los Angeles and began meeting and working with talented musicians. She wrote to tell me that she had been performing a lot of small shows with a minimal band, and she was about to have her first show with a full band. She had just recorded an EP, and she is getting a team together to release her music.
I was so thrilled to hear this news. In the six short years since she started working with me, Michelle was able to go from being terrified of singing in front of another person to putting herself out there in a big way. She was able to reach out and build a community with fellow musicians. That took real courage, and it is also just so much fun and so rewarding. I could feel Michelle’s happiness pouring out of her email.
I hope Michelle’s journey is as inspiring for you as it was for me. Thank you, Michelle, for reflecting back on your journey and allowing me to share your news. You can hear Michelle’s whole letter in the video above and listen to her music on her website.
Michelle’s story is also my wish for you. If you dream of singing, find your courage, and find your community. It all starts with taking the first step. If you are looking for a coach, don’t be afraid to reach out to me. I would love to be a part of your musical community and help you find the courage to sing.
