How Do You Know You're Performance Ready?
29/06/2025
Two years ago, Gemma showed up to her online voice lesson with a question that made me beam with joy: “How do I know that I’m performance ready?”
She had just started rehearsing for a new project and wanted to make sure she was preparing herself in the best possible way. Instead of waiting until the last minute to think about everything that comes with being ready for the stage, she was already zooming in on this crucial topic from the beginning of the process. My heart did a little happy dance.
We ended up doing a huge brain dump during that lesson, and honestly, it was so rich and complete that I decided I had to turn it into a webinar. (Well… two years later, that webinar is still sitting on my to-do list. But hey! Today, I’m finally sharing those golden tips with you here on the blog!)
Yes, this is the kind of work we do together in private voice lessons: Tailored, empowering, practical.
If you’re curious about how voice lessons with me could support your growth as a performer, you’re always welcome to book your free discovery call!
But for now: let’s dive into Gemma’s question.
She felt both excited and overwhelmed by this new project.
“I know how to rehearse,” she said, “but how do I know when I’m really ready to go onstage?”
So we zoomed out and created a checklist. Not just of what to do, but of what to feel, what to know, and what to practice to feel truly prepared. Of course I can only share a few items of that list in a blog post. Subscribe to my newsletter to be the first to know when I lead that long overdue webinar on this subject!
You Know Your Material Inside Out
Sounds basic? Sure. But you’d be surprised how often performers step on stage without really knowing what they’re about to sing.
Make sure you’ve:
- Memorized lyrics, melodies, structure and all musical details. Bringing lyrics on stage makes you look unprofessional. Only do that in emergencies, don’t make it a standard practice. You won’t be able to fully connect with the audience and your band members. And isn’t connection the whole reason why you’re on that stage?
- Explored the emotional depth of each song. How do you want the audience to feel? Why this song first and then the other? Where does the emotional arc of the set rise, fall, and resolve? More on this in the next paragraph.
- Done tons of reps of the whole set. Not once, not twice. Lots. Yes, you need stamina for that! Read my blog post The Day Dave’s Voice Asked for a Break to learn how to build it.
You’ve Created the Story and Decided on the Performance Strategy
OK, so you’ve done your storytelling work on each song – If not, go read my blog post The Power of Difficult Questions – A Journey Through Storytelling Techniques ASAP!
But do you also know how you’re going to tell that story Think about:
Your vocal strategy: Where do you lean into vibrato? Where do you pull back? Where do you choose to sing in the vocal mode overdrive and where in neutral? And most importantly: Don’t just make those choices “because it sounds cool”. Every vocal decision must be made in service of the storytelling.
- Non-verbal communication: Eye movements, body language, facial expressions,… Even the smallest gesture can have huge impact. Amy Cuddy’s TED Talk Your body language may shape who you are is a huge inspiration in my point of view on this. It’s not just about what you communicate to the audience. Your posture and movement literally influence how you feel.
I call this strategic embodiment: Use your body to support the story and avoid movements that distract from it. Start working on this mindfully very early on in your practice routine. Create a choreography, as minimal as it is.
And if the story doesn’t come naturally in the moment? This strategy gives you something to hold on to. Hey, it would be great if every performance went perfect every time! Oh, how magic are those shows where everything is going so smoothly, that we can improvize, bounce off what’s happening in the present, forget all about our preparation and just fly… However, we don’t live in a fairy tale, flow state is rare and sometimes it’s a struggle. Use the strategic embodiment to prepare to deal with it and still be able to deliver high quality performances.
You’ve Rehearsed the Whole Experience
Your performance doesn’t start with the first note, and it doesn’t end with the last.
Rehearse:
How you enter the stage. Which message do you want to send out?
What you do before your first song. Do you start to sing straight after entering? Do you welcome people? Do you share something personal?
- What you say between the songs and after the performance. Check out my blog post “This Next Song Is About My Cat”: What to Say Between Songs Onstage if you struggle with this!
How you receive applause. Seriously, don’t be rude by just walking off like it was nothing. When someone claps for you, they’re saying “Thank you”. Receive it. Open your arms when you bow. Let it land. Take it in.
How you leave the stage and what you do when you’re called back for an encore. Yes, practice this! It’s part of the emotional arc of your performance.
And when someone gives you a compliment after the show? Don’t argue. Just say: “Thank you.”. Even if you feel you messed up, it’s not the moment to unload that on the person who’s trying to support you. Be kind. Denying their experience is telling them that they don’t know what they’re talking about… And that’s the last thing you want to do, amiright?
You’ve Thought About What Could Go Wrong
And this is where Gemma and I wrapped up: With a dose of realism.
Sometimes:
- A mic stops working.
- The sound is off.
- You forget your lyrics.
- The audience is distracted.
- Someone sneezes during your intro.
Have a plan. Know how you want to react in a way that’s kind to yourself and the audience. Rehearsing for chaos is part of preparing for excellence.
Gemma left that session with a clear roadmap and a big smile. “I didn’t know there were so many layers,” she said. “I thought I just had to rehearse.”
And yes. Rehearsal is important. But performance readiness is so much more than just knowing your songs. It’s a journey of embodiment, preparation, storytelling, and care. It’s about being the whole artist, not just the singer.
Like I said earlier, I have only shared a few tips in this blog post. Subscribe to my newsletter to be the first to know when I lead the webinar on this subject!
And if you want help mapping out your own journey to the stage? I’d love to help. Book your free Discovery Call! This is what I do, and it’s one of my favourite things in the world.
Let’s get you ready. Not just to sing, but to shine.
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