If singing feels scary: what I wish I'd known

I studied singing at the Rockacademie. And somewhere during those years, I completely lost my joy in singing. Slowly, year by year. It was so often about what wasn't good enough. My technique was fine, but my eyes looked "wrong". I sang in tune, but looked uncomfortable on stage. I addressed the audience with confidence, but was called "the schoolteacher" at every performance.

It had to be perfect, but in the way the teachers wanted it to be. They would know, after all, because they came from "the music industry".

The result? Whenever I had to sing, I got nervous. I trembled terribly, my legs and my voice. I didn't want to get on a stage anymore. While music had carried me through my teenage years. Singing along at the top of my lungs with No Doubt (SIXTEEN, best teen anthem ever), or performing heartfelt ballads by Dutch rocksinger Anouk with the 4 guitar chords I'd taught myself to play.

It wasn't until my fourth year that I had a teacher who did things differently. Ted Koninkx. He didn't ask me to be technically perfect. He asked me to tell my story, my interpretation of the lyrics, to convey the feeling. He said: "Be proud of the qualities you DO have, and do something with them."

That clicked. And that has been the foundation of how I teach ever since.

Music is not a competition. Not with others. Not with yourself. Not about how high you can sing, how loud, how "good". Music is expression and creativity, an outlet for emotions and feeling, for humour, for love, for life.

I use technique as a means to make that possible, never as a goal in itself. Vocal technique helps your voice do what you want, not the other way around.

And if the idea of coming to sing feels scary: that's normal. But I've been teaching singing for 20 years. Together we create safety, we put you at the centre, and we make music something about freedom and honesty rather than judgement.

You're allowed to be exactly who you are. That's the starting point.

Trial lessons in May: book now!

If you've always wanted to sing but haven't dared, this is for you. In May I'm organising trial lessons at a special one-off rate.

Group singing lesson: adults (trial!)

27 May: 10-11am / €20 p.p. Sign up!

Individual trial lesson (children and adults)

Fancy a one-on-one trial lesson? That's possible this month, on Wednesdays between 11am-5pm and Fridays 11am-5pm / €25 for a 30-minute lesson.

Send me a message with your name and preferred day and I'll send you the payment link.