What does it take to sing one of Broadway’s most demanding roles—eight shows a week—and do it sustainably?

In this episode, we're joined by Lencia Kebede, who is currently playing Elphaba on Broadway, for a candid conversation about vocal endurance, trusting your instrument, pacing across a demanding performance schedule, and the moment-to-moment decisions that support vocal sustainability night after night. We also explore how caring for the mind and body—through rest, awareness, and recovery—plays a critical role in keeping the voice healthy under extreme demands.

Whether you’re a singer, performer, clinician, or professional voice user, this episode offers an honest look at what vocal health looks like in real life—inside one of Broadway’s most iconic roles in Wicked.

🎧 Tune in for a grounded conversation about vocal sustainability and longevity—onstage and off.

In this episode, Kyle Friend shares his journey from competing at the professional level to finding his place behind the microphone as a leading voice in volleyball commentary. Kyle walks us through the transition from player to commentator, highlighting the behind-the-scenes preparation that goes into covering elite tournaments and the often-overlooked physical demands of sustained voice use on long competition days.

We dive into voice management as a key part of performance, the importance of building trust and relationships with athletes, and how lived experience on the court shapes more authentic storytelling.

Join us as Kyle shares practical advice for aspiring commentators on developing confidence, finding their own vocal identity, and carving out a unique presence in the broadcasting world.

What’s really happening when a metal vocalist growls, screams, or distorts their sound—and how does the larynx handle that intensity? In this episode, we sit down with Amanda Stark PhD, CCC-SLP, who studies heavy metal singing under videostroboscopy, giving us a rare, real-time look at the biomechanics behind extreme vocals. On today's episode, we explore how researchers are beginning to capture and understand the vocal strategies behind metal techniques, what early visual data can (and can’t) tell us, and why this work is reshaping assumptions about vocal health. From the challenges of studying extreme sound production to the potential implications for singers and clinicians, this conversation highlights the cutting-edge of voice science.

What happens when the body’s connective tissue is too flexible — and how does that impact the way we speak, breathe, and swallow? In this episode, we sit down with Stacey Menton MM, MA, CCC-SLP, a speech-language pathologist who not only treats patients with hypermobility Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (hEDS) and hypermobility spectrum disorder (HSD) , but lives with HSD herself. Join us as we break down the hallmark features of hEDS and HSD, why symptoms often go unrecognized, and how clinicians can better support patients who live with “stretchy” tissues but very real limitations. For clinicians, patients, and curious listeners alike, we hope this episode offers a grounded and empathetic look at one of the most frequently misunderstood connective-tissue disorders.

What happens when you can’t burp? In this episode, we sit down with laryngologist Dr. Michael Lerner, and speech-language pathologist Andrew Keltz MS, CCC-SLP who specialize in voice and upper-airway disorders to unpack retrograde cricopharyngeus dysfunction (RCPD)—a condition sometimes called “no-burp syndrome.”

Together, they discuss how dysfunction of the cricopharyngeus muscle leads to trapped air, pressure, and discomfort—and how emerging medical and behavioral approaches are helping patients find relief. From Botox injections to the “BERP” (Behavioral Eructation Retraining Protocol), this episode bridges the science and the lived experience behind restoring one of the body’s most overlooked reflexes.

Tune in for insights, patient perspectives, and the collaborative teamwork that makes this condition treatable.

In this special World Voice Day episode, we’re joined by Scott Flanagan and Kimberly Kuman for a shared conversation about advocacy, creativity, and living with voice disorders.

Scott is a nationally known quilting artist, author, and board member of Dysphonia International who lives with laryngeal dystonia. Kim is the Executive Director of Dysphonia International and a longtime patient advocate. Together, they reflect on how voice disorders shape identity—and how advocacy can become a voice of its own.

Tune in as we explore what it means to truly empower your voice, and why awareness and community matter more than ever.

On today’s episode, we are joined by Dr. Anusha Sundarrajan (she/her) and Oneida Chi (they/them), two experts in gender-affirming voice care, to explore the transformative journey of voice training. Dr. Sundarrajan, a multilingual speech-language pathologist and assistant professor at San Francisco State University, and Oneida Chi, a first generation Chinese American genderqueer SLP and longtime advocate for trans voice care, share their experiences developing culturally responsive, patient-centered voice therapy. They discuss the emotional and cognitive aspects of exploring a new voice, the importance of creating safe and affirming spaces, and the need for inclusive, trauma-informed care. Tune in to hear more about the importance of empowerment and self-discovery, and why gender-affirming voice work is about so much more than just pitch.

On today’s episode, we’re joined by Aaron Schumacher, a seasoned performer, entrepreneur, and the founder of VocalMist. While managing the demands of constant travel and performance, Aaron saw the need for a solution to maintain vocal health on the go. This led him to create VocalMist, a portable nebulizer that uses isotonic saline to hydrate the vocal folds, becoming a trusted tool for singers, public speakers, and those with respiratory conditions. Tune in to hear the story behind the creation of VocalMist and learn how Aaron navigated the challenges of building a business in the health and wellness tech space.

On today's episode, we are joined by Dr. Emily Kimball, an Assistant Professor in Hearing and Speech Sciences in the Vanderbilt Bill Wilkerson center, where she investigates the molecular and cellular properties of the vocal folds as the Director of the Voice Biology Lab, as well as teaches the Masters level course in Voice Disorders. Dr. Kimball has a unique background having received an undergraduate degree in Human Anatomy and Physiology from the University of Arizona, and completed her Masters in Speech Language Pathology at the University of Utah. Following her Masters, she completed her PhD at Vanderbilt University, where she investigated the phonotraumatic damage associated with acute voice use in a rabbit model before completing her clinical fellowship in speech pathology at the Vanderbilt Voice Center. Tune in to hear more about the ins and outs of vocal fold tissue healing and how Dr. Kimball is working to bridge the gap between research findings in the lab and clinical practice!

On today's episode, we are joined by Dr. David Lott, a second time guest and fellowship trained laryngologist. As the director of the center for regenerative medicine at Mayo Clinic Arizona, he has gained national attention recently for completing the third laryngeal transplant in the US and the first in someone with active cancer. We have had the pleasure of speaking with Dr. Lott during the preparation stages of this journey and are excited to share his story now that his vision has come to fruition. Enjoy!