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We all know the feeling the moment before we step on stage. Your heart is racing, you feel like you’re going to vomit, your palms are clammy and you want to pass out. Some of you even feel the “phantom pee” and can’t seem to stop going to the bathroom. While this feeling of performance anxiety never really goes away, we all get used to it over time and it becomes easier to manage. Here are some of my tips and tricks that will help you feel better about your big moment!
1. Keep the Same Routine - A lot of performers will drink coffee every day and eat chips before they rehearse and for some reason, on days of performances, their whole routine changes and they start doing yoga and only drinking warm water with honey. When your body gets used to the same routine of coffee and chips, it thinks something is wrong when you start doing something different. You will be thrown off when you perform under circumstances that you are not used to rehearsing in. If this means that you want to change your habits and start doing yoga and drinking warm water with honey every day, then do that; but if changing your habits is not something you can maintain, then just stick to the old ones. It might even trick your brain into thinking that you are still rehearsing, so you won’t be as tense and scared.
2. Create a Stressful Environment When You Practice - This is along the same lines as the previous point. You want to maintain a similar environment when you are practicing as to when you are performing. This way, there is not as much pressure when it’s the real deal and you are already used to the anxiety you are feeling. Try to imagine an audience, or even invite a few friends to sit and listen to you practice. It’s important to get through the entire piece, without stopping and fixing mistakes when you rehearse, because that is what performing will be like.
3. Remember That Everybody Wants You to Succeed - You are probably feeling like everyone is waiting for you to fail and to gossip about how many mistakes you made and how much they despised your performance. That’s just not going to happen. Think of a time you were in the audience - when the performer messed up, were you ready to laugh, or did you want to encourage them to keep going? Most audience members just want to be entertained, so they will either forget or most likely not even notice most of the mistakes that were made. We are our own worst critics, so just do the best that you know you can do that day!
4. Look Into the Light - If you are on a stage that has bright stage lights, look into them. First of all, looking up towards the lights is a really good stage awareness skill to have because it makes the performance a lot more authentic and believable. Second of all, the lights will distract you from looking at the people in the audience (especially if it is a full house) AND when you do look lower, you will have been slightly blinded by the lights, so the audience will be hard to see anyway :P
5. Breathing Exercises Will Save You - When your heart rate is high and you feel light-headed, chances are that you are nervous need to be calmed with deep and slow breathing. My go-to is 4 counts inhale, 4 counts hold, 8 counts exhale; however, you can choose the number of counts that feels most comfortable to you. Sometimes, doing a few unvoiced (silent) lip trills or breathing out on an ‘s’ sound (like a snake) will help control your heart rate and calm you down before you go on stage.
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6. Goosefraba - I will admit that I have taken this word from the movie Anger Management with Adam Sandler. The title character used this word to calm himself when he was having an anger outburst. This word was taken and made into a similar calming exercise focused on deep low breaths and control. This is best done with a partner or a group, although it can be done on your own as well.
a. Close your eyes and touch your palms to your partners’ in front of you. If you’re by yourself, just put your hands out in front of you, as if giving a double high five.
b. Start taking deep breaths. And move your hands in opposite circular motions.
c. After you have begun to slow your breath down, inhale and then exhale on a very low “goosefraba” - similar to “gooosssefraaabaaa”.
d. Do this a few times until you feel calmer.
Try to fight back the laughter until it becomes a calming chant. Now, this may seem a little bit silly and without purpose; however, the ridiculousness of the word, distracts you from the anxiety of the night and the low vibrations of the sound and deep breaths will calm you before your performance.
7. Imagine Everybody in Their Underwear - This may be a little bit cliche, but it is tried and true. You can choose to imagine everybody wearing whatever you want them to wear, or pretend you are singing to an audience full of lamps. This takes so much pressure off of your performance and allows you to have a little bit more fun when sharing your art.
I really hope that these quick tips help you battle your performance anxiety, so you can have the experience you deserve.
For some more quick tips on performing and how to improve your singing overall, read this! Happy Singing!