In this episode of On The Voice, Natalie Weiss joins hosts Mackenzie Bykowski, MM, and Jenna Battipaglia, MS, CCC-SLP, PAVA-RV, for a wide-ranging conversation on the evolution of her career as both a performer and vocal coach. Natalie reflects on her early musical influences, her path through musical theatre and American Idol, and the development of her now widely recognized “Breaking Down The Riffs®” approach. She shares how her ear for detail and collaborative instincts shaped her work in studios, classrooms, and across digital platforms, offering insight into how she approaches storytelling, riff construction, and vocal decision-making across styles.

Natalie also speaks candidly about her experiences with vocal injury, including multiple hemorrhages and the uncertainty that comes with navigating a career while managing vocal health. She discusses the psychological impact of injury, the process of recovery, and the awareness she has developed around her voice over time. Throughout the conversation, she offers an honest look at the balance between performance, teaching, and sustainability and what it means to build a career that adapts alongside the voice itself.  

Disclaimer: The information shared in this podcast is for general educational and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute professional medical, legal, financial, or other advice. Views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the hosts. Individual experiences and results may vary — always consult a qualified professional for guidance specific to your situation.

In this episode of On The Voice, Morgan Anita Wood joins hosts Mackenzie Bykowski, MM, and Jenna Battipaglia, MS, CCC-SLP, PAVA-RV. from aspiring performer to Broadway’s Hamilton, where she has spent nearly eight years with the production and made her Broadway debut as Eliza in 2024. Morgan reflects on the full-circle path that brought her from observing Hamilton auditions at Telsey to performing the role herself, and discusses the personal and artistic growth that has come from sustaining one of Broadway’s most demanding leading tracks.  

Morgan also opens up about experiencing a vocal injury just 4 weeks ago during her current Broadway run, describing the frightening onstage moment she realized something was wrong, the emotional aftermath of vocal injury, and the shame, fear, and isolation that occurs as a result of the stigma surrounding injuries in professional voice users. In a candid and moving conversation, she speaks about recovery, resilience, and the unexpected community she found through sharing her story - offering an honest look at what it means to navigate vulnerability while performing at the highest level.

Disclaimer: The information shared in this podcast is for general educational and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute professional medical, legal, financial, or other advice. Views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the hosts. Individual experiences and results may vary — always consult a qualified professional for guidance specific to your situation.

In this episode of On The Voice, Christine Schneider, LMT, HMS, joins hosts Mackenzie Bykowski, MM, and Jenna Battipaglia, MS, CCC-SLP, PAVA-RV, for an expansive conversation on the voice as a full-body instrument. Together, they explore how vocal function is influenced far beyond the larynx through movement, pressure management, asymmetry, and the nervous system.

Christine Schneider is the founder of The Visceral Voice, where she and her team provide advanced laryngeal and TMJ therapy for professional voice users. She is also the co-founder of Amplified Voice Manual Therapy and serves as the movement coach for the Metropolitan Opera’s Lindemann Young Artist Program. Through her global platform, podcast, and Vocal Resilience Academy, Christine educates voice professionals on anatomy, biomechanics, and sustainable vocal function.

The conversation dives into the concept of the body’s 7 Central Line Diaphragms, the impact of asymmetry on vocal production, and how patterns of compensation— whether from injury, choreography, or daily use — can directly affect vocal stability and freedom. Christine also offers insight into working with high-level performers, from Broadway to opera, and how external demands like staging, costuming, and physical strain influence vocal outcomes.

Disclaimer: The information shared in this podcast is for general educational and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute professional medical, legal, financial, or other advice. Views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the hosts. Individual experiences and results may vary — always consult a qualified professional for guidance specific to your situation.

In this episode of On The Voice, Erika Henningsen joins hosts Mackenzie Bykowski, MM, and Jenna Battipaglia, MS, CCC-SLP, PAVA-RV, to share her story of discovering a path to healing after experiencing vocal difficulties and the complex relationship between voice, identity, and nervous system regulation. Erika opens up about the physical and emotional realities of performing at a high level - from originating roles on Broadway to managing intense vocal demands across stage, television, and voiceover work.

Erika Henningsen is a Broadway actress, singer, and screen performer best known for originating the role of Cady Heron in Mean Girls on Broadway. She was most recently seen as Sandra Dee, opposite Jonathan Groff in Just in Time.  Her credits also include voicing Charlie Morningstar in Prime Video’s Award Winning Animated Series, Hazbin Hotel and portraying Ginny in Netflix’s The Four Seasons starring opposite Tina Fey and Steve Carrell. 

Disclaimer: The information shared in this podcast is for general educational and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute professional medical, legal, financial, or other advice. Views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the hosts. Individual experiences and results may vary — always consult a qualified professional for guidance specific to your situation.

Aaron Johnson, PhD, CCC-SLP, is a researcher and speech–language pathologist specializing in voice habilitation, vocal rehabilitation, and the neuromuscular science of how the voice adapts to training and injury. He is an Associate Professor in the Department of Otolaryngology at NYU Grossman School of Medicine and Co-Director of the NYU Langone Voice & Swallowing Center. His NIH-funded research examines laryngeal neuromuscular plasticity — exploring how the vocal mechanism changes in response to vocal training, vocal injury, and aging. As a clinician, Dr. Johnson works on a multidisciplinary team treating voice disorders in professional voice users, including singers, actors, and performing artists. Before entering research and clinical practice, he spent over a decade as a professional classical singer and voice teacher, a background that continues to shape his work bridging voice science, vocal health, and performance.

In this episode of On The Voice, Dr. Aaron Johnson joins hosts Mackenzie Bykowski, MM, and Jenna Battipaglia, MS, CCC-SLP, PAVA-RV, for a conversation exploring the science behind vocal injury, vocal recovery, and long-term vocal sustainability for singers and professional voice users. Together, we explore the aging voice and how it begins a lot sooner than we thought! We discuss what actually changes across the lifespan, how singers can adapt and embrace their instruments over time, and why vocal training continues to matter at every stage of a career. This episode offers a rare look inside the research shaping the future of vocal health, voice science, and clinical voice care for singers and performing artists.

Disclaimer: The information shared in this podcast is for general educational and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute professional medical, legal, financial, or other advice. Views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the hosts. Individual experiences and results may vary — always consult a qualified professional for guidance specific to your situation.

In this episode of On The Voice, Jay joins hosts Mackenzie Bykowski, MM, and Jenna Battipaglia, MS, CCC-SLP, PAVA-RV, to publicly share — for the first time — his experience working through vocal injury and the psychological aftermath of returning to a high-stakes contract and re-learning that he can trust his instrument. Jay speaks candidly about vocal anxiety, identity, full-body connection, and the tension between resilience and self-preservation in an industry that often rewards pushing through.

Jay Armstrong Johnson is an actor, creative producer, and educator whose career spans Broadway, national tours, concert stages, and television. His Broadway credits include Parade, On the Town, Hands on a Hardbody, Catch Me If You Can, Hair, and The Phantom of the Opera. He most recently led the North American Tour of Moulin Rouge! The Musical as Christian — one of the most vocally demanding roles in the contemporary musical theatre canon. Offstage, Jay is the creator and executive producer of I Put A Spell On You, Broadway’s iconic Halloween benefit supporting The Ali Forney Center, and co-founder of Bridge Arts Project, a mentorship initiative for emerging artists nationwide.

Disclaimer: The information shared in this podcast is for general educational and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute professional medical, legal, financial, or other advice. Views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the hosts. Individual experiences and results may vary — always consult a qualified professional for guidance specific to your situation.

Mike Ruckles, MM, SVRS, PAVA-RV, is a New York–based vocal technician and singing voice specialist who maintains one of the city’s premier studios for musical theatre and pop/rock singers. His students include Tony, Grammy, and Oscar winners, with clients appearing on and off-Broadway, the Metropolitan Opera, the West End, and national tours. As a production vocal coach, his work spans some of Broadway’s most vocally demanding shows, and as a rehabilitation specialist, he collaborates closely with leading laryngologists to guide injured voices safely back to performance. A longtime educator at NYU and the University of Northern Colorado, Mike’s work bridges artistry, science, and care — with the singer always at the center.

In this episode of On The Voice, Mike Ruckles joins hosts Mackenzie Bykowski, MM, and Jenna Battipaglia, MS, CCC-SLP, to unpack what it really means to support singers at the highest level of the industry. From his work as a Broadway production vocal coach to his role as a singing voice rehabilitation specialist, Mike speaks candidly about vocal load, sustainability, and why collaboration between voice teachers, speech-language pathologists, and laryngologists isn’t optional — it’s essential. Together, we explore advocacy, transparency, and the evolving responsibility of care teams in an industry that often asks performers to push past their limits.

Disclaimer: The information shared in this podcast is for general educational and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute professional medical, legal, financial, or other advice. Views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the hosts. Individual experiences and results may vary — always consult a qualified professional for guidance specific to your situation.

Leo Ash Evens is a performer, educator, and voice professional whose career spans Broadway, the West End, national tours, and regional theatre. His Broadway credits include School of Rock, Shuffle Along, and Jesus Christ Superstar, with extensive work in West Side Story across London’s West End, the 50th Anniversary U.S. Tour, Houston TUTS, Barrington Stage, and North Carolina Theatre. His regional work includes Ragtime, Cabaret, Peter and the Starcatcher, Somewhere, and Gypsy, starring Patti LuPone. In addition to his stage career, Leo is a nationally recognized voiceover artist and the current voice of Simon Markets for Goldman Sachs. He is also the Owner and Director of Musical Theater College Auditions (MTCA), where he is entering his eighteenth year preparing young performers for college auditions through a rigorous, artist-centered approach.

In this episode of On The Voice, Leo joins hosts Mackenzie Bykowski and Jenna Battipaglia, MS, CCC-SLP, PAVA-RV to discuss his experience with ulcerative laryngitis - a rare and serious vocal condition that resulted in sudden voice loss and an extended period of recovery. He reflects on the realities of complete vocal rest, the emotional impact of losing his primary means of communication, and the patience required to rebuild trust in his voice again. The conversation explores the pressure performers feel to push through illness, the difficulty of deciding when to call out, and the long-term lessons Leo carried forward into his performing, teaching, and leadership work. This episode offers an honest look at vocal load, sustainability, and what it means to care for the voice across a demanding, multifaceted career.

Disclaimer: The information shared in this podcast is for general educational and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute professional medical, legal, financial, or other advice. Views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the hosts. Individual experiences and results may vary — always consult a qualified professional for guidance specific to your situation.

Milan R. Amin, MD is a Professor of Otolaryngology–Head & Neck Surgery at NYU Langone Health, Chief of the Division of Laryngology, and Founder and Director of the NYU Langone Voice Center. Since establishing the center in 2005, he has transformed it into an internationally recognized hub for cutting-edge voice, swallowing, and airway care — pioneering office-based laser and injection techniques and authoring more than 120 peer-reviewed publications. His work continues to shape the landscape of modern vocal health for singers, actors, educators, and professional voice users worldwide.

In this episode of On The Voice, Dr. Amin joins hosts Mackenzie Bykowski and Jenna Battipaglia, MS, CCC-SLP, for a deep dive into the specialty of laryngology and what professional voice users can expect during an evaluation. He breaks down how to identify symptoms that warrant a scope, the value of baseline imaging, and why multidisciplinary care is essential for both diagnosis and long-term vocal success. The conversation explores vocal fold scarring and sulcus — how they form, why they affect vibration, and the tiered decision-making behind treatment, from behavioral strategies to microsurgery. Dr. Amin also shares insights on vocal health during illness, emerging research in aging voice and rare diseases, and the future of wearable voice-tracking technology.

Disclaimer: The information shared in this podcast is for general educational and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute medical, legal, financial, or other professional advice. Views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the hosts. Individual experiences and results may vary — always consult a qualified professional for guidance specific to your situation.

Samantha Joy Pearlman is a New York–based multi-hyphenate: a performer, singer-songwriter, writer, and voice teacher whose career spans original musical theatre, new work development, and contemporary music. She originated the role of Deb in The Art Tour Off-Broadway at Theatre Row, appeared as Mary Jane Gumm in Chasing Rainbows: The Road to Oz at Paper Mill Playhouse, and wrote and starred in the solo musical Devotedly, Sincerely Yours. Her band, Joy and the Wildfire, has toured throughout the Northeast and opened the pre-show party for Heart at Bethel Woods. As a vocalist, her sound has been praised as “rich, textured, and utterly captivating—like if silk and fire had a baby,” and she is the proud founder of SJP Voice Studio.

In this episode of On The Voice, Samantha joins hosts Mackenzie Bykowski and Jenna Battipaglia, MS, CCC-SLP, to discuss her journey through multiple vocal hemorrhages, navigating pseudocysts, understanding vocal load, and recovering from parathyroid surgery. She speaks candidly about resilience, vocal identity, and learning to embrace the voice she has rather than the one she thought she was “supposed” to have. 

Disclaimer: The information shared in this podcast is for general educational and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute professional medical, legal, financial, or other advice. Views expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the hosts. Individual experiences and results may vary — always consult a qualified professional for guidance specific to your situation.