June 27, 2025 • 79 mins
If you know me at all, you’ve probably heard me say that you don’t have to get louder to sing high with power. But singer Brandi took this to a while other level - Girl’s got PIPES! She almost blew me away with all that power and volume in our coaching session. Controlling the volume in these high notes is the key to longevity and stamina in your voice. Brandi and I explored how to stay in a chest dominant tone without overdoing it, pace the song for long-term stamina, and sing high notes without strain. Along the way, she talked about learning to express her full artistry—without burning out her voice in the process.
📍Mentioned Resource: Brandi @sweetheartpsalms
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Episode Transcript
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(00:00):
stay in my heart
I have nothing nothing nothing
if I
(00:32):
I love you
amazing how was that
um that felt the best out of the
out of the from out of them yeah
yeah you nailed it
oh thank you
100% nailed it I I
I don't know how it felt but I loved this version
this was really really
really great um
it's not too much not too little
(00:54):
and if you feel like this is a sustainable way of you
singing this chorus
I have no notes I loved it
hey Vox Star and welcome to from singer to artist
I'm Lara Chapman award winning singer and songwriter
(01:16):
turned viral vocal coach and the host of this show
at VoxTape Studios
we help singers from all over the world
level up their voices
by teaching them the 3 fundamental skills
all singers need technique
awareness and artistry whether you're looking to go pro
or just develop your voice for fun
my team and I are here to help
check the link in the description
(01:36):
to book your first session
or grab some of our other resources
Alrighty are you ready
let's get started
we are back in our home studio with yet another amazing
beautiful singer welcome Brandi
hi thank you for having me
of course thank you for being here
I'm so excited to have you here
it's been like
(01:56):
a good 6 or 7 years since we met
and also the last time I was there too
yeah um
but we met actually at a songwriters round
mm hmm that was a really cool experience
it was my first songwriters round
mine too yeah
oh yay
perfect and I hadn't
I just moved I'd maybe been in indie for like
(02:18):
a year or so so
oh really
where did you move from um Nashville Tennessee
okay okay
usually people move the other way
they moved from indie to Nashville hahaha
but it was so great to meet you there
and I remember like
everybody was blown away by your vocals
and it was like wow hahaha OK
(02:39):
OK I need a step up my game over here and no
no how
how was the experience for you to remember
it's been such a long time
um I just remember being really
really nervous'cause it was like
my first time um
sharing my original music in a really
really long time and I had um
just lost someone that was really
(03:00):
really close to me um
so I was like
coming out of like
that kind of grief and stuff
so yeah
and trying to honor him by like
still pursuing my music so yeah
it was kind of emotional but also really scary
yeah yeah
no I
I definitely get that uh
you know music is a
is a beautiful
thing and it can it can help us heal and you know
sharing it with others helps them heal too
(03:23):
which is which is so beautiful
so you know thank you for
for creating this beautiful music and sharing it
thank you and uh
for me it was also like my first songwriters round
like just like for um
for you like for indie at least and uh
I remember I was playing songs and I forgot
for one song I forgot to move the capo and it was way
(03:45):
way higher than I was used to singing it
and I was like why is this song so hard to sing
and then halfway through
I noticed that the capo was on the wrong fret
and I was like that's why but hey
too late to stop and change it now
so we're just gonna keep rolling with it yep
I feel like you mentioned that though too
I did yep
(04:05):
yeah at the end of that song you said that yeah yep
I was like but I was like
she's got the chops and she did it so thank you
thank you I think it was like
three or four
half steps higher than what it usually is
and I was like this was supposed to be my easy song
why is this so hard there you go
but yeah
I I did mention it at the end just kind of be like well
that was fun that was totally in the wrong key
(04:27):
but here we are hahaha
and I don't know I'm
I'm the kind of person who
maybe sometimes overshares a little bit
but I also feel like it it shows character
you know when you're like
well let's laugh about this and you didn't like
you know there are some artists that will like stop and
you know yeah
(04:47):
I mean sometimes that's a part of their persona
or their artistry but you know
I think it also shows another side
when you can keep going and it sounded fantastic
I don't remember ever thinking like
that's weird yeah
it doesn't sound good like it all sounded good
so oh well
thank you thank you
right back at you thank you
and um
(05:07):
before we dig into
the song that we're gonna be working on
we're gonna look at I have nothing
Whitney Houston God willing
God willing there you go
you said that
that's one of the songs that is just kind of like ah
it's a pain point sometimes
I get it yes
yes the key change right
yeah whoo hoo
(05:27):
but I'm excited to have a look at that
that song with you but before we dig in
do you mind sharing a little bit more about your
musical background
um sure
um
uh yeah
well I've been playing
I've been a musician since I was like 4 or 5 um
and uh
yeah I've always played in like ensembles and singing
(05:49):
choir and things like that and did musical theater
like growing up and even now um
so music has just always been a big part of who I am
and now I'm a music teacher
on top of still trying to make those singer
songwriter dreams come true okay yes
yes have you been performing at all recently
(06:12):
has it been a minute
it's not been like a lot well
I will say
I probably took about a year and a half break
mental health mostly and life changes
I have been more consistently
I'm gigging lately
but they've been like more so cover gigs
which not my favorite
just cause I also write and there's this um
(06:35):
we're just not in a town I think that uh
champions it as much as I would love for them to yeah
original music um
so uh
but it also puts money in my pocket and I like doing it
I mean but just it's just not my favorite
so yeah I get that
I get that it was also not my favorite either
so I only did it for one summer and then I was like
(06:58):
I've had my fill thank you very much
so I get it I get it
um but are you
are you working on like recording any music to release
or um
I would love to haha
um I think I need to find a bit more confidence first
cause I have a lot that I
wanna release and I'm just scared to release it
(07:19):
so okay I haven't okay
well let's talk about that
where do you feel like that fear is coming from
um
I don't know I mean
maybe just not feeling like I'm not good enough
or that it won't be received well
or I I don't know
I mean I do live shows
and people ask where they can find my music
(07:41):
but I don't know it just
it feels like there's still like a disconnect between
okay you say you like it
but are you really gonna like it
if I put it and it's so permanent
and those are my babies and I'm just like
if they don't like it what does that say about me
so just trying to get through that stuff
so that I can maybe get to some recording yeah
(08:02):
so I I hear you I totally do
this is very very common
like the thoughts that you have 100% um
and it's interesting like if
if the roles were reversed
and I told you exactly what you just said
you'd be like girl
you crazy what are you doing
just release your music
everybody tells you they like it
(08:24):
and they want to hear it so they wanna hear it
so just give them what they want right
hahaha
it's it's so much easier to give other people advice
yes it is than to do it yourself so absolutely
I hear you I hear you
and especially for us for us women I
you know like
we haven't had a say in a really long time
(08:46):
and especially for you as a black person too
in America that's a whole other layer
um there too
women didn't have a say
black women definitely didn't have a say
up until recently our opinions start to matter
and so we're being taken more seriously
but in our jeans like
(09:06):
it's still very much like expressing our um
our thoughts and opinions
still goes very much against our jeans right
and so we're basically like
breaking the cycle here by sharing our opinions
by sharing our music and our art and uh
that's not easy yeah
(09:26):
cause you're going against generations
mm hmm of suppression
absolutely and then I think we also get just boxed into
like um
as singer songwriters or just as artists
um you know
um they wanna put us in a label like
you might be pop you know
as a black woman I've got to be like
R&B soul but I love rock music
(09:48):
I mean you know
I love alternative and indie music
and a lot of my stuff sounds more like Sarah Mclaughlin
or Elenis or Little Paramore
like I love that stuff
I don't that's not to say that I don't like R&B
and things like that but it's really a fusion
and it's like okay
but if I come out if I also give my music
(10:10):
then that
they'll still find a way to box it into like R&B
and then nobody will listen to it cause well
that doesn't sound like R&B
you know like yeah
so yeah there are a lot of layers that no
for sure think about no
I'm glad you're bringing that up
you're totally right you're totally right
and I do believe truly
that we are trending in the right direction
(10:31):
absolutely where we're getting out of these boxes
and women having a say and all of that stuff right
so we're going in the right direction
but we're still trying to break that cycle right
but you got it you got it
and you know
we
we would love to hear your stuff
I'm just I'm just gonna say that
(10:51):
but I'm not gonna pressure you
whenever you're ready you're ready
that is my I will say in 2025
that is my first goal is at least to get a song out
yes you know
so hahaha
have you released music ever or never
um one song with um
(11:12):
was it 4th Sunday Recording company okay
um
and wasn't super proud of the recording itself
so OK
um yeah
but that's probably the only thing that exists
on the interwebs hahaha OK
me yeah
well usually
I'm asking because the first is always the hardest
(11:33):
right and then you do it
you get it out there and you're like
oh this is not nearly as bad as I thought it was
gonna be right cause we build it up in our heads
to be this crazy thing when it's really just not
he he he yeah yeah
and but it's important
that you have something that you feel proud of
because if you don't love it
then you know people are probably not
they're probably gonna feel that disconnect yeah
(11:54):
I was gonna say
they're gonna be able to tell even in a song like
yeah that's not what I want
so they're probably still gonna like it
but they're not gonna be like Brandy's
like Brandy's hearts in it right
you know and that's important
that's definitely important
so um
we're gonna get you some really awesome recordings
get your voice ready for that
(12:15):
your mouth to God's ears no
I got you got it I'm excited
I'm so excited so uh
shall we look at the song
sure okay
so you said right before we started rolling the cameras
um agility
like riffing
that kind of stuff is something you're working on
and in this particular song
(12:36):
the key change at the end
if it's cool with you
I would still like to do the entire song
so we can kind of like ease into it
before we get into the crazy key change at the end OK
yeah OK
anything else you want me to pay attention to
or is that pretty good I think that's pretty good
I'll pay attention to everything you're gonna say
you're gonna be paying
attention into stuff that I probably not even aware of
(12:59):
so yeah yeah yeah
I'll be sure to listen
but I usually always ask is there anything specific
specifically that you want me to pay attention to
sure um
just to make sure we cover that as well
but take a sip of water and whenever you're ready
we'll dig into the song okay
(13:20):
you got the lyrics in front of you on your phone
perfect awesome
let me
know if we need to adjust the volume of the track okay
(13:51):
take me for what I am
oh
I'll never ask
(14:29):
I don't wanna have to go
where you don't follow I won't hold it back again
(15:10):
I have nothing nothing
nothing
if
if I don't
have you awesome
(15:30):
we're gonna pause right there okay
whoo
you better sing Brandy
you better sing I don't know if you saw me
but I
I went to go adjust your mic levels cause I'm like
we're getting loud we're getting loud
oh sorry
no no
no no no
you're good you're good
you just have pipes man you have pipes whoo
(15:52):
alright talk to me
how do you feel ah
it felt okay it felt okay um
I felt like it felt like it was a break
but maybe I I don't know if my voice is
my voice may still be fatigued from
you know I
cause I teach all day and talk
yes yes yes
um so it
it felt a little fatigued um
(16:13):
like kind of moving from like belty back down like yeah
and it's usually
it's usually for me coming back into like a
falsetto or a lighter voice
uh huh from something really powerful
yes um
sometimes I feel the fatigue more so there
like it feels a little raspy to me
might not come out that way
but it feels yeah
kind of raspy no
(16:33):
that totally that totally makes sense
uh the best way like this is not a 1 to 1 analogy
so it's not exactly like this
but this is the best way I can describe it
it's almost like when you're over stretching
um a rubber band
for example
and it doesn't quite snap back to the original shape
uh huh that's probably what's happening here
(16:56):
like something similar like that where it's like belty
belty belty right
that would be the stretching right
that's not actually what happens
but again no
I guess analogy I have absolutely absolutely
um and then when you get back to the
you
ooh whatever the riff is right the
the softer falsettoy part
it doesn't quite snap back to where it was before
(17:18):
the big belty part yeah
this is very very
very very common
um and
it's because you're working a lot harder
than you probably have to uh
you're putting more not necessarily strain
but just effort
on your
on your voice when you're doing this big belty part
(17:40):
right I loved how soft and also like a little breathy
the shit my life or whatever the lyrics are right
like that that
that first that first part that first verse
nice and soft and just beautiful
it was absolutely stunning
and then you started building and uh
(18:00):
I loved you know
like the initial build it was great
it was great it was great
and then the chorus hit
and it got really loud really quickly
and we're only in the first course
so I'm wondering can we maybe get that same kind of
you know like powerful course
I'm not saying that you should
you know like
sing the entire course in a falsetto
(18:21):
or something like that right
still a chest dominant sound
still a belt quality
but without all of that extra volume
OK that's gonna help not feel
I help you not feel tired OK
you know and the
the rubber band snaps back to its normal position right
and it's not kind of like loosey goosey stretched out
yeah right
(18:42):
um does that make sense on paper
yes yes absolutely
okay can we try that chorus one more time
but don't make me cry
actually we're gonna go from the pre chorus
yeah
so here we're going into the pre chorus OK
(19:03):
um I don't really need to look still easy
like if what you just did before
on a scale of one to 10 how loud was that
like
what you did in the chorus versus how loud I can get
or haha cause I can get louder
I'm sure you can I'm sure you can
and I don't mean to I just
(19:25):
just yeah no
that's okay that's okay
just um
we're I mean yeah
it it and yeah
it's pretty loud pretty loud
maybe like a eight nine probably
probably I'd say yeah eight okay
eight okay
awesome I can't believe you can get louder than that
that's insane I mean
I can't believe it but you know
it's like whoa
so much voice it's just so many pipes
I love it it's great
it's really great it's tough and hard to control though
(19:47):
so yeah that's exactly what we're working on right now
is controlling this
so that we can get the power without the volume right
so cause you have a microphone and it'll do
it'll do the volume for you yeah right
um not that you need one haha
but uh
so if that was an 8 let's try and see what comes out
(20:08):
if we are singing this at a five
okay okay
I will try it okay
any sort of things to think about like just the volume
just just the volume
just to like how to maybe okay
I don't want you to overthink it right okay
just like a mental a mental tweak essentially okay
let's just see what happens
(20:28):
if we go from an 8 to a five okay
and you're you're gonna figure it out as you go
and it might come out awesome
you might crack that's okay too
it might not come out exactly the way we want it
to it doesn't have to be perfect
we're just making an adjustment and see what happens
okay and then we can tweak it some more
and even in this pre chorus
if the pre chorus was a 3 before
(20:51):
let's have it be like a 2 right
just even in the pre chorus less
less less less
less just volume wise
okay
let's check
I don't really need to look
where you don't fall I won't hold you back
(22:02):
I love you okay
great talk to me
how was that um
when I got into it it felt a little easier um
getting there though
felt like I was kind of straining at first
like into the chorus okay
at the beginning of the chorus or yeah
still in the pre chorus don't make me close that part
(22:24):
felt like I was straining okay
to not
yep like okay
like trying to pull it back
made me feel like I was stretching in some way
okay stretching in some way
but after I got out of that initial part of the chorus
it felt fine okay
so it was just a little bit of an adjustment
your voice was trying to figure out what to do
and it was like that's not quite right
(22:44):
so we kept making adjustments until you were like
okay now this feels okay
um power wise
so not necessarily volume wise
because I think we can both agree
that was a lot quieter right
um power wise
do you feel like this is to quote unquote weak
or are you like no
(23:05):
I'm still quite powerful I'm still chest dominant
like where are we now um
it felt um
I mean it still felt more chest dominant um
it did not feel as powerful yeah either um
I mean yes
it was quieter too um
(23:28):
it uh
it felt like I was maybe taking in a little bit
or maybe like more breath
like breathy
I don't know if that's even a thing like no
being chesty and breathy like
you know like I know mix the mix voice
but yup like it yeah
it didn't live just in my chest
uh huh um
(23:49):
anymore but I have a
I have an explanation for that hahaha
so when you were singing
with all of that volume and all of that power
there was a lot of compression on your vocal folds
which was why
getting into the softer parts was difficult okay
and um
now when you were doing it a little bit more softly
(24:11):
like less less volume
your vocal folds were not compressing as much
so
there was more breath flowing through your vocal folds
which is what gives you this feeling of breath
or breathy it
you didn't sound breathy
but there was more breath coming through
because there was not as much compression
and so it feels more breathy
(24:31):
even though it doesn't sound breathy okay
um how did it feel going like at the end of the chorus
going into the soft part felt better
felt better felt a lot easier okay
love mission accomplished
I thought you did a fantastic job with this
like I you know
(24:53):
you know when I asked you like OK
well
what else do I need to think about besides just quieter
I'm like I'm not gonna give you more notes
let's start with this and see where it goes
and I'm like yeah
well OK
she nailed it already OK
whatever you don't need me haha yes
I did no
but that was really great
and and here's the thing right
this is the first chorus
we definitely don't need more than that
cause otherwise I'm like
where are you gonna go from here right
(25:14):
cause we have a whole other course
and then a key change too right
so we can build from here otherwise
if you sing it with all of this power
and all of this volume
by the time you get to the key change
you're already tired
right which is probably why the key change
is the trouble part for you
because of all the stuff that came before
(25:35):
the key change probably not the actual key change
maybe a little bit of both right
maybe a little bit of both
but mostly
you're already tired
by the time you get to the key change
that's probably one of those issues
so we need to pace ourselves right
and you start like shit
(25:56):
that part like you start at like a freaking one or two
right like it's super quiet
super breathy
and just absolutely stunning and beautiful
we don't need to go to an eight or a nine from two
within 30 seconds right
we can have that first chorus be at a five
like what you were doing before okay
did you uh
(26:17):
besides that don't make me close
besides that part uh
did you did you like the sound of it
um yeah
I think so um
there was
I think just trying to find where that is in my voice
yeah to be able to do that is
you know um
(26:40):
overall yes
I like the sound I like the tone um
there were parts for me that was like
oh
I wish I could have hit that like a little more strong
but um
but I think that was
because I was trying to find a balance
yeah and so it came out like
it came out falsetto but that
or some you know
like but yeah
I'm but I didn't not like what it sounded like okay
(27:02):
the are you talking about the stay in my arms
okay I loved it though hahaha
so here's the thing this is a very belty big chorus
mm hmm and I know you can hit that in a powerful belt
if you want to
if we belt the entire chorus
I don't know how long the chorus is twenty
(27:23):
thirty seconds that's a lot of belting for the audience
for the listener to hear so
even if we just have one little note
that's a little softer up there
it can break it up a little bit
and make it a little bit more digestible
for the listener sometimes
and it brings in more contrast
you can belt that note in the second course
(27:43):
obviously if you're like
actually girl
I wanna belt in the first course and I'm like
alright cool
let's do it that's your artistic choice
at the end of it
I just want you to know that you don't have to right
it doesn't make you less of a singer if you don't
it just shows more color in your voice right
for sure hmm
I mean that was very successful for the first try
(28:04):
I'm very impressed
do you mind if we do it one more time
sure to just give your voice the chance to kind of like
figure it out okay
and make adjustments however you like as you go
but I really like that 5 right
that five volume level is really nice spot for you
yeah yeah okay
okay
(28:25):
pre course again
sure yeah that'll be fine
I don't really need to look
I don't wanna have to go where you don't follow
I won't hold it back again
this passion inside can't run from myself
(28:49):
there's no
(29:18):
I have nothing nothing nothing
I love you
(29:39):
okay nice
talk to me how did it feel
I felt better that time okay
um like getting into it uh
I feel like I still don't know what I wanna do
at the very beginning of that course
and that's why I probably was still just like
yeah for me
uh huh just for me
but I think that's just me just trying to yeah
like where I wanted to live
(29:59):
of course of course
but the beautiful part is that you can do it all hahaha
you know and now
it's just a matter of choosing what you wanna do yeah
but knowing what it is I'm doing
so that I can choose it
that one exactly
exactly exactly
would you say that was still about a 5
a little I think so
a little less um
(30:19):
I tried to pull it back just slightly
but I still think it was probably lived around the 5
okay awesome
yeah I would probably agree with you
maybe a four and a/2 you know um
but now let's see if we can find that middle spot
between the four and a/2 or the 5 and the 8 right
can we find something in the middle
(30:40):
where we're not quite as loud
but also not quite as quiet
not that you were quiet by any means
but you know I know
I know a little more
a little more okay
uh somewhere in the middle
um
okay
(31:44):
I have nothing nothing nothing
if I don't
I'll never be
(32:05):
amazing how was that
um that felt the best out of the
from out of them yeah
yeah you nailed it
oh thank you
100% nailed it I
I I don't know how it felt
but I loved this version this was really
really really great um
it's not too much not too little
and if you feel like this is a sustainable way
(32:27):
of you singing this course
I have no notes I loved it haha
thanks
it's really good oh
thank you it felt it felt good
it that one felt good
even going getting into it like it felt um
and maybe just like third times a charm or something
but it felt like maybe yep
I was able to get in you know
(32:48):
right in the in that note
like in the very beginning of the chorus
so yeah it was amazing
how did it feel coming out of it
and those oohs that still felt really good awesome
so it's just from just the analogy
I mean though
I know it's not like anatomically is what's happening
yeah yeah yeah
just keeping that in my mind yeah
(33:09):
coming out of that
into the softer falsetto part makes a difference
cause I haven't it hadn't felt raspy or for
you know anything like that
coming out of that in these amazing redo
so I love it nailed it for me
if it's cool with you
we can move on to the second verse OK
(33:29):
yeah sure
it was there anything in the first verse
or pre chorus that you wanted to look at
I can think of right now I loved it so fine with me
hahaha Alrighty
moving on to that second verse
(33:56):
you break down my wall
love like I knew it with you
will the memories survive
(34:21):
I'm too okay I'm gonna pause you right there
okay nice okay
oh you're you're beautifully building
how did it feel um
that felt I mean
it felt fine like breath wise um
I usually I've been I've trying to like
(34:43):
build on the notes that you have given me
yeah because I normally sing this louder
OK and like more powerful
so I tried to intentionally back off yeah
yeah so um
so yeah
so some of my choices were just kind of like okay
I I was in my head
I think in in singing this part fair
fair that's
I love that you're applying what we talked about
(35:05):
until this point here already
without me even saying anything
so Yay
we love that I uh
in general loved the build of it
like throughout this second verse OK
you know uh
you start more than where you started your
the first verse which makes a lot of sense
the music is asking for that right
then you're still building
(35:26):
without giving everything away already right
so I loved the build in general
you break down my walls you
on my walls oh
oh you went higher on that note
(35:48):
where did you go you
in the past I have tried to like riff that like
oh you or something like that like
and then come back down you yeah breakdown you
(36:15):
cool is that necessary
like for me when we're
when we're adding things like
like little riffs and things like that
I'm always like love um
how is this affecting the storytelling of the song
like are we getting any more like
is this enhancing the emotional expression of the song
(36:37):
or is it just more of like a show offy kind of thing
you know mm hmm
I feel I don't
I don't know why or when I started doing
I've been singing this song forever but
or trying to anyway yeah
um I feel like I started doing it though
um more so just to be different when I sang this
cause okay
(36:57):
I was trying to sing it exactly like her
and then it's already like
it doesn't have a lot of inflection like that yeah
other than just the tone and color of her amazing voice
so I felt like
I was just trying to put me in there somewhere
okay cool
make a different choice right there
yes
um yeah
that's super important right
that I mean
(37:18):
depending on of course
what it is you're trying to do right
like
if this is like your voice goal song and you're like
I just want to be able to sing it
just like Whitney Houston
then you don't have to do that
but if you were to record a cover of the song
for example and release that then
we might want to make some changes to it
so it's not exactly like Whitney's version of it
(37:43):
but at the end of the day
you know
it's your artistic choice what you want to do with it
but I'm a big fan of making something your own
and even in the second verse
the second verse and the first verse just melody wise
there's a lot of changes happening right
like sure the very beginning is you see
(38:10):
that first
half of the second verse is pretty much
melodically the same as the first verse right
but then the second half of it is completely different
and so in that second half of the second verse
haha uh
where she's changing it all up I never knew
(38:30):
whatever right that part uh
you could change that part too
cause Whitney changed it
so you could change it from whatever Whitney did
to something else
to like a third different kind of version
you know
but you can make changes wherever you want
for that matter
but that would kind of also be a cool part
where you could
(38:50):
you know change a melody a little bit here or there
if you wanted to um
but with that you you're going you
(39:10):
break down my whole life
you so come down like start um you
you haha
(39:32):
you
you
oh yeah aha you
you
yes you
it's it's not an easy thing
(39:53):
and it doesn't come naturally to me either you
yeah I have to work on that haha
yeah so if you
if you wanted to do a riff there
that that's something that you could do
(40:13):
or what you said earlier was
um you
you something you you hold on you
um there's if you
break that's like a big quite a big jump
(40:34):
so if you're riffing up and then jumping down it
it could feel a little disconnected
but if you love it let's do it
it's your choice
(40:57):
you would be the the riff that I was you
oh yeah
that ha ha exactly
that you
you you
(41:18):
that's just a triad
you
cause she's doing you break down
yeah
or I could maybe just do something around there instead
(41:42):
you break you
oh uh huh
yeah things to play with
take down also
you can have that F sharp in there if you like that
if you don't like that note
(42:02):
don't do it hey
you down yeah
you don't have to go up to the B
yeah you can play around with it
I'll let you I'll let you explore that but
you don't have to make it complicated
you know mm hmm
um but yeah
wherever your heart takes you with it OK
(42:24):
you know explore that um
cool
and I wanna look at that second
half of the second verse one more time
so after you break down my strength
oh my walls with all the strength of your love
right after that going into that
I never knew yep exactly
(43:00):
love like I knew it with you
memory sorry
yep no
you're doing great uh
like I've known it with you
oh you're singing like I knew it with you
oh OK like
it's actually a lot easier to sing
I've known it than I've knew it
(43:21):
yeah knew
I can't believe you can belt that
Jesus Christ hahaha
it's so amazing it's so amazing um
but yeah love like
no those things like you hear it
you feel like you hear it
and you keep saying it forever
yeah yeah yeah
I mean if you want to do knew it
it's not like it's wrong known
it is fine if it's easier
(43:42):
especially if it's easier
that that's why I'm pointing it out
that's why I'm pointing it out
usually I'd be like whatever
it doesn't matter uh
but because it's actually easier to sing
that's why I wanted to point it out let's try it
love like I know
(44:25):
if you don't follow I won't be back again
there's
oh that was it ah
that was one that was
that was part we yeah
I forgot that part hahaha
this is where we're taking off baby yeah
(44:47):
oh my God all good
all good how did it feel up until this point
felt pretty good you made some changes
you made some melodic changes in there
Whitney does not do some of the things that you did
at least not that I know of that she did
they'd be better
no no
you killed it that was really good
I loved it thanks
(45:09):
and it didn't feel like
the changes that you made didn't feel out of place
to me it very much felt like yeah
that's just what naturally came out of your mouth
you know yes
compared to with the
you break down that one I feel like it's it's
it's a little more forced
you know like
(45:29):
you're making the change
for the sake of making a change with
compared and that's just what it feels like to me right
but the the
in the second verse and lead
like in that pre chorus there
leading into that second chorus
like everything that you did felt very natural to me
like you didn't have to think about it too much
even if you did it didn't sound like you did well
thank you okay
(45:50):
um let's
uh let's practice that transition into the ha ha ha
yeah into that part okay
(46:17):
I don't really need to look
where you won't follow I
won't hold you back again
I'm from myself
there's a
(46:59):
I turn them down
don't walk away from me
I have nothing no
(47:35):
walk away from me
I have nothing nothing nothing
(48:18):
okay
yeah
okay talk to me
how was it um
stamina wise it was better
it was much better than what I've normally done
okay that's good
I still think that I was in my head this time I'm
cause I'm I'm trying to like
there are a lot of things to think about
(48:38):
and then so then I think
I think there were just more
so just choices that I made
cause I was thinking and not just doing
but it felt it was a lot easier to transition
and to get to the key changes and all that
so cool to me no
you're good that's awesome
well I'm glad that the stamina um
felt feels better
(48:59):
like I didn't it
to me it didn't seem like you started getting tired
towards the end of the key change
so that's a that's a really great sign
it was plenty powerful right
we don't need to do more than that um
you know
if this is like the last song in your set and you know
you don't have another gig the next day
and you wanted to just give it absolutely
(49:20):
everything you've got I would allow you to do that
hahaha
but is it necessary no
it's not right like
you're gonna get that same wow
effect from your audience
whether you do what you trusted
or you're adding an extra three nuggies on top of that
right you're gonna get an insane reaction either way
(49:41):
so you might as well
give yourself a little bit of a break
cause this is already incredibly hard to sing right
yes um
in leading into the key change
you overshot that close a little bit did you hear that
I also couldn't hear the music on that one
but that might have been
(50:02):
but I also know I got louder too
so I think I was just singing over the music
like I couldn't hear it so then
and then when I
when it when I stopped and I heard it then I could
I adjusted okay
fair enough fair enough
it's already as loud as it'll go oh
on my little computer um
but if you want I can move it closer to you
(50:24):
or I can adjust and I can let it come through first
and then hit the note that too
and match what I hear that too
and also just memorizing where it's gonna go
where it is yes
it's been a while since I sang the song with the
with the track outside of like a shower yeah
fair enough fair enough
(50:45):
let me see where is I think the
(51:07):
ya
Allah
you're a beast Brandy close
okay so
mother
yes ma'am
(51:27):
yes ma'am
ooh hoo hoo shall we practice
do you feel okay doing it one more time
with this key chain yeah okay
can we get into it though
yeah yeah yeah
like from the nothing nothing nothing
can we go a little bit where do you wanna go from uh
uh where
where is your cursor right now right
(51:54):
maybe a couple bars before that would be great
that's fine stay in my arms
that's fine yeah
that's fine yeah okay
um great
we'll go from there
and then if you feel yourself getting in your head
move a little bit okay
(52:14):
that'll help okay
that'll help okay
your beautiful posture
now you're allowed to move a little bit okay
thank you um
feel ready yeah okay
I can't bear
don't walk away from me
(52:38):
I have nothing nothing
(53:20):
I have nothing nothing nothing
(53:46):
nice okay
okay okay okay
how did that feel felt okay yeah
you nailed the clothes thanks
that was great um
I think getting into that key change I
it it is easier um
I I think
I think overall
(54:07):
like I felt a little fatigued or I felt like I got
kind of got choked up but I think that
but I don't know that that is necessarily like it
didn't like it
didn't feel like I was straining or anything like that
I I just think
you know
honestly
just coming from a full day of teaching and all that
and wailing for the last
what we've been recording for 50 minutes
(54:27):
so you know
you know and
oh yeah this is usually set break time
yeah yeah exactly
sorry folks I'll be back in 15 minutes
yeah so
you know we don't need to
we don't need to push it uh
any harder cause you know
you need to give your voice a break
you're doing like insane
heavy lifting when you're singing this kind of stuff
but um um
(54:49):
I'm glad that it that it didn't feel strange so cool
I don't need anymore and stay in my
my arms that part I say it
actually was it that part
(55:18):
yeah that part
um so when you're really leaning into that
don't you don't
that can be a that uh
that that might be a little harsh uh
with with um
like on the consonant right
don't you compared to more like a
don't you don't
don't you don't you
rather than don't you okay
(55:39):
right like a softer d
uh huh that could help
feel like you have a little bit more
control over the note don't you dare like softer D's
okay
uh
don't you dare
yeah those are softies
yes exactly
uh now
(56:02):
I don't wanna push you anymore um
unless you really want to
but if you wanted to try that
you wanna we can try again
don't you dare but again with the softer DS yeah
um do you wanna start right at the court that
right at that the new chorus
sure we can try that
(56:23):
there's a walk away
I have nothing nothing
(57:11):
I have nothing nothing nothing
if I don't have
(57:37):
oh baby
okay
how was that that was good
how did that was that
was that softer on the D's
like it felt like it was girl
you nailed that you nailed that thanks
I tried to um
it was really good well
I tried to pull I I
(57:58):
I did think about it I know yeah
not you know
but I tried to um
like give it some color and not like just like maybe
yeah
kind of pull them out of complete chest voice anyway
yeah and I thought maybe that
that was easier for me to make them softer
that's just love in that moment
yeah okay
I mean you killed it
(58:18):
like whatever you did keep doing it hahaha
it was really really
really good and power level wise too
like this to me is very much like a really amazing
a sweet spot for you
where it's like you're getting insane power
without being super duper
(58:39):
duper duper
duper loud and without working quite as hard
um did you feel like
you didn't have to work your little booty off
but it was like OK it was manageable
um yeah
cause I don't think I've I
I feel like if I was singing this like at home
uh huh um
I probably wouldn't be able to hit the key change
(58:59):
or hit this song like
as many times as we've done it anyway
so whoo
um okay
so yeah it was easier to sing the song
yeah and I've sing it a couple
like pieces a couple times
so yeah
yeah the hard parts
we sing a couple times in a row
and you still have a voice haha
whoo girl
you killed that last chorus
(59:19):
like that key change this last time around
like because in the other rounds that we did it
we did it what maybe 3
4 times the other rounds
there were always a couple notes where you like
overshot it a little bit right
like a little too much pressure behind it
so you went a little above or a little under
or just a little bit some un
(59:40):
like instability in certain places
this time around
it was like perfectly balanced and it was just like yup
the notes are just flying out
it's really good oh
thank you how do you like the sound of it
um I like the sound
I think for me
it will still take a little bit of getting used to
cause I'm just used to opening my mouth
(01:00:00):
and it's just a lot that comes out haha
um so controlling
controlling that and
you know'cause like
when I talk with my songwriting students in class
like we talk about texture and things like that
but applying it to my own voice
I know it's so hard
hahaha yeah
(01:00:20):
or when I'm teaching choir stuff at school yeah
like you know
you want this color or you want this texture
you wanna give it some some
you know you wanna make it different
and yeah give your listeners this and then
I know no 100%
it's so much easier
giving other people advice than to do it yourself yeah
that is why I like being on this side
(01:00:40):
yeah of the piano
and again I think where we are too
just cause you know
I've had a like a lot of my gigs have been cover gigs
so yeah
a lot of folks are like you know
like they ask for Rita and Adele and those those
those women waillers
Bonnie Rae things like that
and hmm yeah
you know and yeah
so it just also is it gets um
(01:01:01):
it becomes kind of a habit to also just like
you know
you could have had it all again
and just yeah
you know every time I sing
yeah and I don't
sometimes now a lot
well a lot of times now I don't really think about it
cause it just that's just what people have asked for
it's what I've just been doing yeah
so yeah be able to pull back is nice
yes and the thing is
(01:01:22):
like I said you're still getting that power
cause sometimes what happens when you're pulling back
is you're then losing the power right
and now it's in the head voice or you know
in a softer mix
but you're still very much in a chest dominant place
but now you're doing it in a sustainable way
in a way that's not gonna clip your microphone hahaha
(01:01:44):
you know
just just a controlled way of getting it out there yes
I've stopped talking and singing well
I'd I have a softer talking voice
but I've stopped singing in microphones all the time
and I sing like this I know
you know it just yeah
I bet you nobody watching or listening
would have expected that voice to come out of you
(01:02:05):
just hearing to you speak just like yeah
like um
you know and then here and then there
and then I'm a teacher and I'm doing this and then wow
it's like wow OK
hahaha it's so awesome thanks
it really is it really is
and I'm not saying that you should never use that big
amazing voice that you have
(01:02:26):
like you have it it's
it's incredible and not but
but and if we wanna focus on sustainability
and longevity and endurance
we have to do a little bit less
like what we've been practicing today
so that you're not blowing out your voice right
(01:02:48):
like I often do hahaha
and I'm speaking from experience here
because I did exactly the same thing
it was so hard for me to control my volume
and I was like
but why would I make this quieter when it's so awesome
when it's so big and belty
and then my voice was always like um
because we're losing it over here
(01:03:09):
we can barely speak anymore
now I actually ended up with vocal nodules
oh no yes
so you know
if you overdo it that's maybe where you're gonna end up
uh and I definitely don't want that to happen
I've heard of people who got them
you know and yeah
I definitely don't want that been nope
really trying to nothing else drink my water and yes
(01:03:29):
sleep and yes
the things that I know I can that I knew to do yeah
I tried to do or try to do yes
because yeah I don't I don't want to burn that out
so no no
no no
no I don't recommend it
it's not a good time there's a way back from it
but I you know
if we can avoid it in the first place
absolutely would definitely recommend prevention yeah
yeah uh
a part of that is cool downs
(01:03:50):
do you ever cool down your voice after you sing
no OK
we're gonna do that right now OK
can you play that again
and is it on a you said
(01:04:11):
you said we it's on a we
great so
this is something that I didn't mention
while we were working on the song
but it's something I was thinking about
but I'm like
I don't need to mess with it if it works for you
you're really uncertain notes going really wide
like vowels going really wide
(01:04:31):
and there's a lot of mouth movement happening
can you soften that a little bit
so it's more like a wee compared to a wee
you know sure I'll try you got it
Tada compared to the first version
(01:04:52):
how was that it's fine yeah
that's great alright
we're gonna keep going down
right speed up a little
(01:05:38):
sorry it's okay
(01:06:03):
one more
nice okay feeling okay
mm hmm alright
let's try vocal fry do you know vocal fry uh
nice beautiful we're gonna go uh
oh no but keep it nice and soft start on a fry yep
(01:06:24):
fry into that top note oh
no
(01:06:55):
oh no one more oh
oh okay
very good how did that feel
it's a different it's a different feeling
different feeling yeah okay
not bad okay um
let's do let's do one more just a
we're gonna just do a hum maybe yeah up here
(01:07:17):
or just
you can make it soft and even a little breathy
if you want to okay
great can you slide that a little more
hmm
nice hmm it's kind of like a sigh
(01:07:41):
oh a hum
but a sigh like inside kind of like an inside sigh haha
a hum sigh
hmm
yeah
hmm
(01:08:06):
one more hmm
okay nice
how's your voice feeling feels okay
feels good yeah
okay good
if you wanted to do um
like one more like cool down as you drive home maybe uh
if you have like a or maybe do it at home or whatever
if you have a
a bottle or just a cup of water with some straw in it
(01:08:29):
like with a straw in it
uh huh and then just go like this
like oh okay
that's what I'm kind of doing into the straw
doesn't have to be anything crazy
you don't have to go high
like super high super low
(01:08:49):
anything like that um
but straw phonation in water
can have a nice massaging effect on the voice OK OK
so if you wanted to feel free to do that
you don't have to thank you yeah
yeah anytime
do you have any questions about anything that we
worked on today or anything else for that matter um
(01:09:14):
how important would you say so um
obviously I mean I
and I know I mean
I don't typically cool down my voice and I know that
I mean I will probably start yeah
in trend and okay um
but would you say that it's just important
just at the end of like
singing gigs
or is that something that you do more than that
(01:09:34):
like do you just do it just for vocal health
and just like sustainability or so
it is for vocal health and sustainability and endurance
and you know
just warming up faster the next day
um basically
you can compare it to like a Marathon runner
just collapsing and taking a nap
right after crossing the finish line
usually they keep walking for a little bit
(01:09:54):
or at least stand and don't completely collapse
so that their body doesn't go into shock
like their muscles don't go into shock
uh it's
I would recommend it every time
after you do any sort of heavy lifting
like we did today right
uh especially after gigs
because you've been singing for a long time
uh stuff like today
you know when you're belting a lot
(01:10:14):
it definitely it doesn't hurt right
it takes two minutes so
I can't just dive into the burger that they feed me
at the end of a gig I'm just
haha
you know you can
and be like mmm hmm delicious
you know hmm
and massage my vocal folds that way exactly
(01:10:35):
you know as you're chewing
you're like hmm
and then everybody's like
what is wrong with her
she's enjoying this burger way too much hahaha
but you know as like
as you break down your stuff
you can do it then
like if you have some like cocktail straws
you can your tiny little straws
you can use those um
to kind of like cool down just kind of go
(01:10:57):
as you break down yourself
I tend to do like the lip trills
just cool shit cause I
I'm always doing those I just
you know so I'm always and I yep
I mean I never really thought about it as cooling down
but it does I mean it
it just always calmed me down too yeah
cause you know
after a gig you also got that kind of like that yes
those endorphins going absolutely
so I always did that but I mean
adding things to that would be great
(01:11:19):
yeah and it doesn't have to be scales right
like we just did scales
because I have a piano in front of me right
but it doesn't have to be scales
it can be literally anything you want just hmm
just don't push right like push your range like
like no right
this is the opposite of what we want to do
when we cool down right
(01:11:42):
easy lip trills are great for that
any sort of s o v t um sound
do you are you familiar with s o v t
mm hmm great
awesome semi occluded vocal tract like lip trills
like straw phonation yeah
any of the above so love it um
but yeah it doesn't hurt to do it right
like I'd rather have you do it every time
and not super needed every time
then not do it when you really needed it
(01:12:03):
gotcha right
also nobody's perfect if you skip a cool down once
oh well
life goes on your voice will be OK
it's just probably gonna take a little bit longer
the next day to warm up mm hmm right
so if you went on tour for example
definitely don't skip your warm UPS right
OK absolutely
oh and cool downs yeah
uh any other questions
(01:12:24):
um one more
yes that's okay um
and I and I
I don't know why I didn't think of this
when you asked me like things that are
were specific that I might wanna
want you to think about or listen for um
and it wasn't necessarily anything to listen for
but I um
can whistle slightly like whistle register just
(01:12:47):
just just
just there yeah
just so only just so um
but I would love to increase my range just overall
like not necessarily yeah
to be able to whistle or to whistle like
but I would just I mean
any sort of tips on like yes
how I can yes
yes yes yes
uh flageolet instead of whistle so
(01:13:07):
um when
basically the flageolet
sits between your head voice and your whistle
so it's like the high range of your
of your head voice essentially and uh
whistle
is when your vocal folds are not vibrating anymore
so you're just literally
whistling through your vocal folds
like Mariah Carey Ariana Grande type of whistle um
flageolet actually helps you extend your range okay
(01:13:30):
without going into a whistle okay
so um
to practice that I already cooled down
but whatever doesn't matter um like a
it's super small tiny squeaky
wanna try it sure um
(01:13:53):
great can we make that even smaller ooh
um
yeah great
it's very weird and it might feel a little squeaky too
or sound a little squeaky yeah
that's when you know you're doing it right oh
(01:14:22):
yeah small mouth opening
you're doing it
that's perfect
let's do that one more time 5% less
great one more time
there you go that was it
(01:14:48):
great one more time
use that shoo
to get a little bit more breath flowing into it
shoo shoo shoo
shoot shoot shoot
great
now without the force behind it right
hahaha
okay
(01:15:10):
great can you do 5% less on that
yeah did you hear or feel the difference there
yeah that one was it right
so what we're doing here is
we're teaching your voice to
stretch up into these high notes
without the force behind it
yeah'cause I yeah
when I um
there are songs that just not will like not ness
(01:15:33):
like not a whistle like not whistling
but just really high in my register
it does I can
it feels forced and I
I know that that is counterproductive counterintuitive
like I know I'm not supposed to be so I yeah
I um
have always tried to be relaxed as much as possible
but I've never had any like formal
like exercises or anything to like help that along yeah
(01:15:56):
this is a great one for that
it's again
it's just gonna teach your voice to do the stretch
that doesn't mean that you can then
only sing these high notes in that squeaky sound right
that's just the first step right
right to get the stretch without the force right
and then once that feels nice and comfortable
we can you know add more like a
(01:16:16):
and have more power on that top right but
we want to start there
so that we're not relying on the force
right to get the notes
well we went up to a B
I think you can go higher than that
I don't necessarily think we need to push it today
yeah we don't have to
but that that was a B
(01:16:37):
that's high
that's very high so yeah
do you feel like this is an exercise
that you wanna start like yeah
I'll probably start incorporating that
I like that yeah
Shu Shu Shu
like s h
w o
o Shu
and make it as small as you possibly can
(01:16:58):
great you're full of great questions
any other questions no
that's all that's all I think so
well I mean
obviously Brandy
I don't have to tell you that
but you're an insane vocalist
I cannot sing that song like you can
absolutely not so
you know shaboom
very well done bravo
thank you and um
(01:17:19):
I shall continue working on my own voice
so that I can maybe one day sing this
like you can but that was amazing truly
oh thank you
and I hope that this helped you
see that you don't have to
work quite as hard to get an amazing result right
you feel like you have a couple things
from today's session that you can walk away with
that you're like yep
so yeah yeah
yeah good good
(01:17:40):
I'm glad to hear that um
please let everybody know
where can we follow you on socials
um I
on all the regular ones like Instagram
Facebook uh TikTok
um at sweetheart songs okay
um yeah
I'm the artist Brandy love um
all one word but um
there is a
(01:18:02):
Brandy Love who's yeah
already somewhere she does
she's not a musician but okay
I had to you know
kind of change yeah
which is which is okay
um yeah
so we're doing a little rebrand and a little bit
little bit
for the new music that you're gonna release this year
yes yes
(01:18:23):
yeah you got it
it's out in the world so I'm gonna have to now yeah
yes accountability
we love some accountability
yes I mean
you would only bless us with your voice
so you know
we would all appreciate hearing more of you um
and we don't have to be in Indianapolis
to hear your beautiful voice
(01:18:45):
can listen to you from anywhere
no truly
you're a fantastic singer
and thank you so much for being here today
thank you for having me of course
of course and let's do this again someday okay
and let's not wait
six years till we see each other again
yes ma'am
yes okay absolutely
absolutely awesome well
thank you for joining
thank you to everybody watching or listening
(01:19:05):
if you are interested in booking a session with me
it would be a zoom session
um you can check out the link in the description
or in the show notes to book a session
and yeah I'd love to sing with you over zoom
meet you no matter where you are in the world
and help you with your voice
other than that I'll see you in the next episode
bye bye
stay in my heart
I have nothing nothing nothing
if I
(00:32):
I love you
amazing how was that
um that felt the best out of the
out of the from out of them yeah
yeah you nailed it
oh thank you
100% nailed it I I
I don't know how it felt but I loved this version
this was really really
really great um
it's not too much not too little
(00:54):
and if you feel like this is a sustainable way of you
singing this chorus
I have no notes I loved it
hey Vox Star and welcome to from singer to artist
I'm Lara Chapman award winning singer and songwriter
(01:16):
turned viral vocal coach and the host of this show
at VoxTape Studios
we help singers from all over the world
level up their voices
by teaching them the 3 fundamental skills
all singers need technique
awareness and artistry whether you're looking to go pro
or just develop your voice for fun
my team and I are here to help
check the link in the description
(01:36):
to book your first session
or grab some of our other resources
Alrighty are you ready
let's get started
we are back in our home studio with yet another amazing
beautiful singer welcome Brandi
hi thank you for having me
of course thank you for being here
I'm so excited to have you here
it's been like
(01:56):
a good 6 or 7 years since we met
and also the last time I was there too
yeah um
but we met actually at a songwriters round
mm hmm that was a really cool experience
it was my first songwriters round
mine too yeah
oh yay
perfect and I hadn't
I just moved I'd maybe been in indie for like
(02:18):
a year or so so
oh really
where did you move from um Nashville Tennessee
okay okay
usually people move the other way
they moved from indie to Nashville hahaha
but it was so great to meet you there
and I remember like
everybody was blown away by your vocals
and it was like wow hahaha OK
(02:39):
OK I need a step up my game over here and no
no how
how was the experience for you to remember
it's been such a long time
um I just remember being really
really nervous'cause it was like
my first time um
sharing my original music in a really
really long time and I had um
just lost someone that was really
(03:00):
really close to me um
so I was like
coming out of like
that kind of grief and stuff
so yeah
and trying to honor him by like
still pursuing my music so yeah
it was kind of emotional but also really scary
yeah yeah
no I
I definitely get that uh
you know music is a
is a beautiful
thing and it can it can help us heal and you know
sharing it with others helps them heal too
(03:23):
which is which is so beautiful
so you know thank you for
for creating this beautiful music and sharing it
thank you and uh
for me it was also like my first songwriters round
like just like for um
for you like for indie at least and uh
I remember I was playing songs and I forgot
for one song I forgot to move the capo and it was way
(03:45):
way higher than I was used to singing it
and I was like why is this song so hard to sing
and then halfway through
I noticed that the capo was on the wrong fret
and I was like that's why but hey
too late to stop and change it now
so we're just gonna keep rolling with it yep
I feel like you mentioned that though too
I did yep
(04:05):
yeah at the end of that song you said that yeah yep
I was like but I was like
she's got the chops and she did it so thank you
thank you I think it was like
three or four
half steps higher than what it usually is
and I was like this was supposed to be my easy song
why is this so hard there you go
but yeah
I I did mention it at the end just kind of be like well
that was fun that was totally in the wrong key
(04:27):
but here we are hahaha
and I don't know I'm
I'm the kind of person who
maybe sometimes overshares a little bit
but I also feel like it it shows character
you know when you're like
well let's laugh about this and you didn't like
you know there are some artists that will like stop and
you know yeah
(04:47):
I mean sometimes that's a part of their persona
or their artistry but you know
I think it also shows another side
when you can keep going and it sounded fantastic
I don't remember ever thinking like
that's weird yeah
it doesn't sound good like it all sounded good
so oh well
thank you thank you
right back at you thank you
and um
(05:07):
before we dig into
the song that we're gonna be working on
we're gonna look at I have nothing
Whitney Houston God willing
God willing there you go
you said that
that's one of the songs that is just kind of like ah
it's a pain point sometimes
I get it yes
yes the key change right
yeah whoo hoo
(05:27):
but I'm excited to have a look at that
that song with you but before we dig in
do you mind sharing a little bit more about your
musical background
um sure
um
uh yeah
well I've been playing
I've been a musician since I was like 4 or 5 um
and uh
yeah I've always played in like ensembles and singing
(05:49):
choir and things like that and did musical theater
like growing up and even now um
so music has just always been a big part of who I am
and now I'm a music teacher
on top of still trying to make those singer
songwriter dreams come true okay yes
yes have you been performing at all recently
(06:12):
has it been a minute
it's not been like a lot well
I will say
I probably took about a year and a half break
mental health mostly and life changes
I have been more consistently
I'm gigging lately
but they've been like more so cover gigs
which not my favorite
just cause I also write and there's this um
(06:35):
we're just not in a town I think that uh
champions it as much as I would love for them to yeah
original music um
so uh
but it also puts money in my pocket and I like doing it
I mean but just it's just not my favorite
so yeah I get that
I get that it was also not my favorite either
so I only did it for one summer and then I was like
(06:58):
I've had my fill thank you very much
so I get it I get it
um but are you
are you working on like recording any music to release
or um
I would love to haha
um I think I need to find a bit more confidence first
cause I have a lot that I
wanna release and I'm just scared to release it
(07:19):
so okay I haven't okay
well let's talk about that
where do you feel like that fear is coming from
um
I don't know I mean
maybe just not feeling like I'm not good enough
or that it won't be received well
or I I don't know
I mean I do live shows
and people ask where they can find my music
(07:41):
but I don't know it just
it feels like there's still like a disconnect between
okay you say you like it
but are you really gonna like it
if I put it and it's so permanent
and those are my babies and I'm just like
if they don't like it what does that say about me
so just trying to get through that stuff
so that I can maybe get to some recording yeah
(08:02):
so I I hear you I totally do
this is very very common
like the thoughts that you have 100% um
and it's interesting like if
if the roles were reversed
and I told you exactly what you just said
you'd be like girl
you crazy what are you doing
just release your music
everybody tells you they like it
(08:24):
and they want to hear it so they wanna hear it
so just give them what they want right
hahaha
it's it's so much easier to give other people advice
yes it is than to do it yourself so absolutely
I hear you I hear you
and especially for us for us women I
you know like
we haven't had a say in a really long time
(08:46):
and especially for you as a black person too
in America that's a whole other layer
um there too
women didn't have a say
black women definitely didn't have a say
up until recently our opinions start to matter
and so we're being taken more seriously
but in our jeans like
(09:06):
it's still very much like expressing our um
our thoughts and opinions
still goes very much against our jeans right
and so we're basically like
breaking the cycle here by sharing our opinions
by sharing our music and our art and uh
that's not easy yeah
(09:26):
cause you're going against generations
mm hmm of suppression
absolutely and then I think we also get just boxed into
like um
as singer songwriters or just as artists
um you know
um they wanna put us in a label like
you might be pop you know
as a black woman I've got to be like
R&B soul but I love rock music
(09:48):
I mean you know
I love alternative and indie music
and a lot of my stuff sounds more like Sarah Mclaughlin
or Elenis or Little Paramore
like I love that stuff
I don't that's not to say that I don't like R&B
and things like that but it's really a fusion
and it's like okay
but if I come out if I also give my music
(10:10):
then that
they'll still find a way to box it into like R&B
and then nobody will listen to it cause well
that doesn't sound like R&B
you know like yeah
so yeah there are a lot of layers that no
for sure think about no
I'm glad you're bringing that up
you're totally right you're totally right
and I do believe truly
that we are trending in the right direction
(10:31):
absolutely where we're getting out of these boxes
and women having a say and all of that stuff right
so we're going in the right direction
but we're still trying to break that cycle right
but you got it you got it
and you know
we
we would love to hear your stuff
I'm just I'm just gonna say that
(10:51):
but I'm not gonna pressure you
whenever you're ready you're ready
that is my I will say in 2025
that is my first goal is at least to get a song out
yes you know
so hahaha
have you released music ever or never
um one song with um
(11:12):
was it 4th Sunday Recording company okay
um
and wasn't super proud of the recording itself
so OK
um yeah
but that's probably the only thing that exists
on the interwebs hahaha OK
me yeah
well usually
I'm asking because the first is always the hardest
(11:33):
right and then you do it
you get it out there and you're like
oh this is not nearly as bad as I thought it was
gonna be right cause we build it up in our heads
to be this crazy thing when it's really just not
he he he yeah yeah
and but it's important
that you have something that you feel proud of
because if you don't love it
then you know people are probably not
they're probably gonna feel that disconnect yeah
(11:54):
I was gonna say
they're gonna be able to tell even in a song like
yeah that's not what I want
so they're probably still gonna like it
but they're not gonna be like Brandy's
like Brandy's hearts in it right
you know and that's important
that's definitely important
so um
we're gonna get you some really awesome recordings
get your voice ready for that
(12:15):
your mouth to God's ears no
I got you got it I'm excited
I'm so excited so uh
shall we look at the song
sure okay
so you said right before we started rolling the cameras
um agility
like riffing
that kind of stuff is something you're working on
and in this particular song
(12:36):
the key change at the end
if it's cool with you
I would still like to do the entire song
so we can kind of like ease into it
before we get into the crazy key change at the end OK
yeah OK
anything else you want me to pay attention to
or is that pretty good I think that's pretty good
I'll pay attention to everything you're gonna say
you're gonna be paying
attention into stuff that I probably not even aware of
(12:59):
so yeah yeah yeah
I'll be sure to listen
but I usually always ask is there anything specific
specifically that you want me to pay attention to
sure um
just to make sure we cover that as well
but take a sip of water and whenever you're ready
we'll dig into the song okay
(13:20):
you got the lyrics in front of you on your phone
perfect awesome
let me
know if we need to adjust the volume of the track okay
(13:51):
take me for what I am
oh
I'll never ask
(14:29):
I don't wanna have to go
where you don't follow I won't hold it back again
(15:10):
I have nothing nothing
nothing
if
if I don't
have you awesome
(15:30):
we're gonna pause right there okay
whoo
you better sing Brandy
you better sing I don't know if you saw me
but I
I went to go adjust your mic levels cause I'm like
we're getting loud we're getting loud
oh sorry
no no
no no no
you're good you're good
you just have pipes man you have pipes whoo
(15:52):
alright talk to me
how do you feel ah
it felt okay it felt okay um
I felt like it felt like it was a break
but maybe I I don't know if my voice is
my voice may still be fatigued from
you know I
cause I teach all day and talk
yes yes yes
um so it
it felt a little fatigued um
(16:13):
like kind of moving from like belty back down like yeah
and it's usually
it's usually for me coming back into like a
falsetto or a lighter voice
uh huh from something really powerful
yes um
sometimes I feel the fatigue more so there
like it feels a little raspy to me
might not come out that way
but it feels yeah
kind of raspy no
(16:33):
that totally that totally makes sense
uh the best way like this is not a 1 to 1 analogy
so it's not exactly like this
but this is the best way I can describe it
it's almost like when you're over stretching
um a rubber band
for example
and it doesn't quite snap back to the original shape
uh huh that's probably what's happening here
(16:56):
like something similar like that where it's like belty
belty belty right
that would be the stretching right
that's not actually what happens
but again no
I guess analogy I have absolutely absolutely
um and then when you get back to the
you
ooh whatever the riff is right the
the softer falsettoy part
it doesn't quite snap back to where it was before
(17:18):
the big belty part yeah
this is very very
very very common
um and
it's because you're working a lot harder
than you probably have to uh
you're putting more not necessarily strain
but just effort
on your
on your voice when you're doing this big belty part
(17:40):
right I loved how soft and also like a little breathy
the shit my life or whatever the lyrics are right
like that that
that first that first part that first verse
nice and soft and just beautiful
it was absolutely stunning
and then you started building and uh
(18:00):
I loved you know
like the initial build it was great
it was great it was great
and then the chorus hit
and it got really loud really quickly
and we're only in the first course
so I'm wondering can we maybe get that same kind of
you know like powerful course
I'm not saying that you should
you know like
sing the entire course in a falsetto
(18:21):
or something like that right
still a chest dominant sound
still a belt quality
but without all of that extra volume
OK that's gonna help not feel
I help you not feel tired OK
you know and the
the rubber band snaps back to its normal position right
and it's not kind of like loosey goosey stretched out
yeah right
(18:42):
um does that make sense on paper
yes yes absolutely
okay can we try that chorus one more time
but don't make me cry
actually we're gonna go from the pre chorus
yeah
so here we're going into the pre chorus OK
(19:03):
um I don't really need to look still easy
like if what you just did before
on a scale of one to 10 how loud was that
like
what you did in the chorus versus how loud I can get
or haha cause I can get louder
I'm sure you can I'm sure you can
and I don't mean to I just
(19:25):
just yeah no
that's okay that's okay
just um
we're I mean yeah
it it and yeah
it's pretty loud pretty loud
maybe like a eight nine probably
probably I'd say yeah eight okay
eight okay
awesome I can't believe you can get louder than that
that's insane I mean
I can't believe it but you know
it's like whoa
so much voice it's just so many pipes
I love it it's great
it's really great it's tough and hard to control though
(19:47):
so yeah that's exactly what we're working on right now
is controlling this
so that we can get the power without the volume right
so cause you have a microphone and it'll do
it'll do the volume for you yeah right
um not that you need one haha
but uh
so if that was an 8 let's try and see what comes out
(20:08):
if we are singing this at a five
okay okay
I will try it okay
any sort of things to think about like just the volume
just just the volume
just to like how to maybe okay
I don't want you to overthink it right okay
just like a mental a mental tweak essentially okay
let's just see what happens
(20:28):
if we go from an 8 to a five okay
and you're you're gonna figure it out as you go
and it might come out awesome
you might crack that's okay too
it might not come out exactly the way we want it
to it doesn't have to be perfect
we're just making an adjustment and see what happens
okay and then we can tweak it some more
and even in this pre chorus
if the pre chorus was a 3 before
(20:51):
let's have it be like a 2 right
just even in the pre chorus less
less less less
less just volume wise
okay
let's check
I don't really need to look
where you don't fall I won't hold you back
(22:02):
I love you okay
great talk to me
how was that um
when I got into it it felt a little easier um
getting there though
felt like I was kind of straining at first
like into the chorus okay
at the beginning of the chorus or yeah
still in the pre chorus don't make me close that part
(22:24):
felt like I was straining okay
to not
yep like okay
like trying to pull it back
made me feel like I was stretching in some way
okay stretching in some way
but after I got out of that initial part of the chorus
it felt fine okay
so it was just a little bit of an adjustment
your voice was trying to figure out what to do
and it was like that's not quite right
(22:44):
so we kept making adjustments until you were like
okay now this feels okay
um power wise
so not necessarily volume wise
because I think we can both agree
that was a lot quieter right
um power wise
do you feel like this is to quote unquote weak
or are you like no
(23:05):
I'm still quite powerful I'm still chest dominant
like where are we now um
it felt um
I mean it still felt more chest dominant um
it did not feel as powerful yeah either um
I mean yes
it was quieter too um
(23:28):
it uh
it felt like I was maybe taking in a little bit
or maybe like more breath
like breathy
I don't know if that's even a thing like no
being chesty and breathy like
you know like I know mix the mix voice
but yup like it yeah
it didn't live just in my chest
uh huh um
(23:49):
anymore but I have a
I have an explanation for that hahaha
so when you were singing
with all of that volume and all of that power
there was a lot of compression on your vocal folds
which was why
getting into the softer parts was difficult okay
and um
now when you were doing it a little bit more softly
(24:11):
like less less volume
your vocal folds were not compressing as much
so
there was more breath flowing through your vocal folds
which is what gives you this feeling of breath
or breathy it
you didn't sound breathy
but there was more breath coming through
because there was not as much compression
and so it feels more breathy
(24:31):
even though it doesn't sound breathy okay
um how did it feel going like at the end of the chorus
going into the soft part felt better
felt better felt a lot easier okay
love mission accomplished
I thought you did a fantastic job with this
like I you know
(24:53):
you know when I asked you like OK
well
what else do I need to think about besides just quieter
I'm like I'm not gonna give you more notes
let's start with this and see where it goes
and I'm like yeah
well OK
she nailed it already OK
whatever you don't need me haha yes
I did no
but that was really great
and and here's the thing right
this is the first chorus
we definitely don't need more than that
cause otherwise I'm like
where are you gonna go from here right
(25:14):
cause we have a whole other course
and then a key change too right
so we can build from here otherwise
if you sing it with all of this power
and all of this volume
by the time you get to the key change
you're already tired
right which is probably why the key change
is the trouble part for you
because of all the stuff that came before
(25:35):
the key change probably not the actual key change
maybe a little bit of both right
maybe a little bit of both
but mostly
you're already tired
by the time you get to the key change
that's probably one of those issues
so we need to pace ourselves right
and you start like shit
(25:56):
that part like you start at like a freaking one or two
right like it's super quiet
super breathy
and just absolutely stunning and beautiful
we don't need to go to an eight or a nine from two
within 30 seconds right
we can have that first chorus be at a five
like what you were doing before okay
did you uh
(26:17):
besides that don't make me close
besides that part uh
did you did you like the sound of it
um yeah
I think so um
there was
I think just trying to find where that is in my voice
yeah to be able to do that is
you know um
(26:40):
overall yes
I like the sound I like the tone um
there were parts for me that was like
oh
I wish I could have hit that like a little more strong
but um
but I think that was
because I was trying to find a balance
yeah and so it came out like
it came out falsetto but that
or some you know
like but yeah
I'm but I didn't not like what it sounded like okay
(27:02):
the are you talking about the stay in my arms
okay I loved it though hahaha
so here's the thing this is a very belty big chorus
mm hmm and I know you can hit that in a powerful belt
if you want to
if we belt the entire chorus
I don't know how long the chorus is twenty
(27:23):
thirty seconds that's a lot of belting for the audience
for the listener to hear so
even if we just have one little note
that's a little softer up there
it can break it up a little bit
and make it a little bit more digestible
for the listener sometimes
and it brings in more contrast
you can belt that note in the second course
(27:43):
obviously if you're like
actually girl
I wanna belt in the first course and I'm like
alright cool
let's do it that's your artistic choice
at the end of it
I just want you to know that you don't have to right
it doesn't make you less of a singer if you don't
it just shows more color in your voice right
for sure hmm
I mean that was very successful for the first try
(28:04):
I'm very impressed
do you mind if we do it one more time
sure to just give your voice the chance to kind of like
figure it out okay
and make adjustments however you like as you go
but I really like that 5 right
that five volume level is really nice spot for you
yeah yeah okay
okay
(28:25):
pre course again
sure yeah that'll be fine
I don't really need to look
I don't wanna have to go where you don't follow
I won't hold it back again
this passion inside can't run from myself
(28:49):
there's no
(29:18):
I have nothing nothing nothing
I love you
(29:39):
okay nice
talk to me how did it feel
I felt better that time okay
um like getting into it uh
I feel like I still don't know what I wanna do
at the very beginning of that course
and that's why I probably was still just like
yeah for me
uh huh just for me
but I think that's just me just trying to yeah
like where I wanted to live
(29:59):
of course of course
but the beautiful part is that you can do it all hahaha
you know and now
it's just a matter of choosing what you wanna do yeah
but knowing what it is I'm doing
so that I can choose it
that one exactly
exactly exactly
would you say that was still about a 5
a little I think so
a little less um
(30:19):
I tried to pull it back just slightly
but I still think it was probably lived around the 5
okay awesome
yeah I would probably agree with you
maybe a four and a/2 you know um
but now let's see if we can find that middle spot
between the four and a/2 or the 5 and the 8 right
can we find something in the middle
(30:40):
where we're not quite as loud
but also not quite as quiet
not that you were quiet by any means
but you know I know
I know a little more
a little more okay
uh somewhere in the middle
um
okay
(31:44):
I have nothing nothing nothing
if I don't
I'll never be
(32:05):
amazing how was that
um that felt the best out of the
from out of them yeah
yeah you nailed it
oh thank you
100% nailed it I
I I don't know how it felt
but I loved this version this was really
really really great um
it's not too much not too little
and if you feel like this is a sustainable way
(32:27):
of you singing this course
I have no notes I loved it haha
thanks
it's really good oh
thank you it felt it felt good
it that one felt good
even going getting into it like it felt um
and maybe just like third times a charm or something
but it felt like maybe yep
I was able to get in you know
(32:48):
right in the in that note
like in the very beginning of the chorus
so yeah it was amazing
how did it feel coming out of it
and those oohs that still felt really good awesome
so it's just from just the analogy
I mean though
I know it's not like anatomically is what's happening
yeah yeah yeah
just keeping that in my mind yeah
(33:09):
coming out of that
into the softer falsetto part makes a difference
cause I haven't it hadn't felt raspy or for
you know anything like that
coming out of that in these amazing redo
so I love it nailed it for me
if it's cool with you
we can move on to the second verse OK
(33:29):
yeah sure
it was there anything in the first verse
or pre chorus that you wanted to look at
I can think of right now I loved it so fine with me
hahaha Alrighty
moving on to that second verse
(33:56):
you break down my wall
love like I knew it with you
will the memories survive
(34:21):
I'm too okay I'm gonna pause you right there
okay nice okay
oh you're you're beautifully building
how did it feel um
that felt I mean
it felt fine like breath wise um
I usually I've been I've trying to like
(34:43):
build on the notes that you have given me
yeah because I normally sing this louder
OK and like more powerful
so I tried to intentionally back off yeah
yeah so um
so yeah
so some of my choices were just kind of like okay
I I was in my head
I think in in singing this part fair
fair that's
I love that you're applying what we talked about
(35:05):
until this point here already
without me even saying anything
so Yay
we love that I uh
in general loved the build of it
like throughout this second verse OK
you know uh
you start more than where you started your
the first verse which makes a lot of sense
the music is asking for that right
then you're still building
(35:26):
without giving everything away already right
so I loved the build in general
you break down my walls you
on my walls oh
oh you went higher on that note
(35:48):
where did you go you
in the past I have tried to like riff that like
oh you or something like that like
and then come back down you yeah breakdown you
(36:15):
cool is that necessary
like for me when we're
when we're adding things like
like little riffs and things like that
I'm always like love um
how is this affecting the storytelling of the song
like are we getting any more like
is this enhancing the emotional expression of the song
(36:37):
or is it just more of like a show offy kind of thing
you know mm hmm
I feel I don't
I don't know why or when I started doing
I've been singing this song forever but
or trying to anyway yeah
um I feel like I started doing it though
um more so just to be different when I sang this
cause okay
(36:57):
I was trying to sing it exactly like her
and then it's already like
it doesn't have a lot of inflection like that yeah
other than just the tone and color of her amazing voice
so I felt like
I was just trying to put me in there somewhere
okay cool
make a different choice right there
yes
um yeah
that's super important right
that I mean
(37:18):
depending on of course
what it is you're trying to do right
like
if this is like your voice goal song and you're like
I just want to be able to sing it
just like Whitney Houston
then you don't have to do that
but if you were to record a cover of the song
for example and release that then
we might want to make some changes to it
so it's not exactly like Whitney's version of it
(37:43):
but at the end of the day
you know
it's your artistic choice what you want to do with it
but I'm a big fan of making something your own
and even in the second verse
the second verse and the first verse just melody wise
there's a lot of changes happening right
like sure the very beginning is you see
(38:10):
that first
half of the second verse is pretty much
melodically the same as the first verse right
but then the second half of it is completely different
and so in that second half of the second verse
haha uh
where she's changing it all up I never knew
(38:30):
whatever right that part uh
you could change that part too
cause Whitney changed it
so you could change it from whatever Whitney did
to something else
to like a third different kind of version
you know
but you can make changes wherever you want
for that matter
but that would kind of also be a cool part
where you could
(38:50):
you know change a melody a little bit here or there
if you wanted to um
but with that you you're going you
(39:10):
break down my whole life
you so come down like start um you
you haha
(39:32):
you
you
oh yeah aha you
you
yes you
it's it's not an easy thing
(39:53):
and it doesn't come naturally to me either you
yeah I have to work on that haha
yeah so if you
if you wanted to do a riff there
that that's something that you could do
(40:13):
or what you said earlier was
um you
you something you you hold on you
um there's if you
break that's like a big quite a big jump
(40:34):
so if you're riffing up and then jumping down it
it could feel a little disconnected
but if you love it let's do it
it's your choice
(40:57):
you would be the the riff that I was you
oh yeah
that ha ha exactly
that you
you you
(41:18):
that's just a triad
you
cause she's doing you break down
yeah
or I could maybe just do something around there instead
(41:42):
you break you
oh uh huh
yeah things to play with
take down also
you can have that F sharp in there if you like that
if you don't like that note
(42:02):
don't do it hey
you down yeah
you don't have to go up to the B
yeah you can play around with it
I'll let you I'll let you explore that but
you don't have to make it complicated
you know mm hmm
um but yeah
wherever your heart takes you with it OK
(42:24):
you know explore that um
cool
and I wanna look at that second
half of the second verse one more time
so after you break down my strength
oh my walls with all the strength of your love
right after that going into that
I never knew yep exactly
(43:00):
love like I knew it with you
memory sorry
yep no
you're doing great uh
like I've known it with you
oh you're singing like I knew it with you
oh OK like
it's actually a lot easier to sing
I've known it than I've knew it
(43:21):
yeah knew
I can't believe you can belt that
Jesus Christ hahaha
it's so amazing it's so amazing um
but yeah love like
no those things like you hear it
you feel like you hear it
and you keep saying it forever
yeah yeah yeah
I mean if you want to do knew it
it's not like it's wrong known
it is fine if it's easier
(43:42):
especially if it's easier
that that's why I'm pointing it out
that's why I'm pointing it out
usually I'd be like whatever
it doesn't matter uh
but because it's actually easier to sing
that's why I wanted to point it out let's try it
love like I know
(44:25):
if you don't follow I won't be back again
there's
oh that was it ah
that was one that was
that was part we yeah
I forgot that part hahaha
this is where we're taking off baby yeah
(44:47):
oh my God all good
all good how did it feel up until this point
felt pretty good you made some changes
you made some melodic changes in there
Whitney does not do some of the things that you did
at least not that I know of that she did
they'd be better
no no
you killed it that was really good
I loved it thanks
(45:09):
and it didn't feel like
the changes that you made didn't feel out of place
to me it very much felt like yeah
that's just what naturally came out of your mouth
you know yes
compared to with the
you break down that one I feel like it's it's
it's a little more forced
you know like
(45:29):
you're making the change
for the sake of making a change with
compared and that's just what it feels like to me right
but the the
in the second verse and lead
like in that pre chorus there
leading into that second chorus
like everything that you did felt very natural to me
like you didn't have to think about it too much
even if you did it didn't sound like you did well
thank you okay
(45:50):
um let's
uh let's practice that transition into the ha ha ha
yeah into that part okay
(46:17):
I don't really need to look
where you won't follow I
won't hold you back again
I'm from myself
there's a
(46:59):
I turn them down
don't walk away from me
I have nothing no
(47:35):
walk away from me
I have nothing nothing nothing
(48:18):
okay
yeah
okay talk to me
how was it um
stamina wise it was better
it was much better than what I've normally done
okay that's good
I still think that I was in my head this time I'm
cause I'm I'm trying to like
there are a lot of things to think about
(48:38):
and then so then I think
I think there were just more
so just choices that I made
cause I was thinking and not just doing
but it felt it was a lot easier to transition
and to get to the key changes and all that
so cool to me no
you're good that's awesome
well I'm glad that the stamina um
felt feels better
(48:59):
like I didn't it
to me it didn't seem like you started getting tired
towards the end of the key change
so that's a that's a really great sign
it was plenty powerful right
we don't need to do more than that um
you know
if this is like the last song in your set and you know
you don't have another gig the next day
and you wanted to just give it absolutely
(49:20):
everything you've got I would allow you to do that
hahaha
but is it necessary no
it's not right like
you're gonna get that same wow
effect from your audience
whether you do what you trusted
or you're adding an extra three nuggies on top of that
right you're gonna get an insane reaction either way
(49:41):
so you might as well
give yourself a little bit of a break
cause this is already incredibly hard to sing right
yes um
in leading into the key change
you overshot that close a little bit did you hear that
I also couldn't hear the music on that one
but that might have been
(50:02):
but I also know I got louder too
so I think I was just singing over the music
like I couldn't hear it so then
and then when I
when it when I stopped and I heard it then I could
I adjusted okay
fair enough fair enough
it's already as loud as it'll go oh
on my little computer um
but if you want I can move it closer to you
(50:24):
or I can adjust and I can let it come through first
and then hit the note that too
and match what I hear that too
and also just memorizing where it's gonna go
where it is yes
it's been a while since I sang the song with the
with the track outside of like a shower yeah
fair enough fair enough
(50:45):
let me see where is I think the
(51:07):
ya
Allah
you're a beast Brandy close
okay so
mother
yes ma'am
(51:27):
yes ma'am
ooh hoo hoo shall we practice
do you feel okay doing it one more time
with this key chain yeah okay
can we get into it though
yeah yeah yeah
like from the nothing nothing nothing
can we go a little bit where do you wanna go from uh
uh where
where is your cursor right now right
(51:54):
maybe a couple bars before that would be great
that's fine stay in my arms
that's fine yeah
that's fine yeah okay
um great
we'll go from there
and then if you feel yourself getting in your head
move a little bit okay
(52:14):
that'll help okay
that'll help okay
your beautiful posture
now you're allowed to move a little bit okay
thank you um
feel ready yeah okay
I can't bear
don't walk away from me
(52:38):
I have nothing nothing
(53:20):
I have nothing nothing nothing
(53:46):
nice okay
okay okay okay
how did that feel felt okay yeah
you nailed the clothes thanks
that was great um
I think getting into that key change I
it it is easier um
I I think
I think overall
(54:07):
like I felt a little fatigued or I felt like I got
kind of got choked up but I think that
but I don't know that that is necessarily like it
didn't like it
didn't feel like I was straining or anything like that
I I just think
you know
honestly
just coming from a full day of teaching and all that
and wailing for the last
what we've been recording for 50 minutes
(54:27):
so you know
you know and
oh yeah this is usually set break time
yeah yeah exactly
sorry folks I'll be back in 15 minutes
yeah so
you know we don't need to
we don't need to push it uh
any harder cause you know
you need to give your voice a break
you're doing like insane
heavy lifting when you're singing this kind of stuff
but um um
(54:49):
I'm glad that it that it didn't feel strange so cool
I don't need anymore and stay in my
my arms that part I say it
actually was it that part
(55:18):
yeah that part
um so when you're really leaning into that
don't you don't
that can be a that uh
that that might be a little harsh uh
with with um
like on the consonant right
don't you compared to more like a
don't you don't
don't you don't you
rather than don't you okay
(55:39):
right like a softer d
uh huh that could help
feel like you have a little bit more
control over the note don't you dare like softer D's
okay
uh
don't you dare
yeah those are softies
yes exactly
uh now
(56:02):
I don't wanna push you anymore um
unless you really want to
but if you wanted to try that
you wanna we can try again
don't you dare but again with the softer DS yeah
um do you wanna start right at the court that
right at that the new chorus
sure we can try that
(56:23):
there's a walk away
I have nothing nothing
(57:11):
I have nothing nothing nothing
if I don't have
(57:37):
oh baby
okay
how was that that was good
how did that was that
was that softer on the D's
like it felt like it was girl
you nailed that you nailed that thanks
I tried to um
it was really good well
I tried to pull I I
(57:58):
I did think about it I know yeah
not you know
but I tried to um
like give it some color and not like just like maybe
yeah
kind of pull them out of complete chest voice anyway
yeah and I thought maybe that
that was easier for me to make them softer
that's just love in that moment
yeah okay
I mean you killed it
(58:18):
like whatever you did keep doing it hahaha
it was really really
really good and power level wise too
like this to me is very much like a really amazing
a sweet spot for you
where it's like you're getting insane power
without being super duper
(58:39):
duper duper
duper loud and without working quite as hard
um did you feel like
you didn't have to work your little booty off
but it was like OK it was manageable
um yeah
cause I don't think I've I
I feel like if I was singing this like at home
uh huh um
I probably wouldn't be able to hit the key change
(58:59):
or hit this song like
as many times as we've done it anyway
so whoo
um okay
so yeah it was easier to sing the song
yeah and I've sing it a couple
like pieces a couple times
so yeah
yeah the hard parts
we sing a couple times in a row
and you still have a voice haha
whoo girl
you killed that last chorus
(59:19):
like that key change this last time around
like because in the other rounds that we did it
we did it what maybe 3
4 times the other rounds
there were always a couple notes where you like
overshot it a little bit right
like a little too much pressure behind it
so you went a little above or a little under
or just a little bit some un
(59:40):
like instability in certain places
this time around
it was like perfectly balanced and it was just like yup
the notes are just flying out
it's really good oh
thank you how do you like the sound of it
um I like the sound
I think for me
it will still take a little bit of getting used to
cause I'm just used to opening my mouth
(01:00:00):
and it's just a lot that comes out haha
um so controlling
controlling that and
you know'cause like
when I talk with my songwriting students in class
like we talk about texture and things like that
but applying it to my own voice
I know it's so hard
hahaha yeah
(01:00:20):
or when I'm teaching choir stuff at school yeah
like you know
you want this color or you want this texture
you wanna give it some some
you know you wanna make it different
and yeah give your listeners this and then
I know no 100%
it's so much easier
giving other people advice than to do it yourself yeah
that is why I like being on this side
(01:00:40):
yeah of the piano
and again I think where we are too
just cause you know
I've had a like a lot of my gigs have been cover gigs
so yeah
a lot of folks are like you know
like they ask for Rita and Adele and those those
those women waillers
Bonnie Rae things like that
and hmm yeah
you know and yeah
so it just also is it gets um
(01:01:01):
it becomes kind of a habit to also just like
you know
you could have had it all again
and just yeah
you know every time I sing
yeah and I don't
sometimes now a lot
well a lot of times now I don't really think about it
cause it just that's just what people have asked for
it's what I've just been doing yeah
so yeah be able to pull back is nice
yes and the thing is
(01:01:22):
like I said you're still getting that power
cause sometimes what happens when you're pulling back
is you're then losing the power right
and now it's in the head voice or you know
in a softer mix
but you're still very much in a chest dominant place
but now you're doing it in a sustainable way
in a way that's not gonna clip your microphone hahaha
(01:01:44):
you know
just just a controlled way of getting it out there yes
I've stopped talking and singing well
I'd I have a softer talking voice
but I've stopped singing in microphones all the time
and I sing like this I know
you know it just yeah
I bet you nobody watching or listening
would have expected that voice to come out of you
(01:02:05):
just hearing to you speak just like yeah
like um
you know and then here and then there
and then I'm a teacher and I'm doing this and then wow
it's like wow OK
hahaha it's so awesome thanks
it really is it really is
and I'm not saying that you should never use that big
amazing voice that you have
(01:02:26):
like you have it it's
it's incredible and not but
but and if we wanna focus on sustainability
and longevity and endurance
we have to do a little bit less
like what we've been practicing today
so that you're not blowing out your voice right
(01:02:48):
like I often do hahaha
and I'm speaking from experience here
because I did exactly the same thing
it was so hard for me to control my volume
and I was like
but why would I make this quieter when it's so awesome
when it's so big and belty
and then my voice was always like um
because we're losing it over here
(01:03:09):
we can barely speak anymore
now I actually ended up with vocal nodules
oh no yes
so you know
if you overdo it that's maybe where you're gonna end up
uh and I definitely don't want that to happen
I've heard of people who got them
you know and yeah
I definitely don't want that been nope
really trying to nothing else drink my water and yes
(01:03:29):
sleep and yes
the things that I know I can that I knew to do yeah
I tried to do or try to do yes
because yeah I don't I don't want to burn that out
so no no
no no
no I don't recommend it
it's not a good time there's a way back from it
but I you know
if we can avoid it in the first place
absolutely would definitely recommend prevention yeah
yeah uh
a part of that is cool downs
(01:03:50):
do you ever cool down your voice after you sing
no OK
we're gonna do that right now OK
can you play that again
and is it on a you said
(01:04:11):
you said we it's on a we
great so
this is something that I didn't mention
while we were working on the song
but it's something I was thinking about
but I'm like
I don't need to mess with it if it works for you
you're really uncertain notes going really wide
like vowels going really wide
(01:04:31):
and there's a lot of mouth movement happening
can you soften that a little bit
so it's more like a wee compared to a wee
you know sure I'll try you got it
Tada compared to the first version
(01:04:52):
how was that it's fine yeah
that's great alright
we're gonna keep going down
right speed up a little
(01:05:38):
sorry it's okay
(01:06:03):
one more
nice okay feeling okay
mm hmm alright
let's try vocal fry do you know vocal fry uh
nice beautiful we're gonna go uh
oh no but keep it nice and soft start on a fry yep
(01:06:24):
fry into that top note oh
no
(01:06:55):
oh no one more oh
oh okay
very good how did that feel
it's a different it's a different feeling
different feeling yeah okay
not bad okay um
let's do let's do one more just a
we're gonna just do a hum maybe yeah up here
(01:07:17):
or just
you can make it soft and even a little breathy
if you want to okay
great can you slide that a little more
hmm
nice hmm it's kind of like a sigh
(01:07:41):
oh a hum
but a sigh like inside kind of like an inside sigh haha
a hum sigh
hmm
yeah
hmm
(01:08:06):
one more hmm
okay nice
how's your voice feeling feels okay
feels good yeah
okay good
if you wanted to do um
like one more like cool down as you drive home maybe uh
if you have like a or maybe do it at home or whatever
if you have a
a bottle or just a cup of water with some straw in it
(01:08:29):
like with a straw in it
uh huh and then just go like this
like oh okay
that's what I'm kind of doing into the straw
doesn't have to be anything crazy
you don't have to go high
like super high super low
(01:08:49):
anything like that um
but straw phonation in water
can have a nice massaging effect on the voice OK OK
so if you wanted to feel free to do that
you don't have to thank you yeah
yeah anytime
do you have any questions about anything that we
worked on today or anything else for that matter um
(01:09:14):
how important would you say so um
obviously I mean I
and I know I mean
I don't typically cool down my voice and I know that
I mean I will probably start yeah
in trend and okay um
but would you say that it's just important
just at the end of like
singing gigs
or is that something that you do more than that
(01:09:34):
like do you just do it just for vocal health
and just like sustainability or so
it is for vocal health and sustainability and endurance
and you know
just warming up faster the next day
um basically
you can compare it to like a Marathon runner
just collapsing and taking a nap
right after crossing the finish line
usually they keep walking for a little bit
(01:09:54):
or at least stand and don't completely collapse
so that their body doesn't go into shock
like their muscles don't go into shock
uh it's
I would recommend it every time
after you do any sort of heavy lifting
like we did today right
uh especially after gigs
because you've been singing for a long time
uh stuff like today
you know when you're belting a lot
(01:10:14):
it definitely it doesn't hurt right
it takes two minutes so
I can't just dive into the burger that they feed me
at the end of a gig I'm just
haha
you know you can
and be like mmm hmm delicious
you know hmm
and massage my vocal folds that way exactly
(01:10:35):
you know as you're chewing
you're like hmm
and then everybody's like
what is wrong with her
she's enjoying this burger way too much hahaha
but you know as like
as you break down your stuff
you can do it then
like if you have some like cocktail straws
you can your tiny little straws
you can use those um
to kind of like cool down just kind of go
(01:10:57):
as you break down yourself
I tend to do like the lip trills
just cool shit cause I
I'm always doing those I just
you know so I'm always and I yep
I mean I never really thought about it as cooling down
but it does I mean it
it just always calmed me down too yeah
cause you know
after a gig you also got that kind of like that yes
those endorphins going absolutely
so I always did that but I mean
adding things to that would be great
(01:11:19):
yeah and it doesn't have to be scales right
like we just did scales
because I have a piano in front of me right
but it doesn't have to be scales
it can be literally anything you want just hmm
just don't push right like push your range like
like no right
this is the opposite of what we want to do
when we cool down right
(01:11:42):
easy lip trills are great for that
any sort of s o v t um sound
do you are you familiar with s o v t
mm hmm great
awesome semi occluded vocal tract like lip trills
like straw phonation yeah
any of the above so love it um
but yeah it doesn't hurt to do it right
like I'd rather have you do it every time
and not super needed every time
then not do it when you really needed it
(01:12:03):
gotcha right
also nobody's perfect if you skip a cool down once
oh well
life goes on your voice will be OK
it's just probably gonna take a little bit longer
the next day to warm up mm hmm right
so if you went on tour for example
definitely don't skip your warm UPS right
OK absolutely
oh and cool downs yeah
uh any other questions
(01:12:24):
um one more
yes that's okay um
and I and I
I don't know why I didn't think of this
when you asked me like things that are
were specific that I might wanna
want you to think about or listen for um
and it wasn't necessarily anything to listen for
but I um
can whistle slightly like whistle register just
(01:12:47):
just just
just there yeah
just so only just so um
but I would love to increase my range just overall
like not necessarily yeah
to be able to whistle or to whistle like
but I would just I mean
any sort of tips on like yes
how I can yes
yes yes yes
uh flageolet instead of whistle so
(01:13:07):
um when
basically the flageolet
sits between your head voice and your whistle
so it's like the high range of your
of your head voice essentially and uh
whistle
is when your vocal folds are not vibrating anymore
so you're just literally
whistling through your vocal folds
like Mariah Carey Ariana Grande type of whistle um
flageolet actually helps you extend your range okay
(01:13:30):
without going into a whistle okay
so um
to practice that I already cooled down
but whatever doesn't matter um like a
it's super small tiny squeaky
wanna try it sure um
(01:13:53):
great can we make that even smaller ooh
um
yeah great
it's very weird and it might feel a little squeaky too
or sound a little squeaky yeah
that's when you know you're doing it right oh
(01:14:22):
yeah small mouth opening
you're doing it
that's perfect
let's do that one more time 5% less
great one more time
there you go that was it
(01:14:48):
great one more time
use that shoo
to get a little bit more breath flowing into it
shoo shoo shoo
shoot shoot shoot
great
now without the force behind it right
hahaha
okay
(01:15:10):
great can you do 5% less on that
yeah did you hear or feel the difference there
yeah that one was it right
so what we're doing here is
we're teaching your voice to
stretch up into these high notes
without the force behind it
yeah'cause I yeah
when I um
there are songs that just not will like not ness
(01:15:33):
like not a whistle like not whistling
but just really high in my register
it does I can
it feels forced and I
I know that that is counterproductive counterintuitive
like I know I'm not supposed to be so I yeah
I um
have always tried to be relaxed as much as possible
but I've never had any like formal
like exercises or anything to like help that along yeah
(01:15:56):
this is a great one for that
it's again
it's just gonna teach your voice to do the stretch
that doesn't mean that you can then
only sing these high notes in that squeaky sound right
that's just the first step right
right to get the stretch without the force right
and then once that feels nice and comfortable
we can you know add more like a
(01:16:16):
and have more power on that top right but
we want to start there
so that we're not relying on the force
right to get the notes
well we went up to a B
I think you can go higher than that
I don't necessarily think we need to push it today
yeah we don't have to
but that that was a B
(01:16:37):
that's high
that's very high so yeah
do you feel like this is an exercise
that you wanna start like yeah
I'll probably start incorporating that
I like that yeah
Shu Shu Shu
like s h
w o
o Shu
and make it as small as you possibly can
(01:16:58):
great you're full of great questions
any other questions no
that's all that's all I think so
well I mean
obviously Brandy
I don't have to tell you that
but you're an insane vocalist
I cannot sing that song like you can
absolutely not so
you know shaboom
very well done bravo
thank you and um
(01:17:19):
I shall continue working on my own voice
so that I can maybe one day sing this
like you can but that was amazing truly
oh thank you
and I hope that this helped you
see that you don't have to
work quite as hard to get an amazing result right
you feel like you have a couple things
from today's session that you can walk away with
that you're like yep
so yeah yeah
yeah good good
(01:17:40):
I'm glad to hear that um
please let everybody know
where can we follow you on socials
um I
on all the regular ones like Instagram
Facebook uh TikTok
um at sweetheart songs okay
um yeah
I'm the artist Brandy love um
all one word but um
there is a
(01:18:02):
Brandy Love who's yeah
already somewhere she does
she's not a musician but okay
I had to you know
kind of change yeah
which is which is okay
um yeah
so we're doing a little rebrand and a little bit
little bit
for the new music that you're gonna release this year
yes yes
(01:18:23):
yeah you got it
it's out in the world so I'm gonna have to now yeah
yes accountability
we love some accountability
yes I mean
you would only bless us with your voice
so you know
we would all appreciate hearing more of you um
and we don't have to be in Indianapolis
to hear your beautiful voice
(01:18:45):
can listen to you from anywhere
no truly
you're a fantastic singer
and thank you so much for being here today
thank you for having me of course
of course and let's do this again someday okay
and let's not wait
six years till we see each other again
yes ma'am
yes okay absolutely
absolutely awesome well
thank you for joining
thank you to everybody watching or listening
(01:19:05):
if you are interested in booking a session with me
it would be a zoom session
um you can check out the link in the description
or in the show notes to book a session
and yeah I'd love to sing with you over zoom
meet you no matter where you are in the world
and help you with your voice
other than that I'll see you in the next episode
bye bye
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