How to Keep From Getting Nervous When Singing in Front of a Croud

Many people experience stage fright, or a fear of being in front of a group of people. The fear of failure or embarrassment is typically the cause of nervousness prior to speaking to or singing in front of a crowd. This fear can be overcome by learning strategies that reduce anxiety and improve self-confidence.

Instructions

• 1

  Sing in front of friends and family. You many feel more comfortable if you practice in front of people who know and love you. This may help build your confidence for singing in front of larger groups. You may also choose to gradually build up to larger crowds, such as moving from your immediate family to a small group of 5 or 6 friends to your Sunday school class of 10 or 12 and so on.

• 2

  Practice your song or songs many times. You should be able to sing your song multiple times without making mistakes. If you make mistakes when singing alone, you are much more likely to make mistakes in front of a crowd where you are more nervous.

• 3

  Tell yourself positive statements. Build your confidence by self-encouragement and eliminating negative self-talk. If you begin worrying about the event and think that you will make a mistake, tell yourself to stop. Reverse the negative statement. Positive statements include "I can do this; I am a good singer; someone chose me because they believed in me." Also remind yourself that even famous performers make mistakes sometimes, so if something does go wrong it does not mean you are a failure.

• 4

  Focus on something on the horizon. If looking at the faces in the crowd makes you feel more nervous, look straight ahead and find an object or person that you can focus on. It may be an exit sign, a door or a poster on a wall. If this is a smaller venue such as a church or small theater, you may ask a friend or family member to sit in the center near the back of the room where you can see him. Then focus your energy on your performance, your song, and let the audience enjoy it.