This week I joined the hype and went to see the new Barbie movie. I can't really remember being a Barbie girl. I didn't play with the dolls or have a dream house (or a Ken for that matter) but I was excited to dig out some pink clobber and embrace Barbie world.
The movie was great and I loved the feminist themes, but it wasn't the plot that I connected with. It was the music. I left fully obsessed with Billie Eilish's contribution to the soundtrack, What I Was Made For, and I listened to it on repeat all the way home. I fell in love with the sincerity and vulnerability of the lyrics, her famous breathy tone and her selective, but beautiful vocal riffs. I felt such a connection to the song that I wanted to listen to it over and over again to see what else could be discovered, and each time there was something new.
I've felt this kind of obsession before. When I first went to see A Star Is Born it wasn't Shallow that haunted me, but it was Bradley Cooper's solo, Maybe It's Time. When I first saw the musical Rent I was captivated with One Song Glory and Will I. I've been infatuated with the soundtracks of Moana and Hamilton and wept listening to the music from Gladiator and Schindler's List.
During a private lesson with a student this week I was discussing expression and how knowing the plot and back history of a character or song provides a deeper connection when performing. The student told me that she felt a deep connection with the song Listen from Dreamgirls, and of course I asked her to sing it (she really walked herself into that one!). She was right. As she sang the first couple of verses there was a sense of belief and authenticity. It was as though she was channelling her own Sacha Fierce.
Since that lesson I've been thinking about my own soundtrack. What do I sing that I connect with deeply and what songs would I feature to capture my authentic self. It's food for thought because I believe it's these songs that capture your creativity and authenticity which allow your audience (whether that be your singing teacher, your partner, a crowded auditorium or your cat) a little glimmer of the soul.
Songs that capture your creativity and authenticity provide your audience with a little glimmer to the soul.
So what would you include in your soundtrack? Here's a suggestion. Jot down songs that have spoken to you, resonated with you, maybe even haunted you... and then sing them.
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