It’s What Draws You In

Who is your favorite singer? What is it you love most about that singer?

As a teenager, my favorite singer was Ella Fitzgerald. I had recently been introduced to jazz and to The Queen herself, and I couldn’t get enough! It wasn’t really the sound of her voice that attracted me, or even the songs she did (which were most frequently covers of someone else’s work), it was the WAY she sang them – it was HOW she brought something all her own to EVERYTHING she sang. I fell in love with how she seemed to break all the “rules” of songs I knew so well and sing them like only she could.

Almost 30 years later, I’m still infatuated with her and with her unique style. It didn’t matter WHAT the song was that she performed, it was ALWAYS 100% Ella. Have you heard her FABULOUS rendition of “Old MacDonald” (yes, the kid’s song with “e-i-e-i-o!!) she did on the Ed Sullivan show in the 60s?? You MUST:

Style is typically what attracts us most easily to the singers we love. It gets under our skin, it moves us, it intrigues us, it impresses us, it captivates us… basically, it is what gets our attention and ultimately holds it. And, like most things in life, it is something that just comes naturally to some, and something that has to be developed for others.

That means – despite what you may have feared – that you CAN develop your own style if it isn’t something that has “come naturally” to you. I’ve always thought mine didn’t come naturally to me either, but in reality, it was my exposure to jazz – singing and listening to it – that allowed my style to surface.

Want to find yours? I have just the thing; let me know and I’ll hook you up.