Halloween has just happened and not only did it get me thinking about Onstage Nightmares but also about the very scary reality that faces a lot of performers – Stage Fright! For this reason, I’ve put together my 10 tips on how to overcome stage fright that I hope you will find super useful and practical!
If you haven’t seen it already, check out my video on the subject:
Tuneful TV’s Tips on How To Overcome Stage Fright
Before getting into my tips on how to overcome stage fright, I think it’s a good idea to define what it is. Put simply, it’s when the prospect of going onstage or performing in front of an audience puts your body into ‘Fight or Flight’. This is what the body does naturally to protect itself from danger and symptoms like sweaty palms, nausea/butterflies in your tummy, and tense muscles can ensue.
Check out my tips below to help counter the symptoms of stage fright
1. Warm up!
Whether you’re singing or playing an instrument or even both (shout out to the multi-instrumentalists)!! It’s very important that your body is warmed up before going on stage. This is so that you can counteract the effects of fight or flight that leads your body to tense up. Singers start doing your vocal warm ups. Musicians, get your instrument out and do your scales too and paradiddles if you’re a drummer. Just keep your body moving and warm.
2. Breathing & Stretching
Take deep breaths, stretch up and out. Open your lungs. It’s common knowledge that breathing deeply can help to relax you (think of your yoga and meditation sessions). Do this before going on stage and you’ll be good to go!
3. Tell Yourself You Love It
This is a great way to trick your brain into thinking that you’re fine and comfortable with your pending performance. Preferably talk to yourself out loud and tell yourself how much you love it and how much you want to be there!
4. Visualise Everything Going Well
This is another brain one! Leading up to the performance simply imagine it going really well. Get all up in your dream space and visualise with as much detail as you can, everything going perfectly. From the moment you walk out on stage, to the first note you play, to your final bow and all the applause you’ll get!
5. Don’t Say You’re Nervous
How many of us have gone on stage and said, “I’m really nervous…”? Don’t say it!! Just stop yourself! Not only are you psyching yourself out but when you say you’re nervous, you immediately make the audience feel awkward and uncomfortable! This then changes the energy of the room to one that can feel daunting and scary. I think it’s fair to say that most audiences want to be entertained and consequently, want to see you do well. The energy that performers get from the audience is just that, so you need them to continue to be on your side. They want you to go out there and slay!!
6. Make Eye Contact
A lot of singers like to close their eyes. Don’t do that! Making eye contact with the people you’re performing to gets you out of your head and into the one to one communication with the person you’re looking at. It’s less scary when you can imagine it’s just you and that person there, so actually looking at them really helps.
7. Avoid Extra Caffeine
If you would normally drink one or two coffees a day that’s fine, but don’t go drinking 4 cups of coffee and downing energy drinks before your performance! It will only give you the jitters and make you feel worse.
8. Practice, Practice, Practice!
Possibly the most important tip on this list. Whenever I’ve felt the most nervous and scared to perform, is when I felt under-rehearsed, as this is when the fear of something going wrong is able to creep in. If you’ve practiced enough, then you’ll know the piece like the back of your hand and it’s one less thing to worry about!
Note to singers: If you’re gonna do runs, PRACTICE THEM! Know exactly what notes you’re going to hit before you do it. Check out this cool video from Natalie Weiss and how she goes about, Breaking Down The Riffs.
9. Talk To Your Audience
Before you go on stage, try to talk with the people in the audience. It will humanise them and you’ll feel more comfortable knowing that Jim and Mary want you to do well!
10. HAVE FUN!!
Just enjoy it! If you are a singer or in a band, chances are you actually want to be there. So if you want to be there, just try to enjoy the moment! Think about how cool it is that you get to be onstage and share your art form with the public!
So those are my tips on how to overcome stage fright! Do you have any tips that work for you? Let me know what they are as I’m sure they can help the rest of us.
Do you have a performance or presentation coming up? I’d love to know if you’ll use some of these tips too!!
Nat xXx
