Living A Vocal Life: A Podcast For Singers

Hello, this is Valerie Day from Living A Vocal Life. During my break from producing new interviews, I'm revisiting some of the insightful conversations I've had with singers in the past five years. This encore episode delves into the crossroads of creativity and motherhood.

In these conversations, you'll discover how artist mothers balance the challenges and rewards of maintaining their creativity while parenting. They share candid accounts of balancing performances with breastfeeding, coping with postpartum depression, and the sacrifices they've made for their children and their art.

This series illuminates the journey of nurturing children and art, offering encouragement and guidance for those on similar paths.

I'd like to express my gratitude to the 11 women who generously lent their voices to the series:

Rebecca Sanborn
Danielle Tucker
Moana Wolfgramm
N'Kenge
Rosi Amador
Ara Lee James
Whitney Jones
Karla Harris
Alex Whiler
China Forbes
Stephanie Schneiderman

The songs featured in this series are:
Stand and Sway, written by Ara Lee James and Beth Wood
from their album Deep Blue

Sleep Is A Wonderful Thing, by Morley from the album Borderless Lullabies.
Borderless Lullabies is a collection of songs and spoken-word recordings, with 100% of proceeds benefiting KIND: Kids In Need of Defense: supportkind.org

Right Before My Eyes, written by my husband, John Smith, from our Nu Shooz Orchestra album Pandora's Box

Stephanie Schneiderman's song, Wherever You Go, from her album Crossfire. 

The books mentioned in the episode are:
The Baby On The Fire Escape: Creativity, Motherhood & The Mind-Baby Problem by Julie Phillips.

Mother Nurture by Rick Hanson, Ph.D., Jan Hanson, and Ricki Pollycove

Sign up for Vocal Notes — my once-a-month newsletter for singers.
Visit my website for other offerings for singers.

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On this episode of Living A Vocal Life, we’re diving into the world of microphones, exploring how the right mic can amplify your artistry and protect your vocal health. You’ll also get a peek at the latest module of my course, Becoming A Singer, where we take a look at the art of rehearsing and the power of body language. And finally, I share a personal announcement about the future of the podcast. Tune in for an episode filled with valuable tips and tools to live your best vocal life.

You can find the blog post, A Singer's Best Friend: Choosing The Right Microphone For You, HERE on my website.

To find out more about my free online course, Becoming A Singer, go HERE.

For full show notes, transcriptions of this episode, and other offerings for singers, visit my website HERE.

Please join me on Facebook or Instagram.

LET’S CONNECT!

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for a future podcast episode, I would love to hear from you! You can leave an audio or text message for me in the “Ask Me Anything” section of FanList.com, and I’ll get back to you. And if you have a question that could be helpful to other singers, don’t be shy - I’ll be sure to share it on a future episode of the podcast!

Never miss an episode! Sign up for Vocal Notes — my once-a-month newsletter for singers.

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In this episode of 'Living a Vocal Life,' my guest is Jessica Baldwin, a multi-talented popular music voice specialist, creativity coach, and indie singer-songwriter. Jess's early exposure to a music-rich environment nurtured her journey across various musical genres, leading to her distinctive soul, jazz, and chamber pop sound. She's appeared on American Public Television's Songs At The Center and NPR's Mountain stage, was a quarter-finalist in the 2015 and 2017 American Traditions Competition and won Best Cover Song in the 2015 and 2017 Ohio Music Awards. In this conversation, we take a deep dive into her journey as a singer and teacher with CPTSD and neurodivergence and explore concepts like artist-led coaching, authenticity as an artist, and Inner Family Systems Therapy (IFS). Jess highlights the transformative power of play, delight, and understanding our internal voices in sparking creativity and fostering a deeper connection with music. It was fascinating to hear how she has integrated these principles into her creativity coaching practice, providing invaluable tools for singers grappling with performance anxiety and more. Exploring the depths of creativity, psychology, and a singer's life with Jess was a joy, and I’m excited for you to join us on this journey.

You can find Jess on her True Colors coaching website, her artist website, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.

The songs from today’s episode are April Fool, Alarm Call, The InBetween, and By The Sea (used with permission.) To listen or download, go to her Bandcamp page HERE.

RECOMMENDED BOOKS IN THIS EPISODE:

Internal Family Systems:

Introduction to the Internal Family Systems Model by Richard C. Schwartz

No Bad Parts: Healing Trauma and Restoring
Wholeness with the Internal Family Systems Model by Richard C. Schwartz

Books On Creativity:

Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert

The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron

For full show notes, transcriptions of this episode, and more offerings for singers, you can visit my website HERE.

Please join me on Facebook or Instagram.

LET'S CONNECT!

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for a future podcast episode, I would love to hear from you! You can leave an audio or text message for my guest or me in the “Ask Me Anything” section of FanList.com, and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible. And if you have a question that could be helpful to other singers, don’t be shy - I’ll be sure to share it on a future episode of the podcast!

Never miss an episode! Sign up for Vocal Notes — my once-a-month newsletter for singers.

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In this episode, you’ll hear the inspiring journey of Rosi Amador, a bilingual singer, percussionist, and voiceover talent. Her relationship with music has been life-long, profoundly influenced by her parents, who themselves were performers. Rosi takes us from her roots in Puerto Rico through a life-changing trip to Nicaragua, the story of her first band, Flor de Caña, to the birth of the folkloric group Sol Y Canto. She openly discusses the challenges of balancing motherhood and a demanding music career, which ultimately led her to a satisfying transition into voiceover work. Her engaging anecdotes about raising her children in green rooms, their pursuit of music, and the influence of her journey on them, including Alisa, a recent NPR Tiny Desk Concert winner, make it a compelling listen. Join me to hear the story of an artist who chose authenticity and connection over commercial success and continues to influence, mentor, and inspire others.

You can find Rosi and her band Sol Y Canto on their website, Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube, and her voiceover company, Amador Bilingual Voiceovers, HERE.

The songs in this episode are La Llorona from Cada Dia Un Regalo,  Good Travels, Help Me To See, Little Spark from Live, In The Family,  Entremés from Sabor Y Memoria,  Tierra, Sol, Y Agua, Sancocho from Sancocho,  Alejandro’s Ghost, Zamba del Grillo from Sendero del Sol,  Under One Sky from El Doble de Amigos (Children’s Album),  Alisa Amador: Milonga. (Used with permission.)

For full show notes, transcriptions of this episode, and more offerings for singers, you can visit my website HERE.

Please join me on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

LET'S CONNECT!

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for a future podcast episode, I would love to hear from you! You can leave me an audio or text message in the "Ask Me Anything" section of PodInBox, and I'll get back to you as soon as possible. And if you have a question that could be helpful to other singers, don't be shy - I'll be sure to share it on a future episode of the podcast!

Never miss an episode! Sign up for Vocal Notes — my once-a-month newsletter for singers.

Theme music for the Podcast was composed by John Smith. (Thanks, honey!) 

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In this episode, you'll hear the voice of Whitney Jones, a remarkable musician, songwriter, and singer. Her journey began with singing gospel call and response with her mother during bath time and blossomed into a passion for music and songwriting. Despite facing challenges and adversity, including becoming a single mother at 16, Whitney's determination led her to attend the Berklee School of Music. In this conversation, she shares her experiences with stage fright and imposter syndrome and how her personal journey and traumas have influenced her musical expression. Join us as we delve into Whitney's life as a music therapist, her blended family of five children, and her unwavering passion for music. Whitney Jones - a testament to the power of resilience, talent, and a love for music.

You can find Whitney on her website, YouTube, or Instagram.

The songs from today’s episode are HIGHER and FEELING SO GOOD and are from Whitney’s album, HIGHER (used with permission.) To listen or download, go HERE.

Whitney has a new album coming out in May of 2024! To find out more and pre-order, head to her website HERE.

For full show notes, transcriptions of this episode, and more offerings for singers, you can visit my website HERE.

Please join me on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

LET'S CONNECT!

If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions for a future podcast episode, I would love to hear from you! You can leave me an audio or text message in the "Ask Me Anything" section of PodInBox, and I'll get back to you as soon as possible. And if you have a question that could be helpful to other singers, don't be shy - I'll be sure to share it on a future episode of the podcast!

Never miss an episode! Sign up for Vocal Notes — my once-a-month newsletter for singers.

Theme music for the Podcast was composed by John Smith. (Thanks, honey!) 

Support the show

Welcome to Episode Two of this special series of Living a Vocal Life, all about balancing motherhood and creativity. In this two-part series, you'll hear from 11 singers who generously agreed to answer three questions about how they navigate creativity and motherhood.

In Part One, you heard how these singers structure their lives, including tips on finding time and solitude for their creative work. In this episode, you'll hear how women navigate their inner lives when they can't get to their work, plus the many practices they use to support their emotional well-being. 

Links: & Music

I'd like to express my gratitude to the 11 women who generously lent their voices to the series: 

Rebecca Sanborn
Danielle Tucker
Moana Wolfgramm
N'Kenge
Rosi Amador
Ara Lee James
Whitney Jones
Karla Harris
Alex Whiler
China Forbes, and
Stephanie Schneiderman. 

It was a gift to spend time with them. 

The songs featured in this series are: Stand and Sway, written by Ara Lee James and Beth Wood from their album Deep Blue, Sleep Is A Wonderful Thing, by Morley from the album Borderless Lullabies (Borderless Lullabies is a collection of songs and spoken-word recordings, with 100% of proceeds benefiting KIND: Kids In Need of Defense: supportkind.org) Right Before My Eyes, written by my husband John Smith from our Nu Shooz Orchestra album Pandora's Box, and Stephanie Schneiderman's song, Wherever You Go, from her album Crossfire. 

Theme music for the Podcast was composed by John Smith. He edits all the podcast episodes too. (Thanks, honey!)
 

Resources

The book mentioned in the episode: The Baby On The Fire Escape: Creativity, Motherhood & The Mind-Baby Problem by Julie Phillips.

Mother Nurture: a book by one of my favorite psychologists, Rick Hanson, Ph.D., his wife, Jan Hanson, and Ricki Pollycove. The Hansons also have a website for mothers, NurtureMom.com. The site needs updating, but the content is still rich, relevant, and useful.

Support the show

Support the show

Welcome to Episode One of this special series of Living a Vocal Life, all about balancing motherhood and creativity. In this two-part series, you'll hear from 11 singers who generously agreed to answer three questions about how they navigate creativity and motherhood.

In Part One, you'll hear how these singers structure their lives, including tips on finding time and solitude for their creative work. In Part Two, you'll hear how women navigate their inner lives when they can't get to their work, plus the many practices they use to support their emotional well-being. 

Links: & Music

I'd like to express my gratitude to the 11 women who generously lent their voices to the series: 

Rebecca Sanborn
Danielle Tucker
Moana Wolfgramm
N'Kenge
Rosi Amador
Ara Lee James
Whitney Jones
Karla Harris
Alex Whiler
China Forbes, and
Stephanie Schneiderman. 

It was a gift to spend time with them. 

The songs featured in this series are: Stand and Sway, written by Ara Lee James and Beth Wood from their album Deep Blue, Sleep Is A Wonderful Thing, by Morley from the album Borderless Lullabies (Borderless Lullabies is a collection of songs and spoken-word recordings, with 100% of proceeds benefiting KIND: Kids In Need of Defense: supportkind.org) Right Before My Eyes, written by my husband John Smith from our Nu Shooz Orchestra album Pandora's Box, and Stephanie Schneiderman's song, Wherever You Go, from her album Crossfire. 

Theme music for the Podcast was composed by John Smith. He edits all the podcast episodes too. (Thanks, honey!)
 

Resources

A fantastic list of books about art and motherhood, curated by Austin Kleon.

Mother Nurture: a book by one of my favorite psychologists, Rick Hanson, Ph.D., his wife, Jan Hanson, and Ricki Pollycove. The Hansons also have a website for mothers, NurtureMom.com. The site needs updating, but the content is still rich, relevant, and useful.

Support the show

In this episode of Living A Vocal Life, we dive deep into the remarkable musical journey of Danielle Tucker. 

Danielle's passion for performance began when she auditioned and won a spot on Ed McMahon's Star Search in the early 90s. She didn't win, but what she learned from the singer she competed against ignited her desire to become a professional singer. Her journey from an inexperienced novice to a powerhouse vocalist is an inspiring tale of perseverance and personal growth. As Danielle opens up about her years spent traveling and learning from different band experiences, she reminds us of the importance of embracing vulnerability while learning how to stand up for yourself in the face of adversity.

You'll hear some behind-the-scenes stories from Danielle's adventures, from her early days in a touring Top 40 band to her thriving show band, the Mighty Untouchables. 

We also discuss the importance of teaching singers how to thrive, sharing valuable lessons about the challenges of balancing life as a musician, mother, and businesswoman.

I first heard about Danielle through the Unstoppable Singer Summit — a 3-day virtual event featuring over 30 top industry experts. In the summit, vocalists learn how to improve their craft, grow their fan base, and make a living as a musician. In the summit and her private studio, Danielle provides actionable advice for aspiring singers on musicianship skills, embracing uniqueness, and pursuing authenticity—offering students vital insights for their careers and creative journeys.

Danielle's commitment to her personal success and her dedication to developing others' talents is truly inspiring.

Key Points:

- Danielle's first band at 18 years old
- Participating in Ed McMahon's Star Search
- Church mentors and the role they've played in her career
- Transition to country music & Nashville scene
- Overcoming health issues and personal challenges
- The impact of teaching and coaching singers
- Preparing for the fourth edition of the Unstoppable Singer Summit

You can find Danielle on Facebook, Instagram, or YouTube.

Danielle’s website is HERE.
The Mighty Untouchables website is HERE.
And the Unstoppable Singers Summit is HERE.

The recordings from today’s episode are: What A Fool Believes (Cover version by The Mighty Untouchables), I Feel For You (cover version by The Mighty Untouchables), Every Woman, and Fallin’ Up. (Used with permission.) 

Free online course for singers mentioned in the episode: Becoming A Singer: Setting The Stage To Live A Vocal Life

For full show notes, transcriptions of this episode, and more offerings for singers, you can visit my website HERE.

Please join me on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Never miss an episode! Sign up for Vocal Notes — my once-a-month newsletter for singers.

Theme music for the Podcast was composed by John Smith. He helps me edit all the podcast episodes too. (Thanks, honey!) 

Support the show

In this episode, I had the opportunity to speak with the extraordinary singer and performer N'Kenge. Her vocal range spans five octaves and 11 different languages. She can sing any style of music, from Broadway to pop, soul, and opera. Her impressive resume includes leading roles in various Broadway musicals and performances at major venues like Carnegie Hall and Madison Square Garden. Additionally, she has sung for presidents and dignitaries around the world, including President Clinton and President Obama's historic Inaugural Ball. 

N'Kenge has performed since she was in grade school and has worked with incredible musicians like Ornette Coleman and Wynton Marsalis. Motown founder, Barry Gordy, describes her as "The most versatile artist I know."

We delve into her early memories of singing and how her parents encouraged her to pursue the arts as a way to channel her incredible energy. Join us as we dive into N'Kenge's life, from her early beginnings in the Bronx, New York, to her journey as a fully realized artist. We discuss the importance of an arts education, techniques for switching between different music styles, and the challenges of balancing a music career and parenting.

For full show notes, transcriptions of this episode, and more offerings for singers, you can visit my website HERE.

Please join me on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Never miss an episode! Sign up for Vocal Notes — my once-a-month newsletter for singers.

You can find N’Kenge on her website, Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.

Support the show

This season, the Living a Vocal Life podcast offers a special edition of interviews with successful vocalists who have turned to teaching the next generation of singers. In today's episode, host Valerie Day, an accomplished singer and voice teacher, talks passionately about how underrated and essential teaching is and how it goes beyond just knowing how to sing or play an instrument. Valerie highlights the multifaceted skills involved in teaching, such as communicating concepts, understanding a student's learning style, asking effective questions, and nurturing artistic expression. She also offers a sneak peek into her upcoming episode on motherhood and creativity, where she interviews singers who have successfully balanced their singing career and raising children. Valerie has also launched a new website to share her wealth of knowledge and experience, starting with the free course called Becoming a Singer. 

Topics Discussed:

- The undervalued importance of teaching and its multifaceted skills

- Valerie's journey to becoming a voice teacher

- The value of effective communication and deep listening in teaching voice

- Motherhood and creativity in the context of a singing career

- Valerie's Free course, Becoming a Singer

- N'Kenge, a versatile vocalist, as Valerie's next guest

LINKS

Online Course Becoming A Singer: Setting The Stage To Live A Vocal Life

For full show notes, transcriptions of this episode, and more offerings for singers, you can visit my website HERE.

Please join me on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Never miss an episode! Sign up for Vocal Notes — my once-a-month newsletter for singers.

Support the show