You did your best at your last audition but you didn't get the gig... Now what? Learning to overcome failure isn't easy but here are some tips to do so.
Overcoming Failure
You have two choices:
1) Let it kill your confidence and give up on your singing dreams
Or...
2) See this as an opportunity to grow
The great news is that you are given more time to prepare for your next endeavors. When we watch singers on tv shows singing in front of the judges and making it to the final rounds, all we see is instant success. However in reality, history has shown that the road to fame is bound with countless detours and unforeseeable obstacles. If this is the path you choose, be prepared for many more rejections before your big break. What we learn from top artists is that failure is in fact part of building strength and resilience.
When you fail, you are forced to look at what went wrong and identify your areas of need. You are confronted with an uncomfortable truth that calls for action. It's time to set your ego aside and be real.
Where did you go wrong?
Here are four definite deal breakers:
1) Pitch
It goes without saying that if you cannot hold a tune, don't even think about auditioning for a musical or a tv show. Auditioning for a band might be ok if other musicians are only in it for fun but still... You might be setting yourself up for disappointment. It's ok to still enjoy singing for your own enjoyment but the odds of getting picked are close to nil if other better singers are also competing for the spot. If singing is an excuse to socialize, you may have a chance at joining a choir depending on how casual it is.
For anything else at all serious, pitch is super important. Most people, including the general public, potential bandmates and judges may not sing well but can recognize good pitch and will be unforgiving if you got the melody wrong, unintentionally shifted keys or missed the high notes because they were out of your comfortable range.
Pitch inaccuracy is often the result of technical limitations. It's time to release your tension and understand what you are doing to avoid unpredictable pitch mishaps. In case you don't know, hitting high notes is easy with the right strategies. But it's figuring out how to get there that is challenging. And this can only happen under the right guidance.
2) Straining
When you are singing in front of a panel of experts, you can bet that they can recognize effortlessly singing as opposed to straining. They are looking for someone who can withstand the demands of singing several hours daily. Vocal fatigue becomes a liability and that is bad news for the company and their fast pace environment. So get it straight because the pressure to perform at your best and on command isn't something to take lightly.
3) Lack of emotions
Did you FEEL your song? Because if you didn't feel it, the judges didn't feel it either. And we want you to move us with your awesome musicality and soulfulness. We yearn to feel inspired and be touched by your performance. You will absolutely lose points unless you establish a heart to heart connection. Raise everyone's vibration by becoming one with your song. Again, this is only possible once you have complete confidence in your skills. This brings us back to understanding your vocal instrument with proper vocal technique.
4) Predictability
The choice of your songs, the way you dress, your story... Anything cliché is subject to raise an objection from the judges. Fake stinks too so think really hard about how you present yourself. Be original yet authentic. Let your true colors shine brighter than the spotlight.
In the end, it's hard to know what the judges are really looking for and there are a thousand more reasons why you didn't get the gig. But looking at whether or not the four factors above had a role to play in your outcome is a step towards a better 'next time'.
I'm happy to help you turn the situation around and set yourself up for success. I have a few openings left on my calendar next week to hear all about your vocal goals. If you are interested in pursuing more abundance and joy with your music, doing what you LOVE and frankly what you should have done a long time ago (either getting your voice together or refining your skills), is just a click away:
Yes!
Val