Send us a text If you’ve ever felt exhausted, cynical or “not good enough,” this episode will help you spot the signs, set boundaries and start recovering - without guilt. What really causes burnout in musicians, singers, teachers, and students? In this second episode of This Is A Voice on burnout, Dr. Gillyanne Kayes and Jeremy Fisher discuss the physical, emotional, and systemic roots of burnout - with two special guests offering different perspectives. Dr Ayan Panja (NHS GP, Saving Lives ...
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Send us a text If you’ve ever felt exhausted, cynical or “not good enough,” this episode will help you spot the signs, set boundaries and start recovering - without guilt. What really causes burnout in musicians, singers, teachers, and students? In this second episode of This Is A Voice on burnout, Dr. Gillyanne Kayes and Jeremy Fisher discuss the physical, emotional, and systemic roots of burnout - with two special guests offering different perspectives. Dr Ayan Panja (NHS GP, Saving Lives ...
Send us a text If you’ve ever felt exhausted, cynical or “not good enough,” this episode will help you spot the signs, set boundaries and start recovering - without guilt. What really causes burnout in musicians, singers, teachers, and students? In this second episode of This Is A Voice on burnout, Dr. Gillyanne Kayes and Jeremy Fisher discuss the physical, emotional, and systemic roots of burnout - with two special guests offering different perspectives. Dr Ayan Panja (NHS GP, Saving Lives ...
Send us a text Burnout isn’t just “being tired.” For many musicians, singers, and creatives, it creeps in quietly until suddenly you can’t think clearly, you can’t create, and you feel stuck in cycles of exhaustion. In Season 12 Episode 1 of This Is A Voice, Jeremy Fisher and Dr. Gillyanne Kayes open up about their own experience with burnout, how it affected their work and creativity, and what they did to recover. They’re joined by singer and coach Franka van Essen, who explains burn...
Send us a text What does it take to be an effective singing leader? Why is community music is so vital for social health? How can positivity counteract our innate negativity bias? In this powerful follow-up with Dr Melissa Forbes, we talk about how singing transforms lives far beyond the stage. From rethinking the deficit mindset of traditional music training to leading groups for people with Parkinson’s, Melissa challenges us to see singing through a new lens: Connection, n...
Send us a text Dr Melissa Forbes worked in law for 10 years until the firm's partner told a story about a bucket of water. That speech sent her straight to a jazz conservatorium, then to the research lab, and finally into community halls where group singing is healing real-world isolation. In this episode of This Is A Voice, Jeremy Fisher & Dr Gillyanne Kayes chat with Melissa on - the “flight-corrections” that reboot a creative life - how positive psycholo...
Send us a text This isn’t just a podcast. It’s a five-year deep-dive into the voices, lives and lessons of singers, teachers and coaches around the world. In this special fifth anniversary episode of This Is A Voice, Jeremy and Dr. Gillyanne revisit the most powerful, personal, and punch-in-the-gut moments from over 100 episodes. From life-changing reflux wake-ups, to the moment a singer’s voice disappeared on stage, to a viral blog on “Success Amnesia”... this is Dealer’s Choice. Whether ...
Send us a text "One of the greatest repositories of knowledge for singing and for performance in existence" What if you had 700 expert voice teaching tools at your fingertips—any time, any day? In this episode of This Is A Voice, Jeremy and Gillyanne get personal about the Vocal Process Learning Lounge — a powerhouse online resource designed for singing teachers, vocal coaches, choir leaders, and voice users. You’ll hear how the Learning Lounge came to life, who it’s for, and why it’s beco...
Send us a text 🎭 In this powerful episode of This Is A Voice, we welcome back Kevin Michael Cripps, Head of Singing at Guildford School of Acting (GSA), for a deep conversation about the real challenges - and the hidden joys - of training musical theatre performers today. 💬 From breaking down the myth of "giving 100%" to building stamina, challenging beliefs, decoding "mix", and supporting students' mental wellbeing, this is a masterclass in voice education. Kevin, Jeremy, and Gillyann...
Send us a text In this powerhouse episode, Kevin Michael Cripps, Head of Singing at Guildford School of Acting, joins Jeremy and Gillyanne for a deep dive into the realities of training musical theatre performers in the 21st century. Kevin shares what it’s really like to work inside one of the UK’s leading drama schools—and how teaching voice has shifted to reflect individuality, neurodiversity, and longevity. 🎭 Individuality vs Industry Expectations → How GSA nurtures authentic vocal identi...
Send us a text This is the MOST nervous Jeremy's ever been recording a podcast — and for good reason! In this deep, honest and funny conversation, Jeremy Fisher and Dr. Gillyanne Kayes share how the world of Artificial Intelligence has changed their careers. And Jeremy shares an intensely personal moment where he broke ChatGPT — and what it taught him about trust, frustration, and human connection. What AI REALLY is (and what it isn't!) How ChatGPT works — and how...
Send us a text What actually happens in a top-tier vocal coach's studio? What is "crack sob" and why is it so common in Broadway belting? What's the deal with voice rehab? In this episode of This Is A Voice, Gillyanne and Jeremy are joined once again by Mike Ruckles - Broadway vocal coach and Singing Voice Specialist - to explore the fine line between SLPs (SLTs in the UK), ENTs and voice teachers in voice rehabilitation. From navigating professional boundaries in vocal rehab to decoding the ...
Send us a text What does it take to keep a Broadway voice strong, expressive, and injury-free through 8 shows a week? 🎤 In this episode, we’re joined by the brilliant Mike Ruckles — vocal coach, pianist, musical director, and the quiet powerhouse behind Tony, Grammy and Oscar-winning singers and actors. ✅ How Mike balances vocal science and artistic nuance ✅ The real challenges of coaching Broadway performers ✅ Tools for building sustainable technique under pressure ✅ Behind-the-scenes stor...
Send us a text Are you constantly chasing the next goal without celebrating your wins? You might have Success Amnesia—and it could be holding you back. In this episode of This Is A Voice, Dr. Gillyanne Kayes & Jeremy Fisher dive into why high-achieving singers, teachers, and performers forget their own success, how this mindset can lead to burnout & imposter syndrome, and—most importantly—how to break the cycle. We also explore: 🎤 Why singers, voice teachers, and performe...
Send us a text How do West End lead singers handle vocal demands, perfectionism, and the pressure of 8 shows a week? 🎤 In this episode of This Is A Voice, we welcome back Claire Underwood, West End resident vocal coach, to uncover more behind-the-scenes realities of training musical theatre stars. 🔹 What you'll discover in this episode: ✔️ How lead performers balance storytelling with vocal technique ✔️ The role of a vocal coach in a West End production ✔️ How to manage conflicting notes fro...
Send us a text How do actors and singers deal with performing in long-running shows? And what is the role of a vocal coach - is vocal technique only part of the puzzle? In this episode of This Is A Voice, we sit down with Claire Underwood — the vocal coach behind Hamilton, Les Misérables, Cabaret, Phantom of the Opera and more in London's West End — to explore: 🎭 How top-level singers stay healthy in high-pressure roles 🎶 Why individuality matters more than copy-pasting a “perfect sound” 🧠 H...
Why are humans naturally drawn to sing together? And why do we need this now more than ever?Join us as we explore this deeply human experience.In Season 11, Episode 1 of This Is A Voice, Dr. Gillyanne Kayes and Jeremy Fisher kick off the new season with an inspiring deep dive into the transformative power of group singing.Explore the often-overlooked role of choir leaders as hidden voice teachers and uncover the profound ways communal singing can strengthen social bonds, combat loneliness, an...
Ever wondered how professional vocal coaches, singing teachers, and choir leaders overcome the challenges of their craft? In Season 9, Episode 12 of the 'This is a Voice' podcast, Dr. Gillyanne Kayes and Jeremy Fisher take you inside the transformative experiences of six Registered Teachers from different backgrounds, including Amy Housley (actor and singing teacher), Tim Uffindell (gospel singer & choir leader), and Laura Thomas (SLT and singer), Amy Jenkins ( CCM singer/teacher and...
In this thought-provoking and unusual episode of This Is A Voice, Dr. Gillyanne Kayes & Jeremy Fisher sit down with Naomi Lee Schulke, a passionate singing teacher / researcher at Falmouth University. Naomi shares her journey through Vocal Process's Teacher Accreditation Programme and her fascinating work in supporting gender identity in musical theatre training.🎭 From overcoming imposter syndrome to finding authentic expression in a world of rigid vocal expectations, Naomi opens up about...
What's changing in musical theatre, and what needs to change? And what is authenticity in performance anyway? In their 100th episode, Gillyanne and Jeremy chat with singer researcher Guro von Germeten on her research into gender, authenticity and musical theatre.How does taste influence your vocal training? How is gender identity challenging musical theatre casting? Guro shares her passion on flexibility of vocal sounds, the role of recordings in musical theatre education, and the import...
Join Dr Gillyanne Kayes and Jeremy Fisher in a fascinating and deep episode on the omnivorous voice, featuring Dr. Guro von Germerten. Guro shares the highlights from her PhD on musical tastes and vocal techniques. From her emotional childhood experience as a pianist to her groundbreaking research on the omnivorous voice, Guro discusses the complexities of taste, tradition, and cultural expectations in musical performance. From the process of PhD defence in Europe, to the concept of musi...
DJ, singer-songwriter, vocal coach and inspiration Ruth Royall joins Gillyanne and Jeremy to share the amazing story behind the #KeepItReal movement and its impact on the drum and bass community.In this episode:The importance of self-confidence for artists and the crucial role of supportive networks.Insights on artist mentoring and establishing your identity and boundaries in the music industry.Ruth’s personal journey of touring while seven months pregnant and the unique challenges she faced....
Send us a text If you’ve ever felt exhausted, cynical or “not good enough,” this episode will help you spot the signs, set boundaries and start recovering - without guilt. What really causes burnout in musicians, singers, teachers, and students? In this second episode of This Is A Voice on burnout, Dr. Gillyanne Kayes and Jeremy Fisher discuss the physical, emotional, and systemic roots of burnout - with two special guests offering different perspectives. Dr Ayan Panja (NHS GP, Saving Lives ...
