American Idol Hollywood week part 2- NO EXCUSES singers!
I am inspired to write this after watching the guy last night with the thick rimmed glasses who was in a group that had all kinds of issues be cut. He then asked the judges to give him another chance due to everything they went through… they didn’t care, their decision was made. He had his shot. That was it. Judges don’t have time to hold your hand through an audition experience. Time is money.
So sad and cold singers, but it is true there are NO EXCUSES when it comes to your performances and auditions. Nobody cares until you are famous if you have a valid excuse or not, especially not at an audition when you are a complete unknown.
Judges are looking at you as a “singer”- someone who can pull off a note, song, job. Not as a person with a soul, needs, and feelings. They honestly don’t have time to care as cruel as that sounds. It is is the truth.
It also is not anything personal. It is just the business of singing. All they care about is that you CAN pull it off, no matter the circumstances. Remember your impression will last with them, no matter what excuse may be behind it.
So like the guy on American Idol who was stuck in a tough group. You just have to make things work, no matter what when it comes to crunch time. It is easy now to advise him. I wasn’t up all night in a high pressure once in a life time situation stuck in a group filled with drama.
But as a “seasoned” professional I would say what would have been most important for him and any of them to do, is to stay emotionally detached from all the drama. Get through the rehearsal and then no matter what for the performance be a professional. He needed to Sing His Butt off like there would never be another opportunity, walk the routine proud, and commit to the harmonies bad- or good. Judges are looking for professionalism and confidence from a positive person, not someone who is battered down by pressure.
It may not have been a fair hand dealt to him or anyone else cut from group night (not my favorite of the auditions they do, but good for ratings), but is was dealt. And in life as singers we are constantly dealt things that aren’t fair: Songs that are boring, in the wrong genre, wrong tessitura, dumb directing, bad partners, ugly costumes, late night rehearsals, no rehearsals, bad pianists, cold dressing rooms, dry ice surrounding us when we sing, bad acoustics, no water back stage, empty audiences…. I could go on and on.
Again though, there are no excuses. You will make an impression no matter what. So own it- you can go home after and pour all your excuses to your family and friends that is what they are for.
And feel free to write me about them, I am happy to help you work through them and help you to figure out how to prevent them your voice teacher is a great resource for empathy!
written by Ariella Vaccarino creator of Voice Lessons TO GO (singing lessons on CD), and author of Vocalize!
follow me on twitter:http://www.twitter.com/singingvltg
Want feedback on your own voice? Sign up for Your Vocal Assessment on my site, then send me a link to or mp3 of your voice with your questions and I will give you my professional assessment right away.
Tags: American Idol review, auditioning for singers, no excuses for singers
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