The Charismatic Voice

Last week, we started to take a peek inside the incredible genius of Devin Townsend - an extreme metal singer, songwriter, and producer… and notably, a life philosopher as well.

Devin's on-stage persona may be larger-than-life, hardcore, and sometimes even extraterrestrial. Yet while getting to know him, I quickly realized Devin is also incredibly humble, transparent, and dedicated to bringing authenticity to everything he creates.

In this episode, we continue our interview with Devin where he discusses some upcoming projects, studio gear, video games, favorite venues, and our quick bonding moment over stuffed animals!

One of the highlights of our conversation is how Devin views the journey of discovering one's voice as something that goes hand in hand with self-discovery where we learn to accept ourselves – and part of accepting ourselves is also accepting our limitations. This is contrary to how we're all sold in society right now where there's that pressure of being perfect when we all know we're not.

Therefore, being able to say you're not perfect is okay. You just have to do your best and when you make a mistake, learn from it and don't beat yourself up. Learning how to fail efficiently is the only way to move forward.

In this episode, you will hear:

• Devin's upcoming project in the hope of discovering his voice
• His fondness for stuffed animals
• Devin's favorite singing venue
• The best and worst things about his profession
• Monetizing art and managing expectations
• Learning how to fail efficiently
• A look into Devin's audio gear
• Protecting your energy
• The story behind Devon's stuffed animal octopus

Subscribe and Review

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Supporting Resources:

https://hevydevy.com

Episode Credits

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Let them know we sent you.

Have you ever wondered what goes on in the bizarre genius of an extreme metal singer, songwriter, and producer?

Devin Townsend, known to many as "Hevy Devy," was one of my earlier introductions to metal on YouTube. He quickly became one of my most beloved because of his wide range of vocal styles from musical theater to hardcore screaming, all while contouring some of the most expressive vocal lines I've heard.

Having released more than 25 albums, Devin has been given the title "The Hardest Working Person in Metal." Also a total nerd, Devin's concerts often feature an extraterrestrial puppet named Ziltoid the Omniscient, and he occasionally writes songs about Disney.

Our conversation on singing technique took a different turn than I expected as we went down the philosophical route, becoming one of the most transparent conversations I've ever had with a singer.

We talked about the power of meditation in rewriting your inner dialogue around criticism, how nature enhances the creative process, and embracing your vulnerability versus living up to the expectations we set as professionals in the recording studio and in our live performances.

In this episode, you will hear:

• How nature enhances Devin's creative process
• Sustaining the longevity of a career
• How Devin's vocal technique was formed
• Vocal warm-up and the SOVT exercise
• How meditation helps us rewrite our internal dialogue
• Why his objective for every project is to move forward
• Music as his display of gratitude

Subscribe and Review

Have you subscribed to our podcast? We'd love for you to subscribe if you haven't yet.

We'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select "Ratings and Reviews" and "Write a Review" then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast.

Supporting Resources:

https://hevydevy.com

Episode Credits

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Let them know we sent you.

Last week, we started off our interview series by putting me – your host – in the interviewee's seat. We invited Julia Nilon, my fellow vocal nerd and YouTube colleague to do the interviewing and dig into my past. We wrapped up last week by talking about vocal damage and recovery.

Today, we'll continue the chat about vocal health, especially focusing on how to build your voice. We discuss how to protect your voice and what exercises and tools can help you build up your vocal capabilities.

We also talk about life as a YouTuber and why I actually decided to start a YouTube channel, why I got into AI and video games, and the huge role The Charismatic Voice community plays in my life and in the lives of other people, bringing all of us together – through music.

In this episode, you will hear:

• How to take care of your vocal health
• Not talking in loud environments
• Investing in singing straws
• Navigating your voice type
• Agility exercises
• Why I started a YouTube channel
• Writing music for video games
• The role communities play in life
• Collaborating with metal musicians
• My biggest culture shock away from home
• Other genres and music styles I'd love to dive into
• Establishing how you accept feedback from others

Subscribe and Review

Have you subscribed to our podcast? We'd love for you to subscribe if you haven't yet.

We'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select "Ratings and Reviews" and "Write a Review" then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast.

Supporting Resources:

Robot Unicorn Attack "Always" by Erasure All-Vocal Cover by Elizabeth Zharoff

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z06PYj2EXFI

The Charismatic Voice Community on YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/c/TheCharismaticVoice/videos

Episode Credits

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Let them know we sent you.

Curious about the world of opera? Today, I'm sharing my journey from literally singing on a tractor to carving out a professional career in opera.

To begin our interview series, we're going to flip the table as I will be put in the proverbial hot seat. While I do enjoy performing and occasionally taking the spotlight, it's much more comfortable for me to shine the spotlight on someone else. Turning my own questions to myself felt a bit daunting so I decided to ask my friend, vocal geek colleague, and fellow YouTuber, Julia Nilon to help out.

Julia and I share a deep fascination for music and vocal function, and we've had similar yet unique journeys in academic studies, voice teaching, and YouTube growth. And so, if anyone would be able to dig into my history and pick out the little bizarre tidbits that other people wouldn't think of as bizarre, then it would be Julia.

There's more to being a professional opera singer than just learning how to sing. Aside from getting the right education, you have to consider the costs involved, the different languages you have to learn and the cultures you need to immerse into, so you can get your message across through the power of your voice.

In this episode, you will hear:

• The story behind the name
• My journey as a professional opera singer
• Developing skills in an enduring environment
• How to prepare for different performance environments
• Studying the languages and reading the International Phonetic Alphabet
• Major differences going from English to French
• The costs of opera
• How to manage your nerves
• How to hold notes much longer
• Managing your vocal health

Subscribe and Review

Have you subscribed to our podcast? We'd love for you to subscribe if you haven't yet.

We'd love it even more if you could drop a review or 5-star rating over on Apple Podcasts. Simply select "Ratings and Reviews" and "Write a Review" then a quick line with your favorite part of the episode. It only takes a second and it helps spread the word about the podcast.

Supporting Resources:

https://thecharismaticvoice.com/

Episode Credits

If you like this podcast and are thinking of creating your own, consider talking to my producer, Emerald City Productions. They helped me grow and produce the podcast you are listening to right now. Find out more at https://emeraldcitypro.com Let them know we sent you.

Welcome back to The Charismatic Voice, where we break down your favorite music and talk about what makes it extraordinary!! Hosted by Elizabeth Zharoff — vocal coach, producer, YouTuber, and internationally acclaimed opera singer with multiple degrees and performance credits throughout Europe, Asia, and America — every episode aims to demystify how great voices give us goosebumps.

Each week, we chat with iconic musicians and artists from around the world, digging deep into their histories, vocal techniques, and behind-the-scenes happenings throughout their careers. We also talk about whether they prefer tea or coffee, and all kinds of quirks you never knew about them. Every episode is a unique scientific and practical guide for all-things-vocal. Our goal is to grow in understanding and appreciation together - so that you fall more in love with music every week.

We invite you to join us as we dig in to the why's and how's of great music and great singing.