The news is in. As you probably know, on the website at www.TheSingingZone.com we state that we have members from 65 nations inside The Singing Zone.  It turns out that this is incorrect.   We just did an updated count of all our customers this morning.  And guess what? It turns out that I now have customers from 84 nations!

Naturally, I am personally immensely grateful for the success of the program, and that I am able to reach and communicate with so many people. I thank all of you who put trust in me and I certainly feel the responsibility to live up to that trust (which is a good feeling of responsibility in my opinion).

I also reflect over what a phenomenal world we live in.  There is no denying that there are many problems in the world, and there likely always will be.  Yet, the fact that we are able to communicate with each other the way we can today is mindboggling. 

I still remember the first computer I got.  How could I forget.  It wasn’t that long ago really.

I remember the first time I talked to someone via web camera. It wasn’t long ago at all.

Today I can can acquire information that I never could before. I can learn from, study with, communicate with, work with people from most parts of the world. I can communicate with friends and family all over the globe.

It’s amazing.

Saturday I had a class with my virtual singing class which has participants from many parts of the world, and we reflected on the fact that our grandparents would have been absolutely blown away seeing what we can do today. 

It truly is amazing.

And let’s not forget that the amazing technology we have today is a result of the rapidly evolving capacity of the human mind.

We’ve always known that singing is part of every culture, and it makes me warm inside knowing you are singing away in every part of the world.  Perhaps I can soon travel and study the culture of singing in various parts of the world in person.  And meet you!

Send me an invitation!   

How about reflecting on the positive developments in the world today and how you can utilize them to enhance your life.  What is it you can do today that you couldn’t have done a few years ago?

Love to hear your thoughts. Feel free to share below.

In this post I am going to share an email I received.  It’s a perfect example of what we talked about in the last post, and a perfect example of why I do what I do, and probably why you do what you do. Out of courtesy, I won’t reveal the writer or the names he mentions, but bear with me and I think you’ll find this very interesting.

The unfortunate flip side of becoming more public and reaching more people is that you also become a target for abuse.  This is also something every successful artist unfortunately has to deal with.

If you haven’t read the previous post, please click here to read it first so this makes sense to you.

The email I received was from a gentleman who has not done my program, has not studied with me and does not know me. It reads:

"I'm open to new methods and information but I'm (beyond) sceptical about your claim that you can train anyone (who isn't born with a very special gift) to develop a four octave range from a one octave range through the use of video tapes…. I want you to know what I think and how your promotions come across to a real singer who's been through all the hoops, humming, exercising and vocalizations for many years. I can still at 69 years of age sing a ringing high C and (even an E) but I've kept myself in excellent physical condition and had a teacher in Toronto (long deceased) called… (name removed out of courtesy) who also taught … (name removed out of courtesy).  I'm delighted to have been born with a very special gift, so I've never boasted about my voice. But a gift is a gift!  Show me someone who could barely sing and now boasts a four octave range in perfect pitch!"

Now the first question is where on earth did he get the idea that I claim that anyone can develop a four octave range?  I have never made such a claim, nor do I even think a four octave range is necessarily what to strive for.  Most successful singers do not have or need a four octave range.

But the bigger problem is this belief of “the gift”.  This elitist, old-school thinking of being special, of being a “real singer”, is exactly what has stifled the joy of singing for so many. 

We sent him a polite email to clarify that I do not claim that anyone gets a four octave range from my program.

You might think a person might just leave it at that.  But instead he fired back.  And here’s where it gets really interesting.

It turns out that he had not at all heard me state that anyone can get a four octave range.  Instead, he had seen a video in which another person expressed the joy he had gotten from my program as he has now been able to release some of the tremendous pain he’s lived with since childhood – ever since his dream of singing was crushed as a young boy by a man of authority who had told him he could never sing because he didn’t have the “gift”.  That he mentioned his increased range was a side note. The real gist of his story (which, by the way, has inspired many and has received many thanks) was apparently completely lost on our ”real singer” friend with the “gift”.

But our “gifted” man is stuck on the four octave issue and chooses to fire back with another email. It begins with:

"Please note that your response is totally incorrect."

He then continues to proclaim his importance – just as we talked about that people who desperately try to hold on to their authority do (I used the extreme cases of Mubarak and Khaddafi as examples in my previous blog post)

 "
I coach a number of singers and consult with three choirs to demonstrate vocal techniques. At least 20 people have asked me about Per's claims, and I'm naturally compelled to tell them some of these claims stretch credibility far beyond its most extreme tensile strength!  … These claims are highly misleading and I'm surprised someone hasn't threatened legal action for false advertising… I studied and sang with …. (name removed out of courtesy) and I can tell you that this video is nothing but a scam!"


He then goes on ranting about his greatness and continues his accusations until he ends the email with:

"
Shame on all of you!"

Evidently, he still hasn’t embraced the fact that I never have made the claims he so desperately wants me to have claimed.

Now, in the event he seriously fears people will believe I create four octave ranges in everyone without the student having to do anything, I hereby proclaim publicly that this is not the case.

But the subject matter here is to understand fear. What makes him so afraid that he must write such an aggressive letter to someone he doesn’t know or know anything about in the first place? Has his authority been questioned by the 20 people who have mentioned my teachings? Is he challenged because someone who was abused as a child (abused in the sense that he was led to believe that he didn’t have the “gift”) can experience such newfound joy of singing – joy that our “gifted” man perhaps never has experienced.  Is he afraid that repeatedly claiming who he has studied with is the only way to give him greater stature?  Is he afraid his “students” are doing research on the Internet and are curious about other views and methods?   (Every tyrant is also afraid of others receiving information and will do everything to spread disinformation).  We don’t know of course, and it is not for us to make a judgment.

So why am I writing this?  

Because I fear that there are a tremendous amount of abused children and adults in this world who will never realize their true potential.  I fear children and adults live with beliefs that they don’t have a “gift” and are therefore shut down, while being exposed to the incredibly offensive talk about “gifts” – as if proclaimed (self-proclaimed) “gifted” people are special in the eyes of a God while they aren’t. 

Luckily, the world is also filled with an enormous amount of people who have achieved tremendous success and happiness despite the adult world’s attempt to push them down. These are the inspiring people who have over and over again proven that the adult world’s beliefs of talents (“gifts”) was completely useless and utterly wrong.

I fear a lot of people are oppressed by people who claim authority because of who they have studied with rather than because of who they are. I fear the world will not become a better place unless we recognize why anger, jealousy and hate exists. And I fear that as a result of my own success, will I need to shield myself more and more from abusive people, and will I then become less accessible to people who want my help?

Yes, I experience fear like everyone else, and therefore I act and do what I can to create changes and improvements.
 
Perhaps this can inspire a desire to reflect before one lashes out at someone (especially someone you don’t know). Perhaps it can help someone who is, or has been treated badly, or had their desires stifled in some way.

Feel free to add your opinion below and, by all means, sing with freedom!

Earlier today I stood in front of the Lincoln Memorial – the place where presidents have held speeches and where Martin Luther King Jr. gave his legendary “I have a dream” speech on freedom.

As you know, my program is called Sing With Freedom and there is a reason for that.  So it’s interesting to think about what freedom is?  Freedom from what?

I reflect on what is happening in some parts of our world lately. How the people of Egypt, in their pursuit of freedom, were able to overthrow their dictator in a mere 18 days without violence. How were they able to do this? One main factor was the possibility to communicate (and become better informed) thanks to the Internet (Facebook).  Another was that the world was watching. Another was that they no longer were afraid.  The chains of fear had been broken. The sight when they danced and sang with freedom afterwards was truly powerful.

Fear lies at the root of everything we seek freedom from. Fear turns into anger and violence. A dictator can only rule by systematizing fear, and when his own fears are challenged his only means are violence.  Mubarak attempted to use violence, but when he realized he had no means (no army), his days were over. Khaddafi on the other hand, who witnessed Mubarak’s “failure” will use violence to any means, just as any animal of low consciousness who fears extinction.

You may be familiar with the fight or flight response, but we seldom have the opportunity to run away and make fear suddenly disappear.  In societies where we do not face war or threats of torture and death, our fears are different.

How do we recognize fear?

We all know the bullies are bullies because of fear.  We have all encountered people who try to feel stronger by belittling others, blaming others and speaking badly about others. Have you ever encountered people in so-called authoritative positions who intimidate, humiliate, and use aggression? Their biggest fear is of course to have their authority challenged.

We see this in dictators of course, but the tendency still exists all over the place – in religious systems, work places, school systems and families.

But how do we recognize fears in ourselves?

The truth is that we seldom want to.  Suggest to any violent person that he is afraid and you might be punched in the face.  Accepting fear is by many believed to be a sign of weakness.  Courage is for many seen as not having fear, when the word "courage", in fact, describes how we act when we experience fear.

It is the person who cannot be aware of his fears who will be oppressed by his fears and likely oppress others.

Do you ever become angry? Do you ever blame others for your anger? Do you ever blame others when things don’t go well? Do you ever intimidate or speak badly about someone?  Do you experience resistance or discomfort? Do you hold yourself back? Of course you do.  You are human after all.

So here’s my suggestion…. When we experience anger or some kind of resistance, how about we ask ourselves: “What am I afraid of?”.

The issue is not to try to overcome our fear in that instant. We don’t need to announce our fears to the world.  The issue is just to be aware. Fear is not necessarily wrong. Fear is helpful. Fear can be good. There is no shame in experiencing and being aware fear. In fact, to become aware becomes extremely empowering. 

It is when we fail to recognize fear that we paint ourselves into corners and justify it as “pride”, or become aggressive towards others as well as towards ourselves (in the form of negative self-talk, disempowering beliefs, stress, skepticism, etc).

Fear, or rather the restrictions that unaware fear produces, makes learning, growing and healing immensely difficult. 

So to live and sing with freedom… what does that really mean? What does it mean to you?

If in moments of anger or negative self talk you ask yourself what you are afraid of, do you notice something?

Have you encountered people who belittle, blame others, use intimidation or aggression in attempts to appear stronger?

Please post your views on this.  It’s important. Thanks!

The Olympics started off with a horrific tragedy during a Luge practice run, which resulted in the loss of young Nodar Kumaritashvli from the country Georgia..

The Ceremony had already been a beautiful display of art and music, educating us about the history and bringing together the many aboriginal nations that inhabit Canada. And the ceremony became even more potent with the many reverences in honor of Nodar Kumaritashvli, such as when the audience stood up honoring the small delegation from Georgia as they entered the stadium.

While the word love was never mentioned, on display these coming  weeks are people who truly love what they do, and fearlessly do what they love.

I give John Furlong the first gold for his excellent performance.  Here is his speech:

With Jack Poole and Nodar Kumaritashvli in our hearts, and standing on the shoulders of every Canadian, I commit that the men and women of Vancouver 2010, our partners and our friends, are ready to deliver the performance of a lifetime.

Adam Lambert  – Mad World

Adam does it again.  I’ve never though of the original version as a great “vocalist” song, but Adam turns it into a one-of-a kind vocal performance. Once again he uses his vocal range and dynamics not to show off, but to express truthfully. 

http://www.americanidol.com/videos/season_8/performances/adam_lambert_mad_world

Allison Iraheta – I Can’t Make You Love Me

Allison had me before she opened her mouth.  When she looks down and up again she is already completely into the emotion context of the song (And it’s not because she looks down – I don’t care where she looks). From when she sings the first line (turn down the lights) until the end I truly believe here.  I really empathize with her when she sings “I can’t make you love me if you don’t”.

http://www.americanidol.com/videos/season_8/performances/allison_iraheta_i_cant_make_you_love_me

Anoop Desai  – True Colors

This was my favorite performance form Anoop.  Last week he just went for attitude rather than truthful expression.  I still don’t understand why he hasn’t chosen a song that is more fun where he can use his natural charisma. The problem with Anoop is that although he has a beautiful voice he doesn’t fully grasp what he is singing about.  In this song he is singing to a person who is down and sad. Why does that mean that he needs to be down and sad?  In fact, if you were to inspire a friend to make them feel better because you see their true colors, would you sit on a stool and look like the world is coming to an end?

http://www.americanidol.com/videos/season_8/performances/anoop_desai_true_colors

Danny Gokey – Stand By Me

I am surprised Danny chose the mic stand again this week.  Last week he admitted it was out of his comfort zone and he became noticeably self-conscious with his fiddling around with the microphone – or the “I-don’t-know-what-to-do-with-my-hands” syndrome.  This week it is much better. However, not surprisingly, the song and his performance goes to a whole new level when he steps away from the stand.  Had he done I earlier this whole song would have been sensational.  It was still great though.

http://www.americanidol.com/videos/season_8/performances/danny_gokey_stand_by_me

Kris Allen – All She Wants To Do Is Dance

I’m liking Kris more and more. He’s cool. He’s Fun. He’s quirky. He’s charming. He let’s his charm and likeability come through in his songs – exactly what I wished for Anoop. I can see why he has many fans.

http://www.americanidol.com/videos/season_8/performances/kris_allen_all_she_wants_to_do_is_dance

Lil Rounds – What's Love Got To Do With It

When they announced she was singing Tina Turner’s ‘What’s Love Got To Do With It”, I said to myself “please don’t come out looking like Tina Turner”. This is becoming uncomfortable to watch. Four weeks in a row she has turned into a karaoke rendition of the original artist.  I don’t know who the real Lil Rounds is and I don’t become as emotionally involved in her song as I would like.  It’s a bummer, because she sure has a great voice. This I also why it’s great for singers to take acting classes. I mean real acting classes where the training is about learning to be truthful, spontaneous and vulnerable in the moment – i.e to stop acting.

http://www.americanidol.com/videos/season_8/performances/lil_rounds_whats_love_got_to_do_with_it

Matt Giraud – Part Time Lover

One of Matt’s best performances.  The best thing with Matt is that he is unpredictable.  Sometimes it hasn’t worked, but sometimes it’s great.  It very much comes down to song choice for him.  I’m excited to see what he does next.

http://www.americanidol.com/videos/season_8/performances/matt_giraud_part_time_lover

Scott Macintyre – The Search Is Over

Not so sure about the guitar. The problem here is that the song becomes a little “shouty”. It’s a tendency Scott has that compresses the sound rather than makes it rich, warm and powerful. If he would discover how easy it is to get more power with far less effort, he would become far more dynamic and passionate in his expression.

http://www.americanidol.com/videos/season_8/performances/scott_macintyre_the_search_is_over
 

Matt Giraud  – Let’s Get in On

Matt is improving every week.  He starts off great by the piano and I feel he’s honest when he says: “been trying to hold back this feeling for so long”.  He gets up and, again, I believe he really honestly does want to “get it on”.  Great performance.

http://www.americanidol.com/videos/season_8/performances/matt_giraud_lets_get_it_on

Kris Allen – How Sweet It Is

Kris had a wonderful performance last week.  This time he does a great job again.  Great groove. Great musicality.  He’s having fun and allows his personality to shine. Sometimes playing an instrument can lock up the artist.  Here I felt his guitar playing enhanced his performance because he was so loose.

http://www.americanidol.com/videos/season_8/performances/kris_allen_how_sweet_it_is

Scott MacIntyre – Can’t Hurry Love

I wished he went wild on the piano.  We heard a couple of riffs that gave a flavor of what he can do on the instrument.  I feel he sings this song unnecessarily nice and polished. He’s holding back a tad and it doesn’t quite come alive. Part of this was the song choice. I hope he finds a song where he feels comfortable to really let loose and surprise himself.

www.americanidol.com/videos/season_8/performances/scott_macintyre_you_cant_hurry_love

Megan – For Once In My Life  

The main issue here for me is that she sings the song without any dynamics.  It’s a very one-level-calling-out approach – borderline yelling – all the way through. I do like her personality though and the cool depth in here voice. I also like the fact that she approaches the audience and becomes quite engaging.

http://www.americanidol.com/videos/season_8/performances/megan_joy_for_once_in_my_life

Anoop Desai – Ooo Baby Baby

Anoop can surely sing.  He’s got a great effortless way of using his voice and sings the song with great dynamics.  When he really makes a song his own, he’s going to become phenomenal.  However, so far he’s acting the songs rather than living them (although acting them very well). This is why he becomes more serious this time than what is really called for.  This is also why he becomes a little self-conscious about the camera.  His eyes wander throughout the song, which is just because he’s not hundred percent involved in the song. I would love to hear him sing a song where his fun, charming personality can really blossom.

http://www.americanidol.com/videos/season_8/performances/anoop_desai_oo_baby_baby

Michael Sarver – Ain’t Too Proud To Beg

Hmmm.  This gets a little strange.  The reason is because he becomes a dual personality.  The song is about begging this girl for a last chance, but at the same time he is smiling, flirting with the audience and trying to be charismatic.  It’s not working because he doesn’t believe in what he is singing about. If he wants us all to dance along, a different song would have been better.

www.americanidol.com/videos/season_8/performances/michael_sarver_aint_too_proud_to_beg

Lil Rounds – Heat Wave

Lil has a remarkable voice. The thing with Lil is that she is too busy paying tribute rather than making a song her own.  She mentions that she wants to sing it to make Martha and Diana Ross proud.  Last week she talked in the same way – she said she wanted to honor country music.  This comes across in her performance. She sings great, but it is hard to completely identify with her. I agree with the judges that a slow song would have been better for her. The bottom line is that she sings great but there is no real “heat wave that is burning inside” her (as the lyrics say). If she allows herself to be spontaneous and become surprised throughout a song, she could be sensational.

http://www.americanidol.com/videos/season_8/performances/lil_rounds_heat_wave

Adam Lambert – Tracks Of My Tears

Adam is doing the very thing that I mentioned was lacking in the last couple of singers.  Adam is about the absolute truth (which is why he is also a good actor).  Last week, he was not into trying to sound country, but chose to do something completely his own. This week he certainly wants to honor Smokey Robinson and his creation.  So what does he do?  He asks the songwriter: “What inspired you to write it?” Adam wants to get into the skin of a song. Adam completely feels a song and allows himself to experience spontaneous emotions – i.e. real emotions within a rehearsed song.  Notice that he never looks into the camera even once.  There is no need to, because that’s not what the song is about.  He is completely absorbed in the song. When he sings “I need you”, he really means it.  As a result, we are moved and he gets a standing ovation from the songwriter.  That is how you honor the writer.

http://www.americanidol.com/videos/season_8/performances/adam_lambert_the_tracks_of_my_tears

Danny Gokey – Get Ready

Very good again.  Great energy.  Great fun watching him. His first line is “I’ve never met a girl that makes me feel like you do”.  I feel he could have done even more with that line and the rest of the song.  He could have used the “here I come” sections to get the crowd on it’s feet and have the house rocking.  Then he would have been the memorable performance of this week.

http://www.americanidol.com/videos/season_8/performances/danny_gokey_get_ready

Allison Iraheta – Papa Was A Rolling Stone

I love Allison.  That was some powerful ending. Talk about putting an exclamation point on your performance. She owns the stage, moves great and has a very unique voice. I hope her voice holds up.

www.americanidol.com/videos/season_8/performances/allison_iraheta_papa_was_a_rolling_stone

What do you think?

The Serenader – How To Sing To Win The Girl…

Ouch…

Hey, having a litle fun and taking ourselves not so seriously is okay once in a while.

This is actually a clip from a film from many years ago with the terrific actors  Michael Erger and Anne Wells .

Can anyone learn how to sing on key?  Not only do I think it is very possible, but it is possible mych faster and easier than most people know. The clip is really more an example of the fact that a forceful voice goes hand in hand with a forceful personality.  The off key singing is only a biproduct of that and a somewhat lack of awareness – i.e lack of self awareness as well as lack of awareness of others.  A little preparation and training goes a long long way.

Maybe you saw the video clip in the last blog post of Mister Rogers testifying in the US Senate? I thought I’d follow up that clip with yet another fascinating speech by Fred Rogers. And I think you’ll agree that this applies just as much to the rock singer, lawyer or salesperson as it does to the speaker.

Growing up in Sweden, I never saw "Mister Rogers Neighborhood."  I’ve seen some programs here and there, since I moved to the U.S., but I never grew up following his programs. Too bad perhaps. After seeing the video of his 1969 speech in the Senate, which I addressed in the last blog post, my admiration for him has grown even more.  Not only for what he has done for childrens education, but also for his communication skills. If you haven’t read that post and watched the video of Mister Rogers speak to the senate, do so first.

So to follow up on that blog post, let’s address what is going on here, why he is so effective, and what we can learn from it – like I said, whether we are rock singers, negotiators, speakers, or any kind of communicator…

A comment from the last blog regarding him testifying in the Senate reflected on his voice.  (Great comment by the way.. thanks.. keep them coming).  My response is that is not about how someone sounds, it is about why someone sounds they way they sound. Is his voice restricted? Not really. Is it forced? Not really. Is it free? I would say so. Is he a great singer? Some would say not. I would say he is absolutely great for what he does. He speaks and sings just the way he does, with freedom.

As you watch Fred Rogers’ Lifetime Acheivement Award speech, notice what he does.  While many would speak of "I… I… I", he turns it into "you… you… you".  Everything he says is in regard to how it applies to others. Is it a trick? No, he is genuinly interested in other people – this was his life.  Watch how he relates to the child in the song, how his presence is all about communicating. His goal is not to "sing the song well", to hit pretty notes or show off his voice, His goal is to communicate with the child. And he succeeds fantastically well. Therefore, he is in my mind a great singer – perhaps one of the greatest in his genre. 

Even in his speech to the senate, he turns it into "you" and other people (the children in this case). He is undoubtedly deeply passionate about the subject matter. He is genuine and authentic and we get a sense of his knowledge and strength in children’s education. Yet, most of all what makes him so effective is that he relates to the Senator. He speaks to him – no, he speaks with him. 

In the first couple of sentences he relates to the senator  with "I trust you" in a completely non-threatening way. He doesn’t become distracted by the Senator’s questions, he welcomes them, takes them in and he feeds off them. He relates to the Senator’s goosebumps. He turns the Senator into his ally – his friendly neighbor if you will.

Next time you sing a song, recite a poem, deliver a speech or presentation, ask yourself:  "How does this relate to my listener?" -  "How does this relate to you – the audience?"

Here is Fred Rogers in his Lifetime Achievement Award speech