Voice Rehabilitation and Resilience Work With the Commercial Singer: A Concept Piece

Abstract

Purpose This clinical focus article presents a perspective on an approach in scaffolding vocal recovery and rehabilitation for commercial singers. The expectation in vocal performance is sound production that is repeatable, reliable, and relatable. When an artist cannot meet those standards, failure is experienced in three locations: the Body, the Head, and the Heart. Referencing each of these areas of intelligence provides a metalanguage for structuring vocal recovery and rehabilitation that goes beyond physical voice work alone. This clinical focus article discusses standards of voice production specific to commercial music, expectations of use, and what vocal demands look like on and off tour. Indirect and direct voice therapy within this niche group of professional voice users can be better tailored within this context of use and need. They need intervention that is specific to individual voice demands and uses a methodology that cultivates self-efficacy and resilience in singers as athletes. The path to vocal rehabilitation and stability extends beyond work with body mechanics and extends beyond the specific tools the voice pathologist and artist have to choose from to return to performance level production. Cultivating resilience involves intentional accessing of the Body, Head, and Heart in the moments of disintegration with the goal of meeting and bridging physical, emotional, and mental barriers for the commercial artist. The end goal is resilience when the artist returns to performance level production. Conclusions This clinical focus article explores the interplay between these three centers of intelligence for commercial singers within the framework of indirect and direct voice rehabilitation. This Body work can lead to maturation and resilience to support a long career using a feeling that is mechanically efficient, portable, and repeatable. The transfer of gains outside that treatment room may be more consistently realized through the incorporation of Head and Heart in early stages of intervention.