Audition mindset

Mindset is everything. Especially when you are auditioning.

How are you approaching that? Yes, you have learned your music, your technique feels solid, you’ve got the outfit and the shoes, but how’s your mindset?

In my book Beyond The Technique I talk about mindset and break certain things down.

But, what happens to the mindset in the surreal environment of an audition?

What makes it surreal? Is it actually? What can you control? What can you change? Who are you in that room?

Our industry has fostered, from college into the emerging professional setting, a fallacy of “pleasing”. This has to stop. You aren’t there to please. You aren’t there to change yourself so that someone will like you. You aren’t there to look desperate or behave desperately and hope they take pity on you and offer you a job! Simply shifting the mindset of “what would you like me to do or be?” to “I could be the answer to your problem because this is what I do and this is who I am” literally changes the energy in a room! This doesn’t mean you walk in with attitude and superiority. It means you know your worth, and you know what you do. Claim that. Even with nerves, claim that.

Instead of leaning forward into “please like me!”, recline back and INVITE the room to join you on the journey of an aria, of a 16 bar cut, of an 8 bar cut (!!), or 90 seconds of YOU!

Do you have rituals around auditioning, or are they so traumatic you can’t remember even being in the room? Do you stew after an audition and pick everything a part? Have you considered holding space for yourself in the action of mindset to celebrate it?

How do you prepare vocally? physically? mentally? How do you talk to yourself? How do you decompress? Make an action plan. Don’t leave things to chance. Even if you are signing up as a non-Equity performer for the possibility of getting seen at an Equity call - make a DECISION about how you approach the day, the line, the monitor, the possibility of being seen, and the possibility of not being seen. What causes you anxiety? DO something that you know will deflect it. What brings you joy? (I know, joy and auditioning seem to not go together in a sentence) Lean into that! Have something to look forward to AFTERWARD, whether you get seen or not. Do not succumb to defeat. Or perceived defeat. Again, mindset is everything!

Do you have an audition mantra? Something you can meditate on to keep you focused? Try that.

Do you have physical action, breath action, vibration action that you can connect to while you wait to enter the room? Explore that.

Have you decided HOW you want to enter the room? Give yourself an action! Make it STRONG!! “I will enter the room with >>>” and change it to present tense as you walk in “I am entering the room with >>>>”.

Practice for an audition setting not by trying to make yourself nervous, but by bringing the safe space of practice, of being with your teacher and coach, WITH YOU. When you feel completely and totally YOU in the repertoire you are going to present, how does that FEEL? Physically, emotionally, artistically. Bring that with you. Embody that.

The mindset informs everything about that room and all the work you’ve done to be there. You can be talented, prepared, and all the things, but if your mindset isn’t clear, it honestly doesn’t matter.

Don’t try - just DO. Don’t wish - just DO.

And make sure you buy a treat for yourself afterward!

with fondness & fierceness,