Exit Interview

What is the best way a singer can create a fun atmosphere during a live pop performance?

• A singer can create a fun atmosphere during a live pop performance is by assuring the audience quality sound by understanding vocal mechanics and technical equipment in use.
• The best way a singer can create a fun atmosphere during a live pop performance is by connecting with their audience through the lyrics.
• A singer can create a fun atmosphere during a live pop performance by engaging the room through audience participation.

My best answer is connecting with your audience through lyrics. I chose this as my best answer because I believe it's really essential to adding that certain atmosphere to a performance. I've had many experiences where the performer sounds really amazing but they have no emotion on their face, or displayed through their body. It seems to ruin a performance, and I believe it really defeats the purpose of a live performance. Most audience members attend a live performance because they were moved by the song's lyrics and somehow connected to them. It can be a real disappointment if they don't receive that genuine emotional connection with the singer.

I believe both my mentor's assistance with my independent components really affirmed this to be my best answer. I sometime have a difficult time with my vocal ability while singing a song and I become very frustrated. When my mentors would see this, they would always say that I just really need to think about what the song is about. To use my own experiences to step into the songwriter's shoes and really feel during my performance what they have been through to be able to write that song. Taking the time to do this really helped me with the vocal part of the song and my presence on stage during my performances. I noticed this year that audiences really seemed to enjoy my performances more, and I've been receiving more positive feedback.

Also, a lot of the research I do gives me similar advice, so it only confirms what I've learned.

One of the main problems I faced towards the middle of the senior project was keeping up with my mentorship. I would touch bases with him occasionally but it wasn't something I was doing regularly. What I did though was start meeting with him every Sunday because those were both days that we have down time. I also obtained another mentorship closer to home, so that I might be able to fulfill more hours.

The two most significant sources I used are the Working Singer's Handbook by Roma Waterman and Making Your Mark In Music: Stage Performance Secrets by Ankia Paris. They both gave me a lot of content that I could work with for presentations, and they gave me information to look further on and ask about in my interviews.