Stage fright is a bitch. You know you WANT to sing or rap (or just perform in general) but that damn stage fright can stop you from ever taking that stage. But here is a tip on how to overcome stage fright and get rid of it for good.
They say the best way to conquer a fear is to face it over and over again. But what’s crazy is if you take that stage but are afraid, the audience will be able to sense it and you won’t give your best performance.
It’s almost a catch-22. So what are you supposed to do?
One of our readers here at Deviant Noise emailed me to ask about this very thing (shout out to Lyra, wussup girl!) and below is the response I gave her.
I wanted to share it with the rest of our readers because well… everyone experiences stage fright. And this is the best way I know of dealing with it.
Hey Lyra,
Thanks for reaching out. The lessons I review on Deviant Noise aren’t our products.
I’m glad the methods are helping you though. Power and projection are things everyone struggle with. But with the right exercises and breath control you’ll be able to project your voice very well.
As for stage fright – it’s another BIG thing most new singers struggle with.
Honestly, the best advice I can give you is this – you’ve got stage fright for a reason, usually because you’re afraid of looking stupid and sounding bad in front of all those people.
But here’s the ironic thing about the people in the audience – they don’t go into it to judge you, thinking you’re going to look stupid and sound bad. They actually think the EXACT OPPOSITE.
They WANT you to ABSOLUTELY SMASH YOUR PERFORMANCE. And that’s something you have to really believe, because it’s 100% true. So understand and believe that deep down to your core. Believe it with all your heart.
They don’t want you to fail. They want you to succeed!
Because if you succeed and just totally KILL your performance (in the good way) THEY will have a good time! And they came out to see you perform to HAVE A GOOD TIME!
So they’re not there judging you, secretly deep down inside they’re ROOTING for you to be a smash. They really WANT you to show them a great time with all your talent!
When you’re on stage in front of an audience it’s a RELATIONSHIP between you and them every single time.
And they’re not there because they think you’re going to look stupid or sound bad, they are there because they are INTERESTED IN YOU and want to experience your talent. They WANT to LOVE you.
Think about it – people only go on dates and get into relationships because they’re INTERESTED in each other. They WANT it to work and be successful.
It’s the same thing with the relationship between performer and audience.
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But.. like with any relationship they are the ones that WANT you to be in CONTROL of the relationship. While you’re on that stage the entire audience WANTS you to be in CONTROL of the stage and to make the relationship experience phenomenal.
They want you to guide them, show them, excite them and bring them home. So you have to present yourself with confidence and act like you know exactly what you’re doing and where you want the relationship to go.
You’re the driver, the alpha, the leader.
Like I said they are there because they WANT to love you. So make them love you! Present yourself with confidence and make them fall in love with your talent and your personality.
They’re looking for you to lead and be in full control and tell them what to do and make them happy. So you have to project confidence while you’re on that stage.
Own that stage and just put in your all. How? Practice of course. You need to know your live set inside and out – like you’ve done it a million times. That’s how you become confident in your ability and your talent.
And when you’re on the stage, don’t see the individual people in the audience. See the audience as a WHOLE – one big entity without eyes, without ears – just a giant blob there to absorb your talent and your performance.
Keep telling yourself – “They WANT me in control.” “They WANT me to succeed.” “They WANT me to be the star.”
And then go out there and be that star that’s in control of the stage and the crowd.
Understanding that one critical aspect deep down to your core – that the audience WANTS you to be IN CONTROL and WANTS you to ABSOLUTELY SMASH YOUR PERFORMANCE and SUCCEED – makes it so much easier to push stage fright aside and do your absolute best on stage.
And again, like in all relationships, confidence is key – just make sure your talent is ON POINT and you know your live show like the back of your hand.
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Once you’re super confident in your abilities, it’s easier to take control of that stage and your performance, and to project the confidence you need to be the alpha of that performer-audience relationship.
If you’re not already confident in your ability (and let’s be real no one is ever 100% confident in themselves) the best ways to increase your confidence are to 1) PRACITCE your stuff and become great at it and 2) to take some singing lessons.
But you don’t need private one-on-one tutoring just yet (or maybe at all).
Online singing lessons will work wonders for you. I personally recommend either Hear And Play’s Vocal Mastery course or 30 Day Singer.
Both are great programs that will help you with all aspects of singing – tone, breath control, pitch, projection/power, the whole nine yards.
One more thing about stage fright – if you still find yourself having trouble taking control of that stage, the best advice in the world is to just KEEP DOING IT. Keep performing in front of bigger and bigger audiences – eventually you’ll LOVE it and not have stage fright at all.
Of course, you’ll always be nervous. I love being on stage but still get those butterflies before I’m about to hit the stage and rock the mic.
But the more and more you do it, the less and less you fear it. So don’t ever stop because of the fear. FACE IT head-on and conquer it. It WILL HAPPEN – I promise.
I hope this helps a bit.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Stage fright is likely just anxiety as it’s often got to do with fear of judgement and how people will perceive you. You don’t want to perform badly or – in your mind “fail” – in front of other people. It is the fear of what may happen in the theoretical future, so it is a form of being anxious about something.
Yes, stage fright or the anxiety of public performance is very normal and something most people feel at some point or another. When you have to perform in front of others, you want to do your best and be perceived well. That pressure naturally causes you to develop anxiety.
Yes, you can definitely overcome your stage fright. But it’s likely not something that will ever go away entirely. You’ll just be able to manage and control it better. That’s because even the most famous and practiced public performers still feel nervous before they go out on stage. It’s a normal feeling. But you can overcome it through being competent in whatever it is you’re performing and pushing yourself past the fear to just do it.
Over time stage fright or performance anxiety does dampen down, but for most people it will never go away entirely. Stage fright is a completely normal reaction to having to perform in public. It’s an anxiety that can help you focus and perform better if you let it. It may not go away, but over time and with work you can control it much better and maybe even use it for your advantage.
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