It's been a while...

Hi all!

I haven't posted on here in a very long time, mainly because I haven't actually had a lot to report.

Everything with regards to my singing just got better and better, and every day it was easier. Rediscovered my lower register which is nice, and my top is a lot better too. I think I can finally say I am singing like me again, which is an amazing feeling.

I have had a rather huge change in life recently, however, as I have left college. This decision wasn't based on my vocal health, it was largely the fact that I just couldn't afford the fees. I was working my socks off teaching, and working in a restaurant I sing in and I just couldn't find the time to really focus on my development as a singer. Ultimately it came down the fact that I couldn't see the point in struggling to get the money together, when I didn't feel like I was getting the best out of the institution. Due to all this, I left my singing teacher as I wanted a completely fresh start as of January on wards.

So since December I have officially been living the life of a freelance singer and singing teacher, and I couldn't be happier. I am basically living the same life as conservatoire students yet with more money, and more time to focus on my vocal technique. I'm not saying conservatoires are a bad place AT ALL, yet this was my 7th year in an institution and I think I've got what I can out of music college for the time being. It's time to experience real life I think!

Anyway, this is all irrelevant to this blog but I thought I would just keep you all informed. I have been getting COUNTLESS messages from people all over the world undergoing vocal surgery and I have done my best to be of as as much help as I can be. One thing that has surprised me was how little your surgeons are telling you. So many people haven't been advised to have speech therapy, I think this is surely a requirement? Some had never heard of steaming and some have just been told to continue speaking "normally" once you have done your few days of vocal rest. I can't get my head around all of this as in most cases, speaking "normally" was what resulted in you actually having to have surgery in the first place!

I just don't think vocal health is spoken about enough, amongst singers, teachers and people who aren't even professional voice users. I really want to change this and I think the only way for this to happen is if I share this blog publicly and tell people my story, with my professional name attached. The reason why I didn't do this in the first place is because I didn't want to feel the pressure from my colleagues once I started singing again. This doesn't mean I would have been put under any pressure intentionally, but I think people would have been listening for a change and I really didn't need that as it wouldn't have been positive towards my recovery.

I told some people, obviously, because I had to. I told my head of school, my singing teacher, my coach, close friends and of course family. I even ended up having to tell a producer of an opera company in London, a person who I trust entirely, due to the fact he offered me an amazing job which I had to turn down because I wouldn't be ready. This was a risk, as I was concerned about future employment with said company, yet my honesty paid off and said person is still in touch. Which is what it should be like! Why should I, as a young singer, be blacklisted amongst opera companies for having an operation on my cords? I don't know anybody that this has ever happened to but it was something I was worried about so much and I shouldn't have to be! Do footballers still get booked after an injury? YES! So it shouldn't be any different for singers, and it won't be if more people are honest about their situations and people talk.

It's nothing to be ashamed of. I'm a better singer now than I ever was, just need a job to prove it now!!

MezzoGirl x