“Ability is what you’re capable of doing. Motivation determines what you can do. Attitude determines how well you do it.” – Lou Holtz
The life of a performer can be exciting, rewarding and encouraging. It involves lots of preparation for becoming a contender as performer, and also requires you to know the person inside the singer well so you can confidently present and represent your Personal Brand when it comes time to sell your product. Whether you are hopefully applying for an audition of any kind or have received confirmation that you have an audition, one of the hardest parts of doing business comes when we are either denied the chance to audition or don’t get hired for that job or win that competition.
Most artists will get turned down for most jobs most of the time. You could have the most glorious voice, splendid vocal technique, language skills, acting ability and more and still not be chosen. But, you should not take this as a comment on your ability. It just indicates that those hiring or adjudicating have a particular objective, idea, type they are looking for on that day. It is all very subjective because everyone has their own taste. Whether it’s feedback we’ve asked for, an unsolicited remark or a simple “no”, the results of an audition or submission process, criticism and rejection are a huge part of our lives as creative artists. Knowing how to overcome the negative thoughts and feelings you might have after such an ordeal can make you stronger by giving you the power to choose how you want to deal with “rejection”. Strangely enough, when you become objective, you do have the resilience and confidence to weed through any criticism knowing which parts of what was said are your truth and can be used to further polish your product and discard the rest. And if there is no feedback, you won’t have to spend your time and energy second guessing and agonizing over “what if”.
The next time you have to handle “rejection”, remind yourself that it has many faces. Here are some of the reasons why you might not have gotten that job; some suggestions for getting beyond what might seem an insurmountable stumbling block caused by what others have said about you and your talent; and some ideas of how to climb back on the horse by solidifying your preparation for the next audition without allowing what was previously said to you get in your way.
- Number one on the list is, never take “rejection” personally. Remember this is business. It’s not personal or emotional. It’s just somebody else’s opinion and everyone has one. Decide consciously what to do with feedback from others before responding. This is the time to be gracious, respectfully listening to what is being said by giving them your full attention. Most importantly keep your own inner dialogue in check. Thank them for their suggestions, insights, etc. when they are done. Then politely leave. You may or may not find some small gem of insight from the information they gave you that you can then put to good use the next time you audition. And this leaves a good lasting impression.
- Control your inner “Brat”. We have many good intentions of doing a great audition but somehow at the last minute we freeze up, our mouths get dry and we get that “deer in the headlight” stare. Our inner Brat takes over reminding us of previous criticisms and that’s that! You are no longer in control of being able to use all of your positive preparations and the audition does not go well only adding to your memory box where you store things like, “See, I told you you’re not good enough!” My suggestion is to consciously take the time to silently invite everyone into your space once you are in place and before you start to perform. It will help you feel more confident and comfortable. Do it every audition.
- Don’t ever change your agenda at the last moment. Stick to what you planned to sing first, your tried and true opening piece that lets you feel settled and comfortable. Never try to imitate or sound like someone other than you singing each piece because you thought that was what those you were auditioning for would want to hear. Stay within your own chosen fach and stick to your plan so you sound like you. You are distinctive and if you don’t express yourself by giving your authentic interpretation of an aria or song through your particular sound, your uniqueness will never be expressed. No one else but you can offer what you have to offer.
- Don’t get greedy! Never think more is better. Pick and choose your auditions based on where your entry level is right now, the ones where you really have a shot of getting the job or winning the prize and build on that. And never try to do two or more auditions in one day. That depletes your mental and physical energy needed to be at your best. If you already have an important audition scheduled for a particular day and another opportunity to audition shows up that is equally important, you can contact the second audition and see if there is any chance you could do it at a later date. That shows you are professional and interested.
- Auditioning for a specific role. Let those auditioning you know you would like to warm up or start with a different aria making it the one you are most comfortable with. That gives you an opportunity to get settled and comfortable in that specific space. Then move on to the requested arias.
- Manners and etiquette count. Those hiring are looking for those singers that are not only talented, but are genuine, have nice manners, are easy to get along with, and have a good sense of humor. The kind of person the audience will fall in love with both on and off stage. Your behavior during an audition is as important as your singing. So represent your Personal Brand.
- Never surrender. Never give up This is the one thing that most successful singers will tell you. Persistence is by far the most important virtue to have if you want to be successful as a performer. You have to believe that with each new day you are one step closer to your goal. The only way to lose is to give up along the way. So make a commitment to becoming a successful performer and more than likely you will achieve your goal.
One can never know why you are not chosen for a job that you feel is exactly right for you. Remember that “rejection” is never personal or emotional, it’s just business. There are so many reasons for not getting the job. It could be political, perhaps a favor was owed to someone, they have a specific costume someone has to fit into, your voice is too big or too small to match the rest of the cast, or they just don’t like your sound, etc. It’s a very subjective industry where personal taste rules. So find your niche, commit and go for it. Remember that you can look at criticism as failure or you can look at it as feedback. It’s your choice. Try to be open to the possibility that this “rejection” is actually leading you to something else, usually better than what you thought you wanted. Someone might be recommending you to another company that is looking for just what you have to offer. You just never know.
Now let me know what you think! Ciao for now and avanti! Carol
