Kristen Frost: A Singer’s Journey to the Mountain Top
I often compare the singer’s journey to climbing a mountain. The parallels are significant. We are thoroughly prepared for the climb. We have our tools (instruments), our gear (resources), our guides (mentors and teachers), hours of conditioning and practice, and a solid technique necessary for endurance. We have positive ambition paired with the natural excitement of adrenaline for performance.
There is a longing within us to reach the summit in all its glory, singing, “The hills are alive with the sound of music!”
It is not too long down the path, however, before we discover that life as a singer can be truly daunting. It is a strenuous climb! We find ourselves on shaky ground. We lose our footing due to the stormy blows of ailments that affect our voice, an injury that requires surgery, a hurtful comment from a colleague or critic, or a humiliating moment in front of an audience. We have babies and families to support, postpartum depression, and post-performance depression. These are real-life issues and obstacles that singers have to maneuver in this business. So what is the driving force within us that causes us to persevere? Why do we weather this beast of a mountain? Why do we sing? And why do we keep on singing?
The truth of the matter is that singing is not about reaching the top. It is not about reaching for the perfect performance. It is about the journey. It is about the people that you touch along the way. When a woman who is very ill comes up to you after a concert and says, “That really made my day—thank you for sharing your gift!” or an old man catches you on the sidewalk and asks, “Can you come back to my church and sing again before I die?” it suddenly dawns on you that this is not about you anymore. Music is a ministry in the deepest sense.
I sing because God gave me a gift, a voice—a voice to glorify God, to honor and serve Him completely, to inspire others, to touch people’s hearts and souls in the deepest place imaginable through music. It is a human experience, an interactive connection. Music binds us together revealing the vulnerability of humanity.
Back to mountain climbing. We say to ourselves, “Press on! You can do it. Finish strong!” It is a journey that is worth the effort. In the midst of the turmoil, it brings us joy and happiness to touch lives. We are truly blessed with a passion for music, and singing is a privilege.
Perhaps poet Helen Steiner Rice sums it up best:
Nothing is ever too hard to do
If your faith is strong and your purposes true.
So never give up and never stop,
Just journey on to the mountain top!
