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Most singers can learn the notes and the words. That isn’t the part that gets in the way. The real block sits under the surface. It’s the moment where the song should land and somehow doesn’t. You can feel it. The audience can feel it. Something is missing.

In this episode, we dig into that missing piece
How singers learn songs too fast
How the ear follows the recording but not the key
How interpretation can be lovely but still empty
And how inhabiting a song changes everything

We talk through the internal logic sitting inside every piece of music
The logic of the harmony
The logic of the text
The tiny decision points singers often sail past without noticing
The moments of energy change, tempo change, key change, and emotional shift that carry the story

There are real examples from our masterclasses, including:
A classical song that suddenly locked into tune once the chords were stripped back.
A singer who delivered a perfect interpretation but didn’t sound like himself until we dug for his version of the truth.
A musical theatre song that revealed its turning point in the silence between phrases.

00:00 Why your song isn't landing
01:24 A shift in vocal technique
03:32 Being honest about your background
05:17 Helping a singer with tuning
08:39 Learning the song but not the key
10:15 Change points help you map the song
11:23 Do you memorise too quickly?
12:23 The Speed Run and other techniques
13:40 Acting without acting training
16:14 Green Finch and Linnet Bird
19:23 Not For The Life Of Me - Hidden in the text
21:47 Gimme Gimme - When ARE decisions made?
24:03 I Remember Sondheim
25:54 I Don't Sound Like Me!
30:30 Interpretation versus Inhabitation
35:06 The "studio-perfect" voice myth
37:44 This is our context, what's yours?

If you teach singers, this episode gives you tools to diagnose why a performance isn’t landing.
If you’re a singer, it shows you how to slow down, listen differently, and find the place where your voice actually sits inside the song.

Tell us how you approach learning or teaching songs.
What do you notice, break down, strip back, or question?
We’d love to hear it.

I Cain't Say No (Oklahoma) analysed by FlyNorthTheatricals https://www.tiktok.com/@flynorththeatricals/video/7566630322780081439

Remember to like and subscribe for more insightful episodes. Leave a comment below on what inspired you the most! 👇

You can find out about our Teacher Accreditation for singing teachers, vocal coaches and choir leaders and start your own journey here
https://vocalprocess.co.uk/teacher-accreditation/

We've also got this ↓

For the best self-guided learning, check out the Vocal Process Learning Lounge - 22 years of vocal coaching resources (over 600 videos) for less than the price of one private singing lesson.
Click on the link https://vocalprocess.co.uk/learning-lounge/learning-lounge-level-2-deep-dive/

If you want to discover if our singing teacher training programme works for YOU, message us - we can share the process for joining Cohort26. https://www.cognitoforms.com/VocalProcess1/TheAccreditationProgramme

Get the One Minute Voice Warmup app here, it's got a 4.9star rating
Appstore https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/one-minute-voice-warmup/id1212802251
Google Play https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=co.speechtools.warmup&hl=en_GB

Check out our Voice Journal, written with Rayvox's Oren Boder https://www.rayvox.co.uk/products/voice-journal?ref=VOCALPROCESS

Find us - follow us on the socials!
🐦 Twitter - https://twitter.com/Vocalprocess
📸 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/vocalprocess
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Burnout can creep up quietly - until one day you realise you’ve got nothing left to give.

In this honest, wide-ranging conversation, Dr Gillyanne Kayes, Jeremy Fisher and guest Dr Marisa Lee Naismith (host of A Voice and Beyond) talk about burnout in the performing arts: how it happens, what it feels like, and what recovery really takes.

We explore:

The link between trauma, stress, and burnout

Boundaries and learning to say “I don’t have the capacity”

Why people-pleasing drives exhaustion

The real brain changes in burnout and how to reset

What it means to honour yourself as a creative

This episode includes insights from Stress Burnout Reset by Kerry Norton, reflections on somatic recovery, and practical tools for singers and teachers finding their way back to balance.

00:00 Intro and Phlegm Alert
02:10 When Burnout Creeps Up On You
03:23 Losing Everything and Working Harder
05:39 Adversity vs Trauma
07:53 Burnout in the Performing Arts
08:41 Self-Worth and People-Pleasing
11:11 Learning To Say No And Setting Boundaries
15:19 The 24-7 Access Problem
19:28 The Power Of Saying "I Don't Have The Capacity"
22:07 What Burnout Does To The Brain
25:25 Recovery Tools and Somatic Practices
33:45 Maria's Final Reflections - Honouring Yourself

Watch, reflect, and share your experience of burnout in the comments.


Remember to like, subscribe, and hit the bell icon for more insightful episodes. Leave a comment below on what inspired you the most! 👇

You can find out about our Teacher Accreditation for singing teachers, vocal coaches and choir leaders and start your own journey here
https://vocalprocess.co.uk/teacher-accreditation/

We've also got this ↓

For the best self-guided learning, check out the Vocal Process Learning Lounge - 22 years of vocal coaching resources (over 600 videos) for less than the price of one private singing lesson.
Click on the link https://vocalprocess.co.uk/learning-lounge/learning-lounge-level-2-deep-dive/

If you want to discover if our singing teacher training programme works for YOU, message us - we can share the process for joining Cohort26. https://www.cognitoforms.com/VocalProcess1/TheAccreditationProgramme

Get the One Minute Voice Warmup app here, it's got a 4.9star rating
Appstore https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/one-minute-voice-warmup/id1212802251
Google Play https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=co.speechtools.warmup&hl=en_GB

Check out our Voice Journal, written with Rayvox's Oren Boder https://www.rayvox.co.uk/products/voice-journal?ref=VOCALPROCESS

Find us - follow us on the socials!
🐦 Twitter - https://twitter.com/Vocalprocess
📸 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/vocalprocess
📖 Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/vocalprocess

#vocalprocess #teacheraccreditation #voicetraining

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If you’ve ever felt exhausted, cynical or “not good enough,” this episode will help you spot the signs, set boundaries and start recovering - without guilt.

What really causes burnout in musicians, singers, teachers, and students?
In this second episode of This Is A Voice on burnout, Dr. Gillyanne Kayes and Jeremy Fisher discuss the physical, emotional, and systemic roots of burnout - with two special guests offering different perspectives.

Dr Ayan Panja (NHS GP, Saving Lives In Slow Motion podcast) explains why burnout isn’t just “being tired” - and what really happens when empathy and perfectionism collide.

Richard Delaney (Programme Leader, BA Hons Acting: Contemporary and Devised at Royal Central School of Speech & Drama) reveals how time poverty and constant assessment are burning out a generation of creative students.

Plus, Gillyanne and Jeremy share their own stories of freelance burnout, people-pleasing and finding balance as performers and coaches.

Listen now and share it with a friend who might need it.
Featuring clips from Saving Lives In Slow Motion (used with permission).

You can find out about Ayan's work and join his podcast on https://drayan.co.uk/

You can find out about Richard's work on https://www.richardddelaney.com/

Remember to like, subscribe, and hit the bell icon for more insightful episodes. Leave a comment below on what inspired you the most! 👇

You can find out about our Teacher Accreditation for singing teachers, vocal coaches and choir leaders and start your own journey here
https://vocalprocess.co.uk/teacher-accreditation/

We've also got this ↓

For the best self-guided learning, check out the Vocal Process Learning Lounge - 22 years of vocal coaching resources (over 600 videos) for less than the price of one private singing lesson.
Click on the link https://vocalprocess.co.uk/learning-lounge/learning-lounge-level-2-deep-dive/

If you want to discover if our singing teacher training programme works for YOU, message us - we can share the process for joining Cohort26. https://www.cognitoforms.com/VocalProcess1/TheAccreditationProgramme

Get the One Minute Voice Warmup app here, it's got a 4.9star rating
Appstore https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/one-minute-voice-warmup/id1212802251
Google Play https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=co.speechtools.warmup&hl=en_GB

Check out our Voice Journal, written with Rayvox's Oren Boder https://www.rayvox.co.uk/products/voice-journal?ref=VOCALPROCESS

Find us - follow us on the socials!
🐦 Twitter - https://twitter.com/Vocalprocess
📸 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/vocalprocess
📖 Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/vocalprocess

#vocalprocess #teacheraccreditation #voicetraining

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Burnout isn’t just “being tired.” For many musicians, singers, and creatives, it creeps in quietly until suddenly you can’t think clearly, you can’t create, and you feel stuck in cycles of exhaustion.

In Season 12 Episode 1 of This Is A Voice, Jeremy Fisher and Dr. Gillyanne Kayes open up about their own experience with burnout, how it affected their work and creativity, and what they did to recover.

They’re joined by singer and coach Franka van Essen, who explains burnout through the lens of Polyvagal Theory - and why creatives often toggle between burnout, boredom and overdrive.

We talk about:

The real signs of burnout (that you might be ignoring)

Why freelancing makes burnout more likely

How Polyvagal Theory can help you recognise the “zones” you live in

Practical ways to step back into rest, creativity, and connection

If you’ve ever felt exhausted, disconnected, or wondered “is this burnout?”, this episode will help you recognise it - and give you hope that you can recover.
#burnout #singerburnout #polyvagaltheory #musicianmentalhealth #vocalcoach #singingteacher

00:00 Mood swings and despair

01:19 What burnout looks like

02:56 Measuring burnout

05:21 Jeremy’s change of behaviour

07:12 Franka on how burnout can start

09:19 Singing teachers and burnout

12:16 Musicians and task switching

13:49 Polyvagal theory and the zones

17:10 Toggling between the zones

19:01 Compassion fatigue

22:25 Household boundaries

25:08 A plate of raspberry puddings

25:44 Getting back in the green zone

28:44 Learning to say no

Remember to like, subscribe, and hit the bell icon for more insightful episodes. Leave a comment below on what inspired you the most! 👇

You can find out about our Teacher Accreditation for singing teachers, vocal coaches and choir leaders and start your own journey here
https://vocalprocess.co.uk/teacher-accreditation/

We've also got this ↓

For the best self-guided learning, check out the Vocal Process Learning Lounge - 22 years of vocal coaching resources (over 600 videos) for less than the price of one private singing lesson.
Click on the link https://vocalprocess.co.uk/learning-lounge/learning-lounge-level-2-deep-dive/

If you want to discover if our singing teacher training programme works for YOU, message us - we can share the process for joining Cohort26. https://www.cognitoforms.com/VocalProcess1/TheAccreditationProgramme

Get the One Minute Voice Warmup app here, it's got a 4.9star rating
Appstore https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/one-minute-voice-warmup/id1212802251
Google Play https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=co.speechtools.warmup&hl=en_GB

Check out our Voice Journal, written with Rayvox's Oren Boder https://www.rayvox.co.uk/products/voice-journal?ref=VOCALPROCESS

Find us - follow us on the socials!
🐦 Twitter - https://twitter.com/Vocalprocess
📸 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/vocalprocess
📖 Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/vocalprocess

#vocalprocess #teacheraccreditation #voicetraining

Send us a text

What does it take to be an effective singing leader?
Why is community music is so vital for social health?
How can positivity counteract our innate negativity bias?

In this powerful follow-up with Dr Melissa Forbes, we talk about how singing transforms lives far beyond the stage. From rethinking the deficit mindset of traditional music training to leading groups for people with Parkinson’s, Melissa challenges us to see singing through a new lens:

Connection, not perfection.

Whether you're a singer, teacher, coach, or someone who just loves voices, this episode will shift how you think about music, leadership and human connection.
#musicleadership #positivity #mentalhealth

00:00 The singing skill no-one talks about
05:09 Performative versus Experiential music
07:28 What makes a great singing leader?
09:52 Singing for health and Parkinson’s choirs
15:02 A moving story about the power of choirs
19:04 Negativity bias & deficit mindset in music training
22:36 Helping people see beyond their limitations
24:46 Melissa’s three-word mantra

Remember to like, subscribe, and hit the bell icon for more insightful episodes. Leave a comment below on what inspired you the most!

You can find out about our Teacher Accreditation for singing teachers, vocal coaches and choir leaders and start your own journey here
https://vocalprocess.co.uk/teacher-accreditation/

We've also got this ↓

For the best self-guided learning, check out the Vocal Process Learning Lounge - 22 years of vocal coaching resources (over 600 videos) for less than the price of one private singing lesson.
Click on the link https://vocalprocess.co.uk/learning-lounge/learning-lounge-level-2-deep-dive/

If you want to discover if our singing teacher training programme works for YOU, book a Discovery Call with Gillyanne here https://DrGillyanneKayesJeremyFisherInspirationSession.as.me/ACCREDITATIONCHAT

Get the One Minute Voice Warmup app here, it's got a 4.9star rating
Appstore https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/one-minute-voice-warmup/id1212802251
Google Play https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=co.speechtools.warmup&hl=en_GB

Check out our Voice Journal, written with Rayvox's Oren Boder https://www.rayvox.co.uk/products/voice-journal?ref=VOCALPROCESS

Find us - follow us on the @VocalProcess socials!

#vocalprocess #teacheraccreditation #voicetraining

Send us a text

Dr Melissa Forbes worked in law for 10 years until the firm's partner told a story about a bucket of water. That speech sent her straight to a jazz conservatorium, then to the research lab, and finally into community halls where group singing is healing real-world isolation.

In this episode of This Is A Voice, Jeremy Fisher & Dr Gillyanne Kayes chat with Melissa on

- the “flight-corrections” that reboot a creative life
- how positive psychology reframes practice, strength and burnout
- why participatory choirs can out-perform stadium shows in human impact
- tips for choir leaders & voice teachers who feel stuck in the “performance-only” loop

Whether you belt for Britain, lead chamber choirs, or run a voice studio, the twists and turns in Melissa’s story will spark new ideas for you and your singers.
Hit play, grab a cuppa, and let’s get vocal about making music that matters!

00:00 – A Jazz Singer, A Lawyer & A Bucket of Water Walk Into a Bar...
05:05 – Bringing the lawyer brain to music
08:50 – Is singing research a dry subject?
13:55 – Losing (& refinding) your joy in music
17:45 – Turning points for different people
22:09 – How singing helps with a crisis of social health
24:12 – Music for health and wellbeing

#CommunityChoir #PositivePsychology #VoiceScience

Remember to like, subscribe, and hit the bell icon for more insightful episodes. Leave a comment below on what inspired you the most! 👇

Here's the link to Melissa's article on pivoting from music performance to music on prescription (it's free to access):
https://research.usq.edu.au/download/58f90447e97bc759d586fcb70ab91a7d3114d02bd6fdade8d31dbc0b1e02b81f/449105/forbes-et-al-2025-from-music-performance-to-prescription-a-guide-for-musicians-and-health-professionals.pdf


You can find out about our Teacher Accreditation for singing teachers, vocal coaches and choir leaders and start your own journey here
https://vocalprocess.co.uk/teacher-accreditation/

We've also got this ↓

For the best self-guided learning, check out the Vocal Process Learning Lounge - 22 years of vocal coaching resources (now over 700 videos) for less than the price of one private singing lesson with us.
Click on the link https://vocalprocess.co.uk/learning-lounge/learning-lounge-level-2-deep-dive/

If you want to discover if our singing teacher training programme works for YOU, message us - we can share the process for joining Cohort26. https://www.cognitoforms.com/VocalProcess1/TheAccreditationProgramme

Get the One Minute Voice Warmup app here, it's got a 4.9star rating
Appstore https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/one-minute-voice-warmup/id1212802251
Google Play https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=co.speechtools.warmup&hl=en_GB

Check out our Voice Journal, written with Rayvox's Oren Boder https://www.rayvox.co.uk/products/voice-journal?ref=VOCALPROCESS

Find us - follow us on the socials!
📸 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/vocalprocess
📖 Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/vocalprocess

#vocalprocess #teacheraccreditation #voicetraining

Send us a text

This isn’t just a podcast. It’s a five-year deep-dive into the voices, lives and lessons of singers, teachers and coaches around the world.

In this special fifth anniversary episode of This Is A Voice, Jeremy and Dr. Gillyanne revisit the most powerful, personal, and punch-in-the-gut moments from over 100 episodes.
From life-changing reflux wake-ups, to the moment a singer’s voice disappeared on stage, to a viral blog on “Success Amnesia”... this is Dealer’s Choice.

Whether you're a singer, coach, SLP, SLT or voice-curious creative, this episode is a masterclass in resilience, taste, recovery, self-worth and biscuit tins.

Featuring:

Vocal injuries (and how to recover)
The truth about reflux for voice users
Why your "classical voice" isn't a prison
When technique isn’t the answer (but safe space is)
What to do when you forget your own success

00:00 Vocal For 5 Years - Here's What We've Learned
01:00 Our First Episode & Gillyanne's Dad's Biscuit Tin
02:00 Sing the Whole Song or Work on Fragments?
04:56 This Popular Episode on Reflux Might Change Your Teaching
10:38 Singers: Doing What You Love Or Just Coping?
14:53 Her Voice Cut Out On Stage. What Happened Next?
23:29 "Why Don't I Feel Successful?" This Might Be The Reason
30:28 The Artist's Curse: Always Onto The Next Thing
32:54 Are You Vocally Biased? The Need-To-Know About Taste
37:05 Teachers Can Be Cruel To 10-Year-Olds
39:50 80% of Voice Coaching Is This (It's Not Technique)
45:58 MT Singers: This Mindset Shift Will Change Your Singing
47:14 Share Your Favourite Episode

Perfect for: musical theatre singers, contemporary artists, classical performers, vocal coaches, SLPs, and anyone who’s ever lost their voice — literally or metaphorically.

#voicelossonstage #refluxandsinging #musicaltheatre

Remember to like, subscribe, and hit the bell icon for more insightful episodes. Leave a comment below on what inspired you the most! 👇

You can find out about our Teacher Accreditation for singing teachers, vocal coaches and choir leaders and start your own journey here
https://vocalprocess.co.uk/teacher-accreditation/


We've also got this ↓

For the best self-guided learning, check out the Vocal Process Learning Lounge - 22 years of vocal coaching resources (over 600 videos) for less than the price of one private singing lesson.
Click on the link https://vocalprocess.co.uk/learning-lounge/learning-lounge-level-2-deep-dive/

If you want to discover if our singing teacher training programme works for YOU, message us - we can share the process for joining Cohort26. https://www.cognitoforms.com/VocalProcess1/TheAccreditationProgramme

Get the One Minute Voice Warmup app here, it's got a 4.9star rating
Appstore https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/one-minute-voice-warmup/id1212802251
Google Play https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=co.speechtools.warmup&hl=en_GB

Check out our Voice Journal, written with Rayvox's Oren Boder https://www.rayvox.co.uk/products/voice-journal?ref=VOCALPROCESS

Find us - follow us on the socials!
🐦 Twitter - https://twitter.com/Vocalprocess
📸 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/vocalprocess
📖 Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/vocalprocess

#vocalprocess #teacheraccreditation #voicetraining

Send us a text

"One of the greatest repositories of knowledge for singing and for performance in existence"

What if you had 700 expert voice teaching tools at your fingertips—any time, any day?

In this episode of This Is A Voice, Jeremy and Gillyanne get personal about the Vocal Process Learning Lounge — a powerhouse online resource designed for singing teachers, vocal coaches, choir leaders, and voice users.

You’ll hear how the Learning Lounge came to life, who it’s for, and why it’s become a go-to CPD (continuing professional development) hub with over 38 accredited hours and growing. #CPDforSingers

Whether you want help with vowel tuning, stylistic coaching, teen voice changes, or even straw-based SOVT exercises — the Learning Lounge has it.

Plus, discover how our live Q&As build real community, create a sounding board, and help teachers implement learning that very same day.

Want to try it or ask a question? Visit https://vocalprocess.co.uk or drop us a message.

Topics in this episode include:

• Bite-sized adult learning for busy singing teachers
• Using reflection points instead of multiple choice
• CPD certificates and lesson-ready content
• Live community Q&As (with real teaching results)
• Bonus trainings from SLPs and guest experts
• New courses like “Creating a Safe Space” (polyvagal theory)

📥 Learn more at https://vocalprocess.co.uk/learning-lounge/

00:00 – 🎉 Birthday podcast! (Yes, we’re that dedicated)
01:15 – "The Learning Lounge is AMAZING" - West End vocal coaches agree
02:53 – Why we built a singing teacher’s dream
04:48 – Built for busy voices and busy lives
06:40 – Videos, workshops & songlists — oh my!
08:22 – Less spoon-feeding, more lightbulb moments
10:02 – CPD without the soul-sucking quizzes
11:50 – A vowel epiphany, courtesy of Steph
14:30 – Musical Theatre, resonance & genre wizardry
17:38 – Q&A sessions - your vocal agony aunt hour
22:06 – Vocal muscle training
23:27 – In person in London, you could touch us
25:52 – Adolescent voice change & tricky transitions
28:25 – SOVT straws and muscle tension
35:02 – Safe Spaces & polyvagal insights
37:10 – Where to find us + what’s coming next


Remember to like, subscribe, and hit the bell icon for more insightful episodes. Leave a comment below on what inspired you the most! 👇

You can find out about our Teacher Accreditation for singing teachers, vocal coaches and choir leaders and start your own journey here
https://vocalprocess.co.uk/teacher-accreditation/

We've also got this ↓

Get the One Minute Voice Warmup app here, it's got a 4.9star rating
Appstore https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/one-minute-voice-warmup/id1212802251
Google Play https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=co.speechtools.warmup&hl=en_GB

Check out our Voice Journal, written with Rayvox's Oren Boder https://www.rayvox.co.uk/products/voice-journal?ref=VOCALPROCESS

Find us - follow us on the socials!
🐦 Twitter - https://twitter.com/Vocalprocess
📸 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/vocalprocess
📖 Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/vocalprocess