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Welcome to Right to Sing - Voice, Vulnerability and Culture

 


For most of my professional life, I’ve been in and around singing—on stage, in the studio, in rehearsal rooms, and now, in the messy and meaningful work of research. Over the last few years, one theme has risen again and again in my teaching, my studies, and my own story: shame. Quiet shame. Loud shame. Tiny micro-shames that accumulate over time. The shame of not sounding good enough. Of losing your voice. Of caring too much. Of being replaced.

This blog is part of my ongoing work—both personal and academic—into understanding shame and objectification in the lives of singers. As a PhD researcher, I’m diving deep into the emotional worlds of professional vocalists. But this space isn’t just about research—it’s a conversation. A place to reflect, wonder, challenge, and reimagine what it means to teach and be taught in this field.

What to Expect

You’ll find a mix of things here:

💭 Noisy thoughts and vulnerable reflections from my own experiences
📚 Syntheses of academic research made accessible for teachers and artists
🧠 Explorations of pedagogical practices that move beyond correction and control
❤️ A deep belief that empathy, embodiment, and care are not “soft skills”—they’re the core of our craft

Some posts will draw from the giants of psychology, philosophy, and sociology. Others will be deeply personal. All will be written in my voice—with humility, curiosity, and a desire to connect. I’m not here to claim expertise over your lived experience, or to offer easy answers. I’m here to think out loud. To challenge what I’ve inherited. To imagine a more compassionate culture of singing.

A Note of Caution

Talking about shame can be uncomfortable. It certainly has been for me. It’s taken years of unlearning for me to even begin to name what I’d long ignored: the self-consciousness, comparison, and perfectionism I wore like a professional badge were often signs of a deeper wound.

So, if something here resonates—or rubs—know that you’re not alone. We don’t heal shame by avoiding it. We heal by naming it, together.

Why This Matters

Teaching voice is about far more than technique. It’s about power, permission, presence, and personhood. And when we teach without acknowledging the cultural and emotional forces that shape a singer’s identity, we risk reinforcing the very systems that wound them.

I believe in the possibility of something different.

A pedagogy rooted in care.
A culture where voices—literal and metaphorical—don’t have to earn their right to be heard.
A teaching practice that makes space for the whole singer.

Welcome to Right to Sing. I’m glad you’re here.

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