Voice

A sound. Your sound. THE sound. Who are you? Do you have a unique sound that is all your own, or is your voice, YOUR SOUND, nothing more than a mere echo of the latest singer. A mere replication of an original that will never meet you or know your name? These are questions that we vocalists must ask ourselves- especially if we want to break out as artists on an international level. I would never bring this question to the forefront without Courtney first asking Courtney, so, I have a little story to tell you.....

About a year ago, I was riding in my car with a few of my music major friends. We were listening to a singer that is fairly well known that I really admired, and still do might I add, that for a while I began to listen to and mimic on a rather regular basis. As my friends and I rode together, they asked a question that has forever changed my life as a vocalist, performer, and all around musician: "Isn't that you singing? When did you record your first CD?" HUH? Don't they know my voice? These are trained musicians and they don't recognize that this vocalist is not me? I then realized that for a very long time people often stated that I sound exactly like this person- MANY people on SEVERAL occasions.

Well, some might say that this was in fact a compliment because my sound likened someone who is already "big", so much so that my individuality disappeared, and only the shadow of another was visible. I beg to differ. I discount, discredit, and dishonor myself and my maker when I don't discover my true individuality as a musician; when I don't discover MY SOUND. The sound that makes ME distinctly ME and no one else. I made a pledge to myself from that day forward to find the beauty of my own uniqueness as an artist.

Do people often say to you, "You sound JUST like fill in the blank!!!" or " Man, you are the next fill in the blank again!"? If so, think about it. Begin your quest in finding your sound. You might just be pleasantly surprised......

TO BE CONTINUED....

Courtney