I always think of music as a form of communication and singers conveying a specific message to the audience or listeners. That’s why, when I read this quote, I felt so drawn to its message: singers tell a story each time they sing a song. They can be sad, happy, celebratory, vengeful, or great songs about love or conquering some type of obstacle. Either way, each song is a story.
Singers have always been regarded as story-tellers. The best way to remember a family lineage, tales of great battle, or stories of love or bravery, is to sing a song about it. The easiest (and, in my opinion, best) form of entertainment is playing music or singing songs. I truly believe this, and therefore, consider how a singer interprets the story within a song a fundamental part of who they are as a musician and performer.
I always try to approach singing a song as if I’m trying to tell a story when performing or when working with students on performance technique. What is the context of the song (message) you’re trying to convey to your audience? What emotions, feelings, or thoughts do you get from this song? What can you do (hand gestures, facial expressions, melodic phrasing, lyrical phrasing, etc.) that will help your audience feel what you’re feeling during those moments? These are just a few things that a singer should be actively thinking about when they perform a song or set.
People–musicians and non-musicians alike–think of songs as stories and music as a form of communication. With or without words, music can transcend language barriers, religious, or political lines. When a singer performs a song, they are conveying a message or a story in such an emotive way that this lines become blurred, and audiences of all backgrounds walk away from that performance changed in some way. Singers (and instrumental musicians) should be aware of this and realize the importance of each performance or story they tell since it can have a profound effect, either good or bad, on their listeners.