1 00:00:14,916 --> 00:00:31,436 Speaker 1: Pushkin. Yeah. Well, like I said, let me ask you 2 00:00:31,476 --> 00:00:33,956 Speaker 1: a question. Do you warm up before you do the shows? 3 00:00:34,956 --> 00:00:37,116 Speaker 1: Of course not. I don't even know what that looks like. 4 00:00:37,716 --> 00:00:40,116 Speaker 1: Well I'll show you because that is important, you know. 5 00:00:40,156 --> 00:00:42,156 Speaker 1: And as I'm saying that, of course, the little voice 6 00:00:42,156 --> 00:00:43,956 Speaker 1: at the back of my mind is saying, you don't 7 00:00:43,956 --> 00:00:47,476 Speaker 1: warm up air. Why are you telling her she should? Well, 8 00:00:47,516 --> 00:00:50,036 Speaker 1: I'm telling you because you really should. Yes, no one 9 00:00:50,116 --> 00:00:53,996 Speaker 1: I will do it. Say say this, say um seven 10 00:00:54,036 --> 00:00:55,956 Speaker 1: times in a row. Go me may me, may me, 11 00:00:55,956 --> 00:00:58,996 Speaker 1: may me, may me, may me, may me, may me, 12 00:00:59,196 --> 00:01:00,956 Speaker 1: me me me me me me me me me me 13 00:01:01,076 --> 00:01:03,196 Speaker 1: me me may good. So I would say to you, 14 00:01:03,236 --> 00:01:05,796 Speaker 1: take a little bit deeper breath so you don't think 15 00:01:05,836 --> 00:01:07,596 Speaker 1: about running out of air as you're doing it. So 16 00:01:07,676 --> 00:01:10,196 Speaker 1: now do it again with a deeper breath. Me me 17 00:01:10,356 --> 00:01:12,116 Speaker 1: me me me me me me me me me me 18 00:01:12,316 --> 00:01:16,956 Speaker 1: me Hey, Slight Changers. That's Eric Fetro. He's a vocal 19 00:01:16,956 --> 00:01:19,196 Speaker 1: coach to some of the most famous pop stars in 20 00:01:19,196 --> 00:01:21,636 Speaker 1: the world, and you just heard him giving me some 21 00:01:21,716 --> 00:01:23,916 Speaker 1: tips for how to keep my voice fresh. For a 22 00:01:23,956 --> 00:01:27,796 Speaker 1: slight change of plans, Eric shares his secret sauce from 23 00:01:27,836 --> 00:01:31,436 Speaker 1: making the stars shine on his new Pushkin show, Backstage Pass, 24 00:01:32,276 --> 00:01:34,076 Speaker 1: and I wanted to invite him on to talk about 25 00:01:34,116 --> 00:01:38,316 Speaker 1: the inspiration for his show. Eric, I'm so delighted to 26 00:01:38,316 --> 00:01:40,436 Speaker 1: have you on a slight change of plans to talk 27 00:01:40,476 --> 00:01:43,876 Speaker 1: about Backstage Pass, and I want to give you a 28 00:01:43,916 --> 00:01:46,356 Speaker 1: little backstage glimpse into the first time that I heard 29 00:01:46,356 --> 00:01:50,196 Speaker 1: about you. So we have a mutual friend Michael Lewis, 30 00:01:50,636 --> 00:01:53,876 Speaker 1: and I was at his home for a dinner and 31 00:01:54,196 --> 00:01:58,036 Speaker 1: he said, Hey, Maya, I'm I'm doing this really cool 32 00:01:58,076 --> 00:02:01,556 Speaker 1: new thing for my podcast. I'm actually learning how to sing. 33 00:02:02,316 --> 00:02:05,276 Speaker 1: And I'm like, Michael, stay in your lane, buddy, all right, 34 00:02:05,876 --> 00:02:08,756 Speaker 1: Like come on. I was worried that he was having 35 00:02:08,836 --> 00:02:12,876 Speaker 1: some sort of Michael Jordan basketball to baseball pivot. I 36 00:02:12,916 --> 00:02:16,196 Speaker 1: was like, writings to Forte, you're crushing it, like whatever. 37 00:02:17,036 --> 00:02:19,876 Speaker 1: But then he said, no, no, no no, no, this is 38 00:02:19,916 --> 00:02:23,916 Speaker 1: like legit. I'm working with Eric Fetro, who has coached 39 00:02:23,916 --> 00:02:27,356 Speaker 1: people like Arianna Grande and Shawn Mendez and John Legend 40 00:02:27,676 --> 00:02:30,876 Speaker 1: and my ears Perkuck because I'm a pop star fanatic. 41 00:02:32,076 --> 00:02:35,116 Speaker 1: But then my second thought is leave it to Michael 42 00:02:35,156 --> 00:02:39,676 Speaker 1: Lewis for his first voice lesson ever in the world 43 00:02:39,756 --> 00:02:42,276 Speaker 1: to be with the best voice teacher of all time, 44 00:02:42,476 --> 00:02:46,476 Speaker 1: like of course, right, And so I listened to the 45 00:02:47,236 --> 00:02:50,836 Speaker 1: voice coaching episode that you did with him, and it 46 00:02:50,956 --> 00:02:53,236 Speaker 1: was enchanting. I mean, it was so delightful, first of all, 47 00:02:53,236 --> 00:02:56,916 Speaker 1: to see my friend whose vocal abilities I had very 48 00:02:56,996 --> 00:03:00,836 Speaker 1: much underestimated. No offense, Michael, he and I share poor 49 00:03:00,916 --> 00:03:04,476 Speaker 1: vocal ability, but yeah, it was such a delight to 50 00:03:04,516 --> 00:03:09,556 Speaker 1: see your petagagy shine through, you know. And I was 51 00:03:09,636 --> 00:03:12,196 Speaker 1: so delighted when I found out that Pushkin was going 52 00:03:12,276 --> 00:03:15,996 Speaker 1: to make this into a show, you know. So that's 53 00:03:15,996 --> 00:03:17,836 Speaker 1: how I heard about you. And as you know, I'm 54 00:03:17,876 --> 00:03:19,236 Speaker 1: a huge fan of your show. But I would love 55 00:03:19,276 --> 00:03:21,796 Speaker 1: it if you could just share with listeners more about 56 00:03:21,836 --> 00:03:26,996 Speaker 1: the inspiration for Backstage Pass from your perspective. Oh okay, Well, 57 00:03:27,036 --> 00:03:30,116 Speaker 1: first of all, thank you so much for that intro, 58 00:03:30,796 --> 00:03:33,476 Speaker 1: and you know, I would love to before I talk 59 00:03:33,516 --> 00:03:36,756 Speaker 1: about Backstage Pass, just say to you your podcast is 60 00:03:36,796 --> 00:03:40,516 Speaker 1: so brilliant and so important. I mean, I'll just tell 61 00:03:40,556 --> 00:03:43,716 Speaker 1: you personally from me, I've seen a lot of people 62 00:03:43,756 --> 00:03:46,676 Speaker 1: have to pivot in their life because something happens. And 63 00:03:47,076 --> 00:03:49,316 Speaker 1: I know your story that you injured your hand, but 64 00:03:49,436 --> 00:03:52,836 Speaker 1: that changed you from having a career as a violinist, right, 65 00:03:54,036 --> 00:03:56,836 Speaker 1: And so I remember when I heard about your podcast, 66 00:03:56,876 --> 00:03:58,236 Speaker 1: I was like, oh my god, I have to listen 67 00:03:58,276 --> 00:04:02,236 Speaker 1: to this. This is amazing. And when I went to NYU, 68 00:04:02,396 --> 00:04:05,316 Speaker 1: I was a music major NYU. There was somebody at 69 00:04:05,316 --> 00:04:07,996 Speaker 1: the music school who was just not a very nice person. 70 00:04:08,076 --> 00:04:11,756 Speaker 1: He just was always angry. And at one point I 71 00:04:11,796 --> 00:04:14,636 Speaker 1: realized he seemed angriest that people who played the piano, 72 00:04:14,716 --> 00:04:16,156 Speaker 1: and that seemed odd to me. And one day I 73 00:04:16,156 --> 00:04:17,836 Speaker 1: was talking to somebody and I said, you know, he 74 00:04:17,996 --> 00:04:21,196 Speaker 1: is so nasty. I just don't like him. He so mean. 75 00:04:21,316 --> 00:04:24,596 Speaker 1: And they said, well, you know after what happened to him, 76 00:04:24,596 --> 00:04:26,116 Speaker 1: And I said, oh, I don't. I don't know what 77 00:04:26,156 --> 00:04:28,916 Speaker 1: happened to him. He was on a real path. He 78 00:04:28,996 --> 00:04:32,476 Speaker 1: was a very, very gifted pianist, and he was on 79 00:04:32,476 --> 00:04:35,956 Speaker 1: his way to becoming a major concert pianist. And the 80 00:04:36,076 --> 00:04:38,876 Speaker 1: irony of the fact that he was at his piano 81 00:04:38,956 --> 00:04:41,716 Speaker 1: teach his apartment and there was an accident and the 82 00:04:41,756 --> 00:04:43,956 Speaker 1: nerves of both hands were severed and he could never 83 00:04:43,996 --> 00:04:46,316 Speaker 1: play again. And they said, so you just got to 84 00:04:46,356 --> 00:04:48,836 Speaker 1: cut him some slack. And and I did, you know, 85 00:04:48,916 --> 00:04:50,996 Speaker 1: have a lot of empathy for him. I couldn't imagine 86 00:04:50,996 --> 00:04:53,356 Speaker 1: how awful that must have been, and how dramatic and 87 00:04:54,396 --> 00:04:56,156 Speaker 1: all of that. But by the same token I used 88 00:04:56,156 --> 00:04:58,076 Speaker 1: to always think in my head, but he could have 89 00:04:58,116 --> 00:05:00,836 Speaker 1: turned that into, you know, being more empathetic to people 90 00:05:00,876 --> 00:05:03,476 Speaker 1: and kinder to people and do something else. Why does 91 00:05:03,516 --> 00:05:05,556 Speaker 1: he have to be so mean? So when I heard 92 00:05:05,556 --> 00:05:08,236 Speaker 1: your show, it immediately brought I hadn't thought about him 93 00:05:08,756 --> 00:05:11,276 Speaker 1: or that for years, but I thought about it. I thought, 94 00:05:11,756 --> 00:05:14,796 Speaker 1: this is a brilliant show because it really shows people 95 00:05:14,876 --> 00:05:18,836 Speaker 1: that sometimes we're spun into a different direction can be 96 00:05:18,956 --> 00:05:21,836 Speaker 1: a much better direction that really puts our life on 97 00:05:21,876 --> 00:05:25,276 Speaker 1: a much better, richer path. So anyway, my hat's off 98 00:05:25,316 --> 00:05:27,356 Speaker 1: to you. It's really a great podcast and I love it. 99 00:05:27,436 --> 00:05:28,876 Speaker 1: So I just have to say that, get it out 100 00:05:28,876 --> 00:05:35,276 Speaker 1: the way saying that it's amazing. Yeah. Anyway, so backstage 101 00:05:35,316 --> 00:05:38,796 Speaker 1: pass all because of our friend Michael Lewis. You know, 102 00:05:39,716 --> 00:05:41,596 Speaker 1: I was talking to him one day and said, you know, 103 00:05:41,756 --> 00:05:44,356 Speaker 1: I'd like to write a book and include some of 104 00:05:44,396 --> 00:05:47,596 Speaker 1: my experiences with my students, what I've learned from them, 105 00:05:47,956 --> 00:05:50,636 Speaker 1: what they've learned from me, but what we've seen that 106 00:05:50,756 --> 00:05:53,676 Speaker 1: happens as you're going along in life, you know, because 107 00:05:53,916 --> 00:05:58,276 Speaker 1: careers take on oh so many different aspects that you 108 00:05:58,316 --> 00:06:01,516 Speaker 1: would never even dream of when you're just like a 109 00:06:01,636 --> 00:06:04,676 Speaker 1: music student in school or taking voice lessons. You just 110 00:06:04,716 --> 00:06:07,396 Speaker 1: don't know what's involved and building a big career and 111 00:06:07,476 --> 00:06:11,076 Speaker 1: maintaining your voice and tainting the career. And he but 112 00:06:11,436 --> 00:06:13,436 Speaker 1: I never wanted to write that because that would be 113 00:06:13,516 --> 00:06:17,476 Speaker 1: an infringement on my personal relationship with them, you know. 114 00:06:17,596 --> 00:06:19,476 Speaker 1: So I just thought, well, that doesn't feel right, and 115 00:06:19,516 --> 00:06:20,716 Speaker 1: I don't want to go to them and say, can 116 00:06:20,716 --> 00:06:23,356 Speaker 1: I talk about this incident or can I talk about that? 117 00:06:23,436 --> 00:06:26,916 Speaker 1: And he said, Eric, everything you're talking about really should 118 00:06:26,956 --> 00:06:30,116 Speaker 1: be a podcast. And I realized, oh, yeah, if they're 119 00:06:30,156 --> 00:06:33,356 Speaker 1: talking about it and they're saying it, then it's okay 120 00:06:33,356 --> 00:06:36,116 Speaker 1: because it's their choice, it's their words, it's their voice. 121 00:06:36,516 --> 00:06:38,956 Speaker 1: And so that's what really got me excited about doing it. 122 00:06:38,996 --> 00:06:41,596 Speaker 1: And the other thing was that each person I called 123 00:06:41,676 --> 00:06:45,796 Speaker 1: said almost the exact same thing Arianna Sean Kabila. All 124 00:06:45,796 --> 00:06:49,236 Speaker 1: of them said, Wow, I wish I had this when 125 00:06:49,316 --> 00:06:51,396 Speaker 1: I was younger. I wish I could have heard pop 126 00:06:51,436 --> 00:06:54,356 Speaker 1: stars that I looked up to, or artists of any 127 00:06:54,436 --> 00:06:57,876 Speaker 1: kind songwriter as an artist talking about what it took 128 00:06:57,916 --> 00:07:00,036 Speaker 1: for them to get there or what it is, you know. 129 00:07:00,116 --> 00:07:02,796 Speaker 1: Just even John Legend talking about what he eats before 130 00:07:02,956 --> 00:07:05,796 Speaker 1: a performance, that's really helpful to people to go, oh, 131 00:07:05,876 --> 00:07:08,316 Speaker 1: let me try that, let me do that, you know. 132 00:07:08,396 --> 00:07:11,596 Speaker 1: And I'm hoping that in their stories, even though it's 133 00:07:11,636 --> 00:07:14,316 Speaker 1: about them in their career and it's a vocal career, 134 00:07:14,556 --> 00:07:18,756 Speaker 1: that it's inspiring to anybody who's listening to go, well, 135 00:07:18,796 --> 00:07:21,236 Speaker 1: if these people who have a lot of talent, let's 136 00:07:21,236 --> 00:07:23,476 Speaker 1: face it. I mean, Arianna Grande was born with a 137 00:07:23,516 --> 00:07:26,916 Speaker 1: beautiful voice. But if you find out that she is 138 00:07:26,956 --> 00:07:30,116 Speaker 1: working at it so hard, so many hours, thinking about 139 00:07:30,156 --> 00:07:33,076 Speaker 1: it all day before she goes on stage performing, she 140 00:07:33,116 --> 00:07:36,196 Speaker 1: doesn't just wake up and sing, She really works at it. 141 00:07:36,276 --> 00:07:40,076 Speaker 1: I'm hoping that will be inspirational to everybody listening whatever 142 00:07:40,156 --> 00:07:42,276 Speaker 1: their career is, to go, oh, I'm going to put 143 00:07:42,316 --> 00:07:45,236 Speaker 1: in more time and effort into my own career. So 144 00:07:45,276 --> 00:07:48,676 Speaker 1: I'm hoping it's inspirational on that level. Yeah, I couldn't 145 00:07:48,676 --> 00:07:51,436 Speaker 1: agree more. And one thing that really resonated with me 146 00:07:51,476 --> 00:07:53,996 Speaker 1: about the show is that it does transcend the specifics 147 00:07:54,076 --> 00:07:58,116 Speaker 1: of voice and music. It's really about perseverance when it 148 00:07:58,156 --> 00:08:02,396 Speaker 1: comes to achieving our long term goals. And it's so 149 00:08:02,516 --> 00:08:04,996 Speaker 1: top of mind for me right now because actually the 150 00:08:04,996 --> 00:08:08,676 Speaker 1: episode that will follow this promo for your show is 151 00:08:08,676 --> 00:08:11,716 Speaker 1: an intern I did with Professor Angela Duckworth, and she's 152 00:08:11,756 --> 00:08:15,596 Speaker 1: made an entire career out of studying grit and what 153 00:08:15,676 --> 00:08:18,876 Speaker 1: it takes to really get to these elite levels. And 154 00:08:19,156 --> 00:08:22,356 Speaker 1: what you find is that, like you said exactly, talent 155 00:08:22,436 --> 00:08:26,076 Speaker 1: will only get you so far. The sustained focus and 156 00:08:26,276 --> 00:08:30,396 Speaker 1: deliberate practice and attention and care and you know, Ariana 157 00:08:30,396 --> 00:08:32,836 Speaker 1: Grande whatever taking vocal rests when she wants to be 158 00:08:32,876 --> 00:08:35,436 Speaker 1: hanging out with her friends. You know, like just constant 159 00:08:35,756 --> 00:08:40,796 Speaker 1: management of your faculties. I mean, I think that's basically 160 00:08:40,836 --> 00:08:44,316 Speaker 1: a core part of every person who achieves world class 161 00:08:44,396 --> 00:08:48,036 Speaker 1: levels and anything. And society is so seduced by raw talent. 162 00:08:48,516 --> 00:08:50,756 Speaker 1: We we love the idea, oh she just has a 163 00:08:50,796 --> 00:08:54,196 Speaker 1: special something about her. Oh he's got it. He's a natural. 164 00:08:54,876 --> 00:08:56,836 Speaker 1: But then what your show is doing is it's pulling 165 00:08:56,876 --> 00:08:59,516 Speaker 1: back the curtain and saying, Okay, sure they got a 166 00:08:59,516 --> 00:09:01,756 Speaker 1: bit of a headstart because they've certainly, well they got 167 00:09:01,756 --> 00:09:04,636 Speaker 1: a lot of a headstart because they've got remarkable talent. However, 168 00:09:05,396 --> 00:09:08,316 Speaker 1: when you look at the grit behind the scenes, I mean, 169 00:09:08,356 --> 00:09:11,196 Speaker 1: you will never say that they had an easy rise 170 00:09:11,196 --> 00:09:13,996 Speaker 1: to the top, not at all. And to find out, 171 00:09:14,036 --> 00:09:16,876 Speaker 1: you know, even like the episode with John Legend, you 172 00:09:16,916 --> 00:09:20,996 Speaker 1: know he has been successful for so many years doing 173 00:09:21,076 --> 00:09:24,076 Speaker 1: concerts and recordings and everything else. The fact that he's 174 00:09:24,116 --> 00:09:27,476 Speaker 1: taking voice lessons now to improve and to be able 175 00:09:27,516 --> 00:09:30,676 Speaker 1: to maintain his voice, to me, that's so inspirational. That 176 00:09:30,756 --> 00:09:34,036 Speaker 1: says anybody in whatever field they're doing, we need to 177 00:09:34,076 --> 00:09:36,356 Speaker 1: stay on top of it. We need to keep ourselves 178 00:09:36,436 --> 00:09:38,556 Speaker 1: up with If you're a doctor, you want to keep 179 00:09:38,716 --> 00:09:41,316 Speaker 1: up with all the medical advances that are being made. 180 00:09:41,356 --> 00:09:43,476 Speaker 1: You can't just go, oh, I learned that in college 181 00:09:43,476 --> 00:09:45,716 Speaker 1: and then that's it. I don't need to study anything 182 00:09:45,756 --> 00:09:48,796 Speaker 1: else or learn anything else. And so that's what I'm 183 00:09:48,796 --> 00:09:51,876 Speaker 1: hoping that it really anybody listening goes, oh, wow, these 184 00:09:51,916 --> 00:09:54,436 Speaker 1: people are doing that and they're reaching that high level 185 00:09:54,476 --> 00:09:57,156 Speaker 1: of success. How can I apply that in my own life? 186 00:09:58,276 --> 00:10:01,236 Speaker 1: You know? You know, Eric, you have such an intimate 187 00:10:01,276 --> 00:10:05,156 Speaker 1: relationship with these stars and it comes through in the 188 00:10:05,236 --> 00:10:09,716 Speaker 1: vulnerability that they show on backstage pass And I want 189 00:10:09,756 --> 00:10:13,276 Speaker 1: to know, what's something new that you feel you learned 190 00:10:13,356 --> 00:10:15,836 Speaker 1: from some of your guests that actually had never come 191 00:10:15,876 --> 00:10:18,836 Speaker 1: through in the friendships that you had shared with them, 192 00:10:18,916 --> 00:10:20,756 Speaker 1: or the you know, the voice lessons you had had, 193 00:10:20,996 --> 00:10:24,076 Speaker 1: but that only became present when you're recording the show. 194 00:10:25,436 --> 00:10:28,596 Speaker 1: You know, there's not so much that I've learned as 195 00:10:28,676 --> 00:10:32,916 Speaker 1: much as it's reinforced or reminded me of you know 196 00:10:32,956 --> 00:10:36,196 Speaker 1: what I mean. So I'm so much in the present. 197 00:10:36,236 --> 00:10:38,276 Speaker 1: I try to really stay in the present moment, what's 198 00:10:38,316 --> 00:10:40,596 Speaker 1: going on, what's going on with someone's voice right now, 199 00:10:41,196 --> 00:10:44,436 Speaker 1: that sometimes I don't think about the past. And so 200 00:10:44,836 --> 00:10:47,636 Speaker 1: when I've been talking these people, you know, who are 201 00:10:47,676 --> 00:10:49,836 Speaker 1: my students, and we've been through a lot together and 202 00:10:49,916 --> 00:10:53,236 Speaker 1: they bring up things from the past, it triggers a 203 00:10:53,236 --> 00:10:56,116 Speaker 1: lot of memories in me and I go, oh, yeah, 204 00:10:56,156 --> 00:10:59,196 Speaker 1: we really have come a long way. So that I'm 205 00:10:59,236 --> 00:11:01,636 Speaker 1: looking at them where they are right now, what's going 206 00:11:01,636 --> 00:11:04,396 Speaker 1: on with their voice, and how to help them right 207 00:11:04,396 --> 00:11:07,196 Speaker 1: now this moment for the future. But when they talk 208 00:11:07,236 --> 00:11:10,356 Speaker 1: about things in the past, it's really renewed all of 209 00:11:10,396 --> 00:11:14,076 Speaker 1: that feeling of oh, wow, we really accomplished a lot 210 00:11:14,356 --> 00:11:16,916 Speaker 1: and did so much together. And it's such a great 211 00:11:17,676 --> 00:11:19,796 Speaker 1: feeling because they'll say thank you, I couldn't have done 212 00:11:19,796 --> 00:11:21,996 Speaker 1: this without you, and I always go, well, but it's you, 213 00:11:21,996 --> 00:11:25,276 Speaker 1: your talent. Without your talent, without your dedication, without you 214 00:11:25,316 --> 00:11:27,956 Speaker 1: working hard, you wouldn't have gotten here. But when they 215 00:11:27,996 --> 00:11:30,676 Speaker 1: bring it up and say it, then it really it 216 00:11:30,676 --> 00:11:33,636 Speaker 1: makes my heart sing. I really get excited by that 217 00:11:34,076 --> 00:11:37,356 Speaker 1: because it's it's a wonderful feeling to know how appreciative 218 00:11:37,436 --> 00:11:41,036 Speaker 1: they are. You know, Sean Mendez referred to you as 219 00:11:41,076 --> 00:11:44,636 Speaker 1: his therapist first and foremost right and in the interview 220 00:11:44,636 --> 00:11:48,076 Speaker 1: you did with him, And what do you think it 221 00:11:48,156 --> 00:11:51,396 Speaker 1: is about the voice that ends up fostering such an 222 00:11:51,436 --> 00:11:56,796 Speaker 1: intimate relationship between voice coach and student. Well, I think 223 00:11:56,836 --> 00:11:59,996 Speaker 1: it's there's a couple of reasons why that happens. One 224 00:12:00,196 --> 00:12:03,956 Speaker 1: is that you are vulnerable with your voice, you know, 225 00:12:04,116 --> 00:12:08,316 Speaker 1: because especially if you're a singer or you're an artist, 226 00:12:08,356 --> 00:12:10,476 Speaker 1: and you really that's what you want to do with 227 00:12:10,516 --> 00:12:12,556 Speaker 1: your career, that's what you want to do with your life. 228 00:12:13,196 --> 00:12:16,716 Speaker 1: That's your instrument, and it's really valuable to you because 229 00:12:16,756 --> 00:12:18,996 Speaker 1: it becomes everything to you. It's not only your way 230 00:12:18,996 --> 00:12:22,476 Speaker 1: of communicating with your friends and family, but it's communication 231 00:12:22,556 --> 00:12:26,036 Speaker 1: with the world you know, and your voice you get 232 00:12:26,236 --> 00:12:28,596 Speaker 1: so because you hear it all the time. We are 233 00:12:28,636 --> 00:12:32,716 Speaker 1: hearing our voice constantly, and people who perform hear it 234 00:12:32,836 --> 00:12:35,636 Speaker 1: not only in their head but on recordings, They watch 235 00:12:35,716 --> 00:12:38,276 Speaker 1: themselves on videos, so they're constantly aware of how their 236 00:12:38,356 --> 00:12:40,436 Speaker 1: voice sounds and they want it to sound the best 237 00:12:40,436 --> 00:12:43,516 Speaker 1: they can. So when they're working with someone who can 238 00:12:43,596 --> 00:12:46,156 Speaker 1: help them with that and help them improve it, I 239 00:12:46,156 --> 00:12:49,516 Speaker 1: think you become bonded in a way that they're not 240 00:12:49,556 --> 00:12:52,156 Speaker 1: going to be bonded with everybody else. They'll be bonded 241 00:12:52,196 --> 00:12:54,436 Speaker 1: with other people in different ways, but we have a 242 00:12:54,476 --> 00:12:57,596 Speaker 1: special bond that they're not going to share with anybody 243 00:12:57,596 --> 00:13:00,916 Speaker 1: else because no one will be as invested in their 244 00:13:00,996 --> 00:13:03,876 Speaker 1: voice taking care of their voice and improving the voice 245 00:13:04,036 --> 00:13:06,756 Speaker 1: as much as I am. And then I think also 246 00:13:06,796 --> 00:13:09,276 Speaker 1: when you spend a lot of time with people, you know, 247 00:13:09,356 --> 00:13:11,236 Speaker 1: some of these people I see quite often, like when 248 00:13:11,276 --> 00:13:13,076 Speaker 1: they're on tour, I'll see them every single day of 249 00:13:13,156 --> 00:13:18,076 Speaker 1: the tour on FaceTime, usually mostly on FaceTime, where we're 250 00:13:18,116 --> 00:13:19,916 Speaker 1: not just talking about their voice, but what's going on 251 00:13:19,996 --> 00:13:23,596 Speaker 1: in their life that's affecting their voice. You know, well, 252 00:13:23,636 --> 00:13:25,836 Speaker 1: I had a hard day because there's such and such 253 00:13:25,876 --> 00:13:28,796 Speaker 1: happened or you know, they're human beings and things happen 254 00:13:28,836 --> 00:13:33,076 Speaker 1: to them. Breakups happen, arguments happen, fights, disappointments, all of that, 255 00:13:33,156 --> 00:13:35,916 Speaker 1: and that all affects our voice, you know, it really does. 256 00:13:36,436 --> 00:13:38,516 Speaker 1: You know, even if you have to tell someone, let's 257 00:13:38,516 --> 00:13:41,556 Speaker 1: say you have to tell someone something very difficult, you 258 00:13:41,636 --> 00:13:43,396 Speaker 1: might get that lump in your throat and it's hard 259 00:13:43,436 --> 00:13:46,116 Speaker 1: to even speak. Well, they might have gone through that 260 00:13:46,556 --> 00:13:49,476 Speaker 1: minutes before. Now we're warming enough to do a show, 261 00:13:50,036 --> 00:13:52,796 Speaker 1: and so we have to figure out a way to 262 00:13:52,796 --> 00:13:55,836 Speaker 1: get by it. So I'm always kind of talking and 263 00:13:55,916 --> 00:13:58,956 Speaker 1: guiding them through that as well. And you become a 264 00:13:58,996 --> 00:14:02,356 Speaker 1: listening board as well, which you know what therapist does. 265 00:14:02,356 --> 00:14:06,076 Speaker 1: The therapist listens a lot, and then you know sometimes 266 00:14:06,196 --> 00:14:09,836 Speaker 1: is able to offer good advice, helpful advice. So I 267 00:14:09,876 --> 00:14:13,956 Speaker 1: think that's what really bonds us together. Yeah, our voices 268 00:14:13,996 --> 00:14:16,796 Speaker 1: are so entangled with our our day to day lives 269 00:14:16,796 --> 00:14:19,436 Speaker 1: and our emotional states and and everything we're bringing to 270 00:14:19,476 --> 00:14:21,876 Speaker 1: the table um. You know, in my own life, I 271 00:14:21,876 --> 00:14:25,876 Speaker 1: will say I I had always taken my voice for granted, 272 00:14:26,076 --> 00:14:28,756 Speaker 1: never even really thought about it, And then I think 273 00:14:28,756 --> 00:14:30,476 Speaker 1: it was just a couple of years ago, I started 274 00:14:30,516 --> 00:14:33,636 Speaker 1: having a lot of vocal strain and um, I was 275 00:14:33,676 --> 00:14:35,916 Speaker 1: getting pain in my vocal chords. I was I was 276 00:14:35,916 --> 00:14:38,236 Speaker 1: struggling to talk. I was hearing some of the at 277 00:14:38,276 --> 00:14:40,756 Speaker 1: times some of the rasp in my voice. And I 278 00:14:40,836 --> 00:14:43,276 Speaker 1: saw and hear nose and throat doctor, and I saw 279 00:14:43,316 --> 00:14:47,076 Speaker 1: a speech therapist and they diagnosed me with being so 280 00:14:47,116 --> 00:14:53,476 Speaker 1: excited when I talk, I forget to breathe. So that's 281 00:14:53,476 --> 00:14:57,196 Speaker 1: a thing. So I with with a therapist for weeks. 282 00:14:57,476 --> 00:15:01,236 Speaker 1: Um I had to re train myself and learn better 283 00:15:01,356 --> 00:15:04,796 Speaker 1: vocal habits, learn how to take breaths and pauses. And 284 00:15:04,836 --> 00:15:09,076 Speaker 1: I learned so much about about my voice from that experience, 285 00:15:09,316 --> 00:15:11,556 Speaker 1: and how my voice was something that actually had to 286 00:15:11,596 --> 00:15:15,876 Speaker 1: be nurtured. And it's so interesting. It's like there were 287 00:15:15,876 --> 00:15:17,556 Speaker 1: times where I couldn't speak at all. There are times 288 00:15:17,556 --> 00:15:20,476 Speaker 1: where I had to be extremely judicious with what I 289 00:15:20,516 --> 00:15:22,716 Speaker 1: said for the first time ever. Usually I'm just stream 290 00:15:22,756 --> 00:15:25,276 Speaker 1: of consciousness, flow right, And for the first time ever, 291 00:15:25,276 --> 00:15:27,236 Speaker 1: I had to be like, wait, is this worth saying? 292 00:15:27,956 --> 00:15:30,436 Speaker 1: And so that was a filter that that my thoughts 293 00:15:30,436 --> 00:15:34,276 Speaker 1: had to go through. But then secondly, when I was speaking, 294 00:15:34,316 --> 00:15:38,916 Speaker 1: I was speaking in this like very meditative calm way. 295 00:15:39,076 --> 00:15:41,196 Speaker 1: My voice was a little bit, you know, slower paced, 296 00:15:41,876 --> 00:15:44,396 Speaker 1: and I felt like there was this doppel ganger version 297 00:15:44,436 --> 00:15:46,596 Speaker 1: of Maya out there that was roaming the streets that 298 00:15:46,716 --> 00:15:50,796 Speaker 1: everybody was misunderstanding. They were like wow. People would say like, Maya, 299 00:15:50,836 --> 00:15:53,756 Speaker 1: you have such a calming presence, like you're you seem 300 00:15:53,836 --> 00:15:56,796 Speaker 1: so grounded and centered, and I was like, no, I'm not. 301 00:15:57,236 --> 00:16:01,236 Speaker 1: This is just me practicing my voice therapists preaches, and 302 00:16:01,276 --> 00:16:06,316 Speaker 1: so it also helped me realize how foundational the way 303 00:16:06,316 --> 00:16:08,956 Speaker 1: that I'm able to express myself to the world is 304 00:16:09,316 --> 00:16:13,276 Speaker 1: in terms of conveying my personality and my natural exuberance 305 00:16:13,596 --> 00:16:16,156 Speaker 1: and what have you. So it's been a struggle. I mean, 306 00:16:16,196 --> 00:16:19,636 Speaker 1: I still have issues with vocal fatigue. I'm not a singer. 307 00:16:19,716 --> 00:16:22,756 Speaker 1: I'm not operating at high levels of anything, but my 308 00:16:22,876 --> 00:16:25,076 Speaker 1: voice is really something that I need to protect and 309 00:16:25,476 --> 00:16:28,076 Speaker 1: take care of every day. It's this beautiful gift that 310 00:16:28,116 --> 00:16:30,716 Speaker 1: I've been given. Yeah, well, first of all, we need 311 00:16:30,756 --> 00:16:32,436 Speaker 1: to do a lesson so I can help you with 312 00:16:32,476 --> 00:16:35,436 Speaker 1: some of those things, because you shouldn't be experiencing pain 313 00:16:35,556 --> 00:16:39,036 Speaker 1: or anything else. So we'll do that. Yeah, I think 314 00:16:39,076 --> 00:16:41,356 Speaker 1: that the key and all of it is you know, 315 00:16:41,356 --> 00:16:43,476 Speaker 1: I always say to my students, let's work on your 316 00:16:43,476 --> 00:16:46,276 Speaker 1: technique and our lessons and then all of our warmups. 317 00:16:46,796 --> 00:16:49,116 Speaker 1: But when you get out on stage, I don't want 318 00:16:49,116 --> 00:16:50,996 Speaker 1: you to think about any of that. You work on 319 00:16:51,036 --> 00:16:53,996 Speaker 1: the technique before that, you know, so that it just 320 00:16:54,036 --> 00:16:56,196 Speaker 1: gets in your body and then you don't have to 321 00:16:56,236 --> 00:16:59,076 Speaker 1: think about it when you're actually speaking, because that is 322 00:16:59,116 --> 00:17:01,636 Speaker 1: going to be a hindrance between you and your audience 323 00:17:01,876 --> 00:17:04,276 Speaker 1: if you're thinking about it. You know, Oh, I better 324 00:17:04,276 --> 00:17:06,796 Speaker 1: stay a little more calm, speak a little lower, take 325 00:17:06,836 --> 00:17:10,516 Speaker 1: a deeper breath. You know, listeners know that is not 326 00:17:10,676 --> 00:17:14,276 Speaker 1: my style. Yeah, I'm a listener, so I know that. 327 00:17:33,636 --> 00:17:35,676 Speaker 1: Thanks so much to Eric Vitro for coming on a 328 00:17:35,716 --> 00:17:37,916 Speaker 1: slight Change of Plants to talk about his new show. 329 00:17:38,676 --> 00:17:40,596 Speaker 1: I wanted to leave you all with a preview of 330 00:17:40,636 --> 00:17:45,116 Speaker 1: backstage Pass. In this clip, singer songwriter Sean Mendez talks 331 00:17:45,116 --> 00:17:47,396 Speaker 1: about getting out of his own head and letting go 332 00:17:47,516 --> 00:17:50,676 Speaker 1: of his anxiety. I think the hardest part of singing 333 00:17:50,756 --> 00:17:53,436 Speaker 1: is getting out of your own way, is dropping the 334 00:17:53,476 --> 00:17:56,436 Speaker 1: ego and like just being a kid about it. Like 335 00:17:56,476 --> 00:17:59,676 Speaker 1: when you're a kid, you just sing. When you're an adult, 336 00:18:00,076 --> 00:18:02,356 Speaker 1: you're like singing, but at the same time also like 337 00:18:02,436 --> 00:18:05,316 Speaker 1: critiquing and judging and like afraid. And one of the 338 00:18:05,316 --> 00:18:10,396 Speaker 1: most amazing leaps we made as a duo was the 339 00:18:10,556 --> 00:18:17,076 Speaker 1: day I was like realizing. I was like, not letting 340 00:18:17,116 --> 00:18:20,796 Speaker 1: you tell me what the real objective thing was because 341 00:18:20,796 --> 00:18:23,036 Speaker 1: I was so afraid and so anxious, and I was like, no, 342 00:18:23,036 --> 00:18:24,196 Speaker 1: no, no no, yeah, yeah, I don't want to hear that. 343 00:18:24,196 --> 00:18:26,436 Speaker 1: I don't want to hear that. I wasn't listening to 344 00:18:26,476 --> 00:18:29,396 Speaker 1: my teacher. I was like, I just have to get 345 00:18:29,396 --> 00:18:32,196 Speaker 1: through it out of so much anxiety. And then you're like, 346 00:18:32,316 --> 00:18:34,956 Speaker 1: I really think you should trust me. That was not 347 00:18:34,996 --> 00:18:37,596 Speaker 1: long ago, I know, And I feel like once I 348 00:18:37,676 --> 00:18:40,476 Speaker 1: really like started to just like trust you and trust 349 00:18:40,516 --> 00:18:44,076 Speaker 1: the process and trust me, and my voice started to 350 00:18:44,076 --> 00:18:47,556 Speaker 1: open up more. Not only your voice, but don't you 351 00:18:47,596 --> 00:18:50,596 Speaker 1: feel better as a human being? I mean, like I said, 352 00:18:50,596 --> 00:18:54,596 Speaker 1: it's parallel to like to life in general. I love 353 00:18:54,876 --> 00:18:59,676 Speaker 1: when we are just like cruising, Like I think for me, 354 00:19:00,676 --> 00:19:03,756 Speaker 1: it's become a meditation too, because I put my phone 355 00:19:03,796 --> 00:19:06,516 Speaker 1: down for an hour, I just basically have headphones and 356 00:19:06,556 --> 00:19:09,476 Speaker 1: I can only hear you in the piano, and I 357 00:19:09,516 --> 00:19:12,316 Speaker 1: can be so focused on just the notes and my 358 00:19:12,476 --> 00:19:15,996 Speaker 1: breathing and very present in my body, and you and 359 00:19:16,036 --> 00:19:19,716 Speaker 1: I are very just zoned in and calm. It's a 360 00:19:19,716 --> 00:19:22,836 Speaker 1: beautiful experience. I find a lot of the time I 361 00:19:22,996 --> 00:19:26,796 Speaker 1: end up leaving the vocal essent calmer. The whole thing 362 00:19:27,036 --> 00:19:30,836 Speaker 1: was a very zen moment, even in the silence when 363 00:19:30,836 --> 00:19:33,636 Speaker 1: we're breathing. I love those moments because that feels like 364 00:19:34,076 --> 00:19:36,676 Speaker 1: the only hour of the day where things move that 365 00:19:36,836 --> 00:19:41,036 Speaker 1: slow and carefree. Oh wow. Yeah, when people can let go, 366 00:19:41,596 --> 00:19:43,876 Speaker 1: it makes all the difference in the world. And like 367 00:19:43,956 --> 00:19:46,556 Speaker 1: you said, be able to open your mind and go 368 00:19:46,756 --> 00:19:49,916 Speaker 1: all right, So tell me what to do and I'll 369 00:19:49,916 --> 00:19:51,556 Speaker 1: do it, and I'll trust it. Because if you can't 370 00:19:51,556 --> 00:19:54,756 Speaker 1: trust your teacher, then who can you really trust totally? 371 00:19:54,876 --> 00:19:57,076 Speaker 1: I mean, I think singers are so emotionally attached to 372 00:19:57,076 --> 00:20:00,276 Speaker 1: their voice that sometimes we'll be backstage at an award show. 373 00:20:00,436 --> 00:20:02,916 Speaker 1: We'll spend you know, fifteen twenty minutes warming up and 374 00:20:02,916 --> 00:20:06,356 Speaker 1: then another forty minutes just talking about the heart and 375 00:20:06,516 --> 00:20:08,716 Speaker 1: calming down and getting into the right frame of mind 376 00:20:08,756 --> 00:20:11,236 Speaker 1: to be a to do this. Even in our lessons, 377 00:20:11,356 --> 00:20:14,196 Speaker 1: you end up accomplishing more when you're in the right 378 00:20:14,236 --> 00:20:17,236 Speaker 1: frame of mind than doing an hour worth of scales, 379 00:20:17,796 --> 00:20:20,756 Speaker 1: stressed out and frustrated, and I think being a vocal 380 00:20:20,796 --> 00:20:25,116 Speaker 1: coach it's much more than going through scales with someone. 381 00:20:25,476 --> 00:20:28,796 Speaker 1: I always call Eric my vocal coach slash therapist, because 382 00:20:28,876 --> 00:20:33,076 Speaker 1: you're never like just doing one thing. That's what you are. 383 00:20:33,116 --> 00:20:38,236 Speaker 1: In my phone. Your bio is voice teacher's last therapist. Well, 384 00:20:38,396 --> 00:20:40,876 Speaker 1: someone did say in an interview once I was their 385 00:20:40,956 --> 00:20:44,476 Speaker 1: vocal life coach, It's true, you really are. I love 386 00:20:44,516 --> 00:20:46,796 Speaker 1: that phrase, vocal life coach. I thought that was one 387 00:20:46,836 --> 00:20:50,196 Speaker 1: of the biggest compliments I'd ever gotten, because my lessons 388 00:20:50,236 --> 00:20:54,436 Speaker 1: aren't always about vocal placement. Sometimes the most important thing 389 00:20:54,596 --> 00:20:57,036 Speaker 1: is helping a student get mentally ready for a show. 390 00:20:57,636 --> 00:21:00,836 Speaker 1: Something that helps me a lot is that I say 391 00:21:00,876 --> 00:21:03,236 Speaker 1: to myself before vocal lesson. I say to myself before 392 00:21:03,476 --> 00:21:07,236 Speaker 1: a performance at the Grammys that this is just play. 393 00:21:07,276 --> 00:21:10,996 Speaker 1: It's art, this is music, is love, this is something 394 00:21:11,036 --> 00:21:14,556 Speaker 1: that was created to make people feel. It sounds crazy, 395 00:21:14,596 --> 00:21:16,956 Speaker 1: but sometimes the pressure and a vocal lesson that I 396 00:21:16,956 --> 00:21:19,756 Speaker 1: put on myself is equivalent to the pressure backstage at 397 00:21:19,796 --> 00:21:23,276 Speaker 1: the Grammys, and it's because they're the same thing. To me. 398 00:21:23,516 --> 00:21:26,956 Speaker 1: You've got to sound perfect, working on that on kind 399 00:21:26,956 --> 00:21:29,556 Speaker 1: of toning that perfectionism down has been a really big 400 00:21:29,596 --> 00:21:32,516 Speaker 1: part of my life. Yeah. I would actually say, you're 401 00:21:32,596 --> 00:21:35,036 Speaker 1: more nervous Dan our voice lessons than you are at 402 00:21:35,076 --> 00:21:38,756 Speaker 1: award shows. Yeah, totally. At an award show you kind 403 00:21:38,756 --> 00:21:40,396 Speaker 1: of have no choice. But at a voice lesson, I 404 00:21:40,476 --> 00:21:41,916 Speaker 1: can be like, I can't do this, I can't do 405 00:21:41,956 --> 00:21:44,796 Speaker 1: this today, and then I get more nervous. I can 406 00:21:44,796 --> 00:21:47,196 Speaker 1: psych myself out a little bit more. I'm already I'm 407 00:21:47,196 --> 00:21:49,156 Speaker 1: even sitting here right now being like I'm talking too much. 408 00:21:49,156 --> 00:21:50,796 Speaker 1: I'm going to be tired for our vocal lesson in 409 00:21:50,836 --> 00:21:54,636 Speaker 1: an hour. So I find even if I'm doing a lesson, 410 00:21:54,956 --> 00:21:56,796 Speaker 1: the thing that helps me the most is that if 411 00:21:56,876 --> 00:22:01,316 Speaker 1: I'm three warmups in and I'm starting to feel myself 412 00:22:01,356 --> 00:22:04,316 Speaker 1: get that perfectionist kind of vibe going on, my tunnel 413 00:22:04,356 --> 00:22:06,676 Speaker 1: vision is going in, I just kind of shake my 414 00:22:06,716 --> 00:22:12,436 Speaker 1: body like crazy and I go I'll start like whatever, 415 00:22:12,556 --> 00:22:14,756 Speaker 1: like to like laugh, to get myself out of that 416 00:22:14,796 --> 00:22:17,956 Speaker 1: little thing. It's like snapping myself out before I go 417 00:22:17,996 --> 00:22:21,476 Speaker 1: into that perfectionist place. I say to myself in that moment, 418 00:22:21,596 --> 00:22:23,956 Speaker 1: it's just fun. This is just play. Let's just have fun. 419 00:22:24,076 --> 00:22:28,556 Speaker 1: You know. That was a clip from Backstage Pass with 420 00:22:28,636 --> 00:22:31,836 Speaker 1: Eric Vitro. You can listen to more episodes of Backstage 421 00:22:31,836 --> 00:22:36,596 Speaker 1: Pass wherever you get your podcasts. By the way, I 422 00:22:36,636 --> 00:22:39,076 Speaker 1: broke my car, my own card no rule this morning 423 00:22:39,076 --> 00:22:41,516 Speaker 1: by having cream in my coffee, which always causes a 424 00:22:41,516 --> 00:22:44,796 Speaker 1: lot of phlegm and mucus. And I did it to myself. 425 00:22:45,156 --> 00:22:47,236 Speaker 1: But it was a little bit Eric. It was worth it. 426 00:22:47,316 --> 00:22:49,876 Speaker 1: Oh my god, it was so good and coffee too 427 00:22:49,876 --> 00:22:52,796 Speaker 1: this morning. And me is I have cream in my 428 00:22:52,796 --> 00:22:56,756 Speaker 1: coffee every day? Well, I do way too often. I 429 00:22:56,836 --> 00:22:57,876 Speaker 1: have way too often.