Soul vibes - Touring NSW 2024
I'm Mel, and here's a story about how I ended up putting on my own show.
Pilates Exclusive is a Pilates studio in Dubbo, that I opened in 2006. It may be where you know me from. We're a full-time Pilates studio that run sessions from Monday to Friday.
Contrary to common beliefs, when I'm teaching I don't actually do a lot of Pilates myself. Our studio teaches differently to a gym where the instructor is out the front doing the exercises where everyone follows the leader. When I teach, there are only four people in a session and I mainly spend my time talking. Teaching a session requires me to walk around, select an exercise, correct, watch and ask questions to problem solve.
Teaching all day, five days a week, is why I'm what's considered a 'high voice user.' Teachers, singers, workshop presenters, auctioneers and people that are always on the phone all day, can all be considered to have high voice demands.
Sometime around 2013 I sought out a local singing teacher. I started with half an hour each week and was enjoying the lessons.
There's not a time I can remember where I didn't sing.
I was loving it.
After the very first singing lesson, I felt my voice was tired.
It felt like when you went to a swimming carnival as a kid. You'd scream the whole day encouraging your friends and supporting your house, then your throat would be a bit sore and you might lose your voice after.
It felt a little like that.
After my second lesson, it was the same.
But this was normal, right?
Singing was meant to be hard, and you're meant to get better at it the more you do, right?
The weeks went on and it started getting to the point where my voice started to sound like gravel. My throat hurt after each lesson and it lasted for a couple of days.
These symptoms over the next six months gradually increased.
I started losing my voice completely after my lesson and couldn't teach Pilates until the next day.
I started to feel my voice was tired for the whole week and I knew it wasn't right.
By this time, I had two other staff to teach sessions, and so I basically rested my voice for most of the day - only talking when absolutely necessary.
This is when I realised I had to stop singing.
Things weren't getting better.
They were getting worse.
Much worse.
It was impacting my teaching, and my whole life really.
I spoke to a client who told me about a speech pathologist in Sydney that worked specifically with singers.
I booked in for the next available appointment.
They assessed my range when singing, and it had decreased to almost just a few notes.
They put a camera down my nose and throat to see what was happening.
I remember watching the video and seeing almost all of the throat muscles squeeze tight when I started to sing.
I'd developed a lot of bad habits in my lessons, and my neck muscles had started to compensate really aggressively.
To the point that even when speaking, these same compensatory muscles would work.
No nodules thank goodness, but I was in really bad shape.
The speech pathologist gave me a some rehab exercises and I went off on my way back to Dubbo.
After doing the exercises religiously for a couple of months my soreness in the throat started to change.
I'd still get really tired, and couldn't speak for long in the day, but at least it was improvement.
I started teaching a few hours a day in the studio again, and it certainly got me to a better place.
Even though I'd improved, it wasn't anywhere near how much I was able to speak for previously, and I think it felt like I was about 50 - 60% of my previous capacity.
I was bummed. I felt frustrated and annoyed. I felt sad because I loved singing and I couldn't do it.
Is this how it's going to be forever?
Will I have to give up my Pilates teaching?
Will I ever sing again?
I was scared to sing.
I tried a couple of times in the car and in the shower, but each time my throat hurt when I even sang just a line of a song.
I now understand this was pain memory, and my brain was protecting me from damaging my voice again.
After years of not singing even a bar, that was soon about to change.
It was 2017, and I was in Melbourne. I was staying at Rydges and sitting in the sun against the window.
It was warm on my skin and it made me feel positive and optimistic in that moment.
Driven by nothing conscious, I typed into google - singing teachers Melbourne.
That's when my world changed.
That's when I met Anouska.
A singing teacher originally born in England, that had experienced her own voice problems in the past, was now teaching in Melbourne.
Anouska asked me to start with hour lessons.
I was instantly worried.
My previous lessons only lasted for half an hour, and I barely lasted that.
My first lesson she assessed my range, and I explained my history.
I sang some scales and she gave me feedback on what I needed to do in order to improve my technique.
Listening carefully, she identified some fairly bad singing habits, and gave me a plethora of cues in an attempt to correct them.
I was amazed.
My voice felt pretty okay after this first hour.
After explaining my habits and how she would teach me to get rid of them, I was starting to feel a tad optimistic.
I came back and had another lesson the next day and left feeling pretty happy with myself.
I'd done two lessons, and no pain!
Actually my voice felt BETTER when I finished. Like I'd done a Pilates session, but for my voice!
I was hooked.
I did my home voice exercises everyday, sometimes for an hour or two in the day.
I started finding that I could teach Pilates sessions for longer and longer in the day, and I began to get more confident with both speaking and singing.
Singing lessons with Anouska gave me the confidence and skills I needed to get my voice back on track - and flourish.
Since then, I've been lucky enough to have the opportunity to sing at International events, in front of thousands of people (did this to get over my fear of singing in front of people!) and my voice now feels reliable, happy and strong.
So what's next?
Soul Vibes of course!
A concert I first put on at the Black Box Theatre, in October 2022. Due to the success of the first concert - we're touring NSW this year with an even bigger and better show!
Soul Vibes will be an intimate concert which celebrates the classics that established the well-loved genre. The show will spotlight covers of soul hits throughout the years, bringing an audience together to sing, clap and tap their toes to the music of Tina Turner, Ben E. King, Nina Simone and other musical legends. We have a 6 piece band, Violin, Bongo Drums and Backup dancers so come along and let's groove together.
The band and I cannot wait to share the show with you!
Mel x
P.S. If you want to follow us at rehearsals and know what goes on behind the scenes follow me on facebook. I share the whole journey and would love to answer any questions you may have about the process.
Pilates Exclusive is a Pilates studio in Dubbo, that I opened in 2006. It may be where you know me from. We're a full-time Pilates studio that run sessions from Monday to Friday.
Contrary to common beliefs, when I'm teaching I don't actually do a lot of Pilates myself. Our studio teaches differently to a gym where the instructor is out the front doing the exercises where everyone follows the leader. When I teach, there are only four people in a session and I mainly spend my time talking. Teaching a session requires me to walk around, select an exercise, correct, watch and ask questions to problem solve.
Teaching all day, five days a week, is why I'm what's considered a 'high voice user.' Teachers, singers, workshop presenters, auctioneers and people that are always on the phone all day, can all be considered to have high voice demands.
Sometime around 2013 I sought out a local singing teacher. I started with half an hour each week and was enjoying the lessons.
There's not a time I can remember where I didn't sing.
I was loving it.
After the very first singing lesson, I felt my voice was tired.
It felt like when you went to a swimming carnival as a kid. You'd scream the whole day encouraging your friends and supporting your house, then your throat would be a bit sore and you might lose your voice after.
It felt a little like that.
After my second lesson, it was the same.
But this was normal, right?
Singing was meant to be hard, and you're meant to get better at it the more you do, right?
The weeks went on and it started getting to the point where my voice started to sound like gravel. My throat hurt after each lesson and it lasted for a couple of days.
These symptoms over the next six months gradually increased.
I started losing my voice completely after my lesson and couldn't teach Pilates until the next day.
I started to feel my voice was tired for the whole week and I knew it wasn't right.
By this time, I had two other staff to teach sessions, and so I basically rested my voice for most of the day - only talking when absolutely necessary.
This is when I realised I had to stop singing.
Things weren't getting better.
They were getting worse.
Much worse.
It was impacting my teaching, and my whole life really.
I spoke to a client who told me about a speech pathologist in Sydney that worked specifically with singers.
I booked in for the next available appointment.
They assessed my range when singing, and it had decreased to almost just a few notes.
They put a camera down my nose and throat to see what was happening.
I remember watching the video and seeing almost all of the throat muscles squeeze tight when I started to sing.
I'd developed a lot of bad habits in my lessons, and my neck muscles had started to compensate really aggressively.
To the point that even when speaking, these same compensatory muscles would work.
No nodules thank goodness, but I was in really bad shape.
The speech pathologist gave me a some rehab exercises and I went off on my way back to Dubbo.
After doing the exercises religiously for a couple of months my soreness in the throat started to change.
I'd still get really tired, and couldn't speak for long in the day, but at least it was improvement.
I started teaching a few hours a day in the studio again, and it certainly got me to a better place.
Even though I'd improved, it wasn't anywhere near how much I was able to speak for previously, and I think it felt like I was about 50 - 60% of my previous capacity.
I was bummed. I felt frustrated and annoyed. I felt sad because I loved singing and I couldn't do it.
Is this how it's going to be forever?
Will I have to give up my Pilates teaching?
Will I ever sing again?
I was scared to sing.
I tried a couple of times in the car and in the shower, but each time my throat hurt when I even sang just a line of a song.
I now understand this was pain memory, and my brain was protecting me from damaging my voice again.
After years of not singing even a bar, that was soon about to change.
It was 2017, and I was in Melbourne. I was staying at Rydges and sitting in the sun against the window.
It was warm on my skin and it made me feel positive and optimistic in that moment.
Driven by nothing conscious, I typed into google - singing teachers Melbourne.
That's when my world changed.
That's when I met Anouska.
A singing teacher originally born in England, that had experienced her own voice problems in the past, was now teaching in Melbourne.
Anouska asked me to start with hour lessons.
I was instantly worried.
My previous lessons only lasted for half an hour, and I barely lasted that.
My first lesson she assessed my range, and I explained my history.
I sang some scales and she gave me feedback on what I needed to do in order to improve my technique.
Listening carefully, she identified some fairly bad singing habits, and gave me a plethora of cues in an attempt to correct them.
I was amazed.
My voice felt pretty okay after this first hour.
After explaining my habits and how she would teach me to get rid of them, I was starting to feel a tad optimistic.
I came back and had another lesson the next day and left feeling pretty happy with myself.
I'd done two lessons, and no pain!
Actually my voice felt BETTER when I finished. Like I'd done a Pilates session, but for my voice!
I was hooked.
I did my home voice exercises everyday, sometimes for an hour or two in the day.
I started finding that I could teach Pilates sessions for longer and longer in the day, and I began to get more confident with both speaking and singing.
Singing lessons with Anouska gave me the confidence and skills I needed to get my voice back on track - and flourish.
Since then, I've been lucky enough to have the opportunity to sing at International events, in front of thousands of people (did this to get over my fear of singing in front of people!) and my voice now feels reliable, happy and strong.
So what's next?
Soul Vibes of course!
A concert I first put on at the Black Box Theatre, in October 2022. Due to the success of the first concert - we're touring NSW this year with an even bigger and better show!
Soul Vibes will be an intimate concert which celebrates the classics that established the well-loved genre. The show will spotlight covers of soul hits throughout the years, bringing an audience together to sing, clap and tap their toes to the music of Tina Turner, Ben E. King, Nina Simone and other musical legends. We have a 6 piece band, Violin, Bongo Drums and Backup dancers so come along and let's groove together.
The band and I cannot wait to share the show with you!
Mel x
P.S. If you want to follow us at rehearsals and know what goes on behind the scenes follow me on facebook. I share the whole journey and would love to answer any questions you may have about the process.