It’s not uncommon for singers to come back from a performance and be a little bit disappointed about the amount of applause they received. So many times, they feel as though they were the more talented singer, but they didn’t get near as much attention as someone else that obviously wasn’t as good. It’s actually a really common story.
But why is this?
In my experience, there are a couple of reasons. First off, they chose a their song based on their own personal preferences, without considering whether or not their audience would like it.
Think about it like this… if you’re an audience member and you like Britney Spears… Are you going to give more applause to a Madonna single or a Mozart aria? The Mozart aria is likely much harder and requires much more skill, but would you really care?
Well, unfortunately many people do just that… they choose a song or songs that they like and are good at, but perhaps aren’t as likely to resonate with the audience.
Remember, you’re a performer and your job is to entertain the crowd. You can do that best by giving them what they want. And for the few of you who are passionate about doing a certain type of music and unwilling to do anything else, your challenge is finding the audience that loves your music and getting in front of them.
The second most common reason I think potentially more talented singers are unlikely to get as much applause as others is because they aren’t connecting emotionally with their audience.
Music is all about connection, and helping your audience feel something. If you’re Lady Gaga, you’re job is to make everyone feel good and dance. If you’re Cee Lo Green, you may be resonating with your audience on a more heartbroken, frustrated vibe. It really just depends on the song.
Emotions are contagious, and if you’re able to sing with emotion and your performance conveys that emotion as well, then you’ll connect with your audience on a much deeper level.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen a less than average singer get on stage that may have missed notes left and right, but was able to connect with the audience on a deeper level. These performers almost always get more applause than the more talented, less engaging singers out there.
So, connecting with your audience on an emotional level is HUGE, and to me is the most important ingredient in creating the “It” factor! You can read more about the mechanics of Singing with Emotion here.
Long story short, if you pick your song well and learn to connect with your audience, you’ll likely notice quite a bit more volume in the applause you receive after you perform.
Give it a shot and experience the difference.
Best of luck!
Vocal Coach Ken Taylor