Studio Sessions: Sounding More Powerful The Sustainable Way with Singer Ali

"Can you give me 10% less volume on the word ‘girl’?"

That’s where we started.

Ali came into the studio thinking she needed to push harder. More power. More volume. But what we discovered together was that the real shift came from doing less. Not in a lazy way—but in a smarter, more intentional way.

“That sounded so good. It’s just smoother.”

“Yeah, more even.”

“Exactly.”

Singers are so used to asking, “How can I make this more powerful?” But sometimes the better question is, how can I make it smoother? Half of that answer is doing more in the soft parts… but don’t forget about the other half - doing less in the powerful parts (without losing the power/intensity of course!).

This is going to be a life saver, especially in a live setting. Ali sings in an event band and performs for hours on end, multiple times a week. Sustainability is key for her and singers who perform frequently or go on tour.

Why We Equate Volume With Power

Ali’s voice was already strong. But that strength sometimes came at the expense of balance. The mix leaned a little too hard into chest voice, which made some notes feel tight or effortful.

Once we took a step back, the sound got cleaner—without losing presence. The goal wasn’t less voice, it was less tension. That shift alone made a huge difference in how connected and consistent everything felt.

The Real Work: Letting Go of the Extra

Ali didn’t need to rebuild her voice—she needed permission to trust it. That’s what a lot of singers need, honestly. When we’re used to working really hard for every note, “doing less” feels wrong.

“But that didn’t feel as strong!”

“It didn’t need to.”

When your technique is aligned, your voice doesn’t have to fight for every phrase. That’s what Ali discovered—power doesn’t always feel like pushing.

What Helped the Most

Here’s what we focused on in Ali’s session:

• Reducing push on certain words to even out phrasing

• Letting the mix balance itself rather than forcing a sound

• Changing the mental script around what “strong” is supposed to feel like

• Trusting clarity over loudness

🧠 A Mental Shift That Sticks

Ali’s session is a reminder that vocal growth doesn’t always mean more. Sometimes the most important progress comes from subtracting, not stacking.

If you’ve ever felt like your voice sounds “off” unless you’re pushing hard—this kind of reset might be exactly what you need.

🎧 Want to watch the full coaching session?

Check it out here

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