Hi, I'm a 16 year old girl. I've been singing ever since I was 5 and it's always been my dream to make it big someday. I made a music video the other day and I'm not trying to brag but I got lots of likes on it and great compliments too. Someone suggested that I try out for American Idol. They're supposed to be at my states capital this August. I want to try out so bad but I know my stage fright would completely fry my chances. I have suffered from anxiety since I was 9. I'm currently not on medication for it but I'm supposed to have an appointment with my doctor soon. I'm not trying to put out a sob story or anything, I just have enough trouble as it is. My dad thinks the medication would help me, he also doesn't want me to rush things but like I said I want this so bad. It means everything to me. What should I do? How can I get over stage fright by then?
By the way, this would NOT be my first time singing on stage. Advice is much appreciated. Thank you.
Dragonflymagic answered Sunday May 17 2015, 10:57 pm: frankly, something the caliber of American Idol or America's got talent are so highly critical of even the best of the best, that even not having anxiety, I'd have stage fright too and know I'd mess up.
I wouldn't get on medication just for this one situation, to perform in American Idol. It depends really on if your anxiety is interrupting and affecting your life in other area's as well. tRUST your Dr. to know if you should take it or not.
Even on medication, you could still easily experience stage fright, and I would think, a lot of it may be due to a combo of how important this is to you to be successful and make it to another level plus having to face very tough criticism. I find it a poor way to find the next new talent as its really a crap shoot of which other talents you are pitted against...all who have the same level of talent as yourself but there can be only one who wins the top spot. Personally all the others who get even half way through are talents enough to get music contracts with other companies who see talent, even if you dont win on the show. You can't let disappointment or being ruled out crush you. If you think you can't handle this level of rejection, then it may be better not to try and put yourself through that torture. The best thing I know of from being in plays in a big mecca church with a thousand people audience is that when my time came to perform, hope the spot lights are bright enough to blind out your ability to see the audience and judges. If you can't see them, it's easier to perform, why, I don't know but thats how it was for me. If a spotlight moved and I could see people, I took my eyes off the audience, even closed my eyes for a few seconds to regroup mentally and then continued on. WIth singing, YOu can close your eyes often for longer stretches...something some singers do when they really feel the emotion of the song and are really getting into it. That's what you could try. You could test it out by trying to book local events, even on a smaller scale and be on stage beforehand to try and see how it works for you, that way whatever other tips you get and try, you can have proven confidence ahead of time that it works to keep you from freezing up with stage fright. good luck dear. [ Dragonflymagic's advice column | Ask Dragonflymagic A Question ]
Attention: NOTHING on this site may be reproduced in any fashion whatsoever without explicit consent (in writing) of the owner of said material, unless otherwise stated on the page where the content originated. Search engines are free to index and cache our content. Users who post their account names or personal information in their questions have no expectation of privacy beyond that point for anything they disclose. Questions are otherwise considered anonymous to the general public.