Diva Manifesto: The Definition of a Diva

So many people use the word Diva. But what exactly is a Diva??? Here is my definition. Here is my Diva Manifesto. . . 


They say that confidence is half what you have, half what you *pretend* to have. Its best to convince yourself that you are amazing, because before you know it, you'll start to believe it. I say to myself that I am gorgeous, intelligent and empowered. I delight in the comforts of solitude and self-expression. If I am feeling a certain way, then I showcase it. I strive to be better than the shadows of myself. I breathe in the crisp air of freedom with a satisfied smile. It's so fulfilling to trust that I am all encompassing--and so are you.

You must believe that you have the potential to be absolutely incredible. You can call yourself a Diva. A Diva who is at the top of every game she plays. Her actions are what others strive to become. This Diva knows that she is capable and strong, polite and assertive, sensitive and warm. She surrounds herself with others that help her grow. Thirsty for inspiration and motivation, she glides through her dreams...

If you let your voice be the echo of your heart, you will be free. Let what you feel play on into the world. Let your words serve as anthems for those unsure. It is possible to enjoy the idiosyncrasies of moments that pass and go. It is possible to love, deeply love.

A Diva sings from her soul with her voice from within...

A Diva will conquer the world,

Shine on...

She will fly above the universe...

Let's Hear About You!

Throat Coat Recipe for Vocalists

Throat Coat Recipe for Vocalists:
Ingredients
- 8 ounces of boiling water
- 1 Throat Coat tea bag
- 1 teaspoon of organic honey
- 1/4 wedge of fresh lime or lemon
Directions
- Pour boiling water into a mug.  Melt honey into the boiling water and stir. Insert tea bag and let seep for 10-15 minutes. Squirt fresh lime/lemon. Enjoy!

Drink this special tea before singing for any special event, when getting over illness and whenever you feel like giving your vocal cords a special treat!


You can purchase Throat Coat at your local supermarket, Walgreens, and Whole Foods. You can also order directly online from their website.


Can't live without my Throat Coat! It's any vocalist's best friend!


Till next time Divas,
*Katrina*

Good and Bad Voice Days

Sometimes we have Good and sometimes we have Bad Voice Days. This simply means that on any given day, regardless of what you do, sometimes your voice sounds better than usual and sometimes it just refuses to cooperate. Some of these factors can contribute to your voice's behavior:


1- Time of the year- Weather changes, precipitation, and certain allergic reactions to mother nature affect our instrument. The dust and bacteria that we breathe in can sit in our vocal cords and affect the way we sound.


2- Lack of sleep- Our vocal cords need rest, too. When they are tired, sound becomes more difficult to produce.


3- What we eat- Certain foods cause acid reflux which burns and irritates our cords-- many times without us knowing. If we know we have to perform, stay away from dairy, red sauces and caffeine, to name a few.


4- Time of the month - PMS, Hormones.. yes that affects your singing, too! Estrogen increases mucus production in the vocal cords which might make singing higher notes more difficult and even cause intonation problems.


5- Fatigue - Using your voice a lot, talking loudly, screaming, and even singing for long periods of time can make your vocal cords tired. When they are fatigued they are harder to manipulate and your sound can seem very weak.


6- Certain medications - Some antibiotics can dry out our vocal cords, making it difficult to produce sound. Also, some medicines can also thin out our blood which actually can make our vocal cords very vulnerable if we are not gentle. To read more, you can check out this ENT website. 


7- Illness - Colds and flus in particular cause congestion, irritation of the vocal cords as well as inflammation of the larynx. Its best to practice vocal rest when you are sick. Unless you are a seasoned professional, its not worth the risk of hurting your voice by trying to sing when you are sick. Also, make sure you are fully recovered from whatever illness you may have before you start singing again. Stay hydrated and drink Throat Coat tea. (my favorite)


8- Dehydration - Drink plenty of fluids! If you don't like the taste of water (my biggest complaint from my students) squirt a couple drops of lemon into the water to improve the taste. Vocal cords naturally have a nice little layer of mucous--when we are dehydrated the mucous dries out and singing can become very tedious! Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate!!!


As you can see, being a vocalist is a lot more difficult than most people think! Being that our instrument is a part of our body, we must take into consideration the different factors that come into place when we are asked to perform. So if you ever feel discouraged that you're not sounding as good as you normally can, or if you are having trouble just getting into the groove of practicing, consider the fact that you might just be having a Bad Voice Day.


Also, take advantage of your Good Voice Days--days where singing is effortless and enjoyable. Take advantage of those days and sing your heart out. =)


Till next time Divas,
*Katrina*

2011 Grammy Vocal Performances

This year I've decided to analyze my favorite and least favorite 2011 Grammy Vocal Performances.  The Grammy's were definitely full of surprises this year--showcasing virtually every genre of music. And the Academy got it right this year with most of their awards, but I enjoyed some of the performances more than others.


My Top 3 2011 Grammy Vocal Performances:

• Cee-Lo/Gwyneth Paltrow: Initially, I did not want to admit that Ms. Paltrow could sing, but it sounds like her vocal coach is doing a great job. Much improvement on her overall technique since she sang at the Country Music Awards. Her belted notes were great and she rocked that outfit! Cee-low was hilarious and did a great job performing as well. 
• Miranda Lambert: Subtle, heart-felt and beautifully done--Miranda's vocal performance proved that music does not require bells and whistles in order to sound amazing. Too many vocalists oversing and overkill. Miranda was elegant and poised. This was her year to shine!
• Muse: I've been a fan of Muse since my WVUM DJ days and it was awesome to finally see them perform in the Grammy's. Their appearance was well worth the wait, because they were frickin' phenomenal and killed their performance. Great vocals + awesome show production!

My Worst 3 2011 Grammy Vocal Performances:

• Aretha Franklin Tribute: Christina Aguilera, Jennifer Hudson, Yolanda Adams, Florence Welch and Martina McBride sang a medley of Aretha songs and although some parts were extremely well done, I couldn't get passed the cacophony of oversinging--especially towards the end of the song. Christina's singing was a lot better than her Super Bowl disaster and Jennifer Hudson was pretty solid. Martina McBride was unmemorable and Florence Welch surprised me with her range during "Think." I felt Yolanda Adams was a bit harsh-sounding. I was pleasantly surprised until they all started to sing at once....train-wreck. They *almost* had it, almost.  
• Rihanna: When she wasn't singing into a live Pro Tools session, and she was actually live, she was terrible. She couldn't reach the high notes on "Love The Way You Lie" and she was just all over the place, changing keys left and right.  Unforgiveable.
• Katy Perry: Sorry Katy, but you failed to deliver. You had no stage presence, provided very little effort, and made me bored. I love her songs but her performance was definitely lackluster. 

Mind you, these performances are mainly being critiqued by their vocals. I know some opinions may differ so I'm curious to hear what you think!?

Till next time Divas,

*Katrina*

National Anthem Finals/Audition Preparation Tips

So I have an audition this afternoon and wanted to share some of the tips that I teach my students in my Diva Vox studio. Full Sail is hosting a National Anthem Competition for the opportunity to sing for the Orlando Magic at the new Amway Center. It's a great opportunity for many reasons:
(1) The promotion alone is amazing
(2) The experience of singing inside one of the best arenas in the country
(3) The endless possibilities of what could happen if I win


So, over a hundred people auditioned and they narrowed down the competition to 12 finalists... I'm on the list.. WOO-HOO! The finals are today at 4:30PM at Full Sail's fancy new venue. =)


I prepare for auditions by:
1- Drinking lots of water -- Keeping your vocal chords hydrated is extremely important. Singing with dry chords can irritate your instrument so it is important to keep them lubricated.
2- Making Throat Coat Tea-- I highly recommend this tea for anyone who uses their voice a lot. For an extra boost, add a teaspoon of organic honey and a squirt of lime/lemon. The combination of the citrus and smooth honey literally coat your vocal chords. Your voice will love you afterwards.
3- Warming-up -- Dedicate at least 30 minutes to truly warm-up your voice. Your voice is a muscle--just like how you would stretch before you play sports, you need to "stretch" and get your voice ready. If you skip warming up, you won't sound nearly as good as can possibly sound. Practice lip trills and arpeggios (tutorials coming soon) up and down your entire range. Practice singing all five vowels (a, e, i, o, u) and isolate certain phrases of the song.
4- Record yourself - You never truly know how you sound like unless you listen to a recording of your performance. Record and listen to several takes of your performance and reflect on what you liked and what you did not like.
5- Dress-up like a Diva - I know it sounds silly, but when I was growing up, my mom used to buy me a new dress every time I had a performance. To this day, I take this into consideration and make sure that whatever I am wearing is going to make me feel confident and beautiful. If you feel great about the way you look, you will exude confidence and your performance will actually be a lot better. Try it!
6- Psych yourself - Its perfectly normal to be nervous! No matter how many years of experience you may have, you still get nervous! Its because nerves and excitement are chemically the same. Mentally shift those nerves into excitement. Know that you are prepared, you are a Diva, and you will shine.


Hope this helps! Time to follow my own advice and gear up for this afternoon!


*Katrina*

Songlets in Music Composition

Many times during my songwriting process, I come up with catchy 15-30 second songs. They can be as meaningful as the telling of a short story and as simple as a one line phrase.


Sometimes when I record these phrases, I get stuck and the song does not grow any further. I attribute this to writer's block, laziness and honestly sometimes I can get my musical point across pretty quickly. Ever since I started recording these mini-songs, I started collecting a library of catchy little soundbites... Hence my creation of the... *drumroll please*

Songlets

These mini songs are great for licensing opportunities for commercial spots, sizzle reels, motion graphics, and samples for other artists.


At first I thought this was a crazy idea, but I think it makes sense! What do you think???


Do you ever get your point across in 30 seconds or less???


*Katrina*