Autumn Mitchell

Freezing is super common, and the way out is tiny, repeatable exposures plus a simple routine your body trusts. For 3 to 4 weeks, do one daily rep: record yourself singing 60 to 90 seconds into your phone and listen once. In week 2, share a clip with one friend; in week 3, sing it live to two friends on a call; in week 4, go to an open mic, ask to go on early, sing one short song, and head out. Before every rep, spend 2 minutes settling your breath: inhale through the nose for 4, then a long, steady 6 to 8 count exhale on a quiet hiss or lip trill to teach your body smooth airflow. Release tension with gentle shoulder rolls, jaw massage, and a tongue stretch (tip behind lower teeth while you yawn sigh), which helps keep the shaky vibrato from clamping your throat. Do 3 to 5 minutes of semi-occluded vocal exercises that are very neighbor-friendly: lip trills, straw phonation by blowing through a straw (without water is quiet), and NG sirens like the end of sing up and down your range, then a few five-note scales at conversation volume. Finish by speaking the first line in rhythm, then sneak into it on a gentle vv or zz so you avoid a hard first vowel, which is where most shakes show up. When it is go time, stand with soft knees and weight over mid foot, unclench your butt and belly, shake out your hands, and exhale fully before the first word; this dumps a bit of adrenaline and steadies the onset. Use headphones for your backing track and sing at speech level to keep volume down, put a towel at the base of the door, or practice in the parked car for full privacy if you have one. Pick songs where the first phrase sits in your comfy middle range, and if nerves spike, tell yourself this is excitement, keep your eyes on one spot on the wall, and aim to just tell the story of the lyrics. Expect the first two lines to wobble and plan to breathe right through it; it almost always settles by the chorus, and banking a few of these small wins is exactly how the fear fades.