Open Mic // Planning & Performing

Yesterday I performed at an open mic in Wantage. I performed three covers that I have learned in the last month and are fairly new songs. one of which I had never performed before. Getting used to learning and writing new songs often is something I feel like I need to be doing as for about a year I mostly stuck to the same songs and didn't move from my comfort zone of these songs, which were easy song to sing, therefore I wasn't really learning any new skills. Also, as the open mic has recurring people attending, they don't want to hear the same songs over and over again. I feel like it went fairly well, as I am improving with my nerves but there is still room for improvement as I practice and attend more small events like this. I am challenging my style of singing by being more confident in the range of songs I sing as well as singing fairly upbeat songs that I wouldn't have chose a year ago. Yesterday I performed 'It Ain't Me' by Selena Gomez, 'Shape Of You' by Ed Sheeran and 'Issues' by Julia Michaels'. I would like to become confident enough to be able to perform new songs, especially originals as eventually I only want to be performing y own songs, to the point where my nerves don't really affect my performance. I am aware that everyone gets nervous, and this used to affect my singing voice quite a lot, but this gotten better over the last year and a half since I have been singing at small events. I always practice songs during the week, weather it's covers or originals that I am practicing or recording for my YouTube channel or if it's a new song I am interested in learning, but usually wont chose which songs I am performing at open mics until the day unless its a new one I need to practice the days before, as I know I have a good variety of songs to choose from that I know well.

I have another original song I have wrote and am going to record for my channel this week, however I do not feel like it is ready or that I have practiced it enough for me to be ready to perform it tonight. I have decided that I will perform this song next week as I know I will be practicing it. I know I get more nervous when performing originals which is why I feel that open mics are a good place to start as it doesn't matter as much if a performance isn't the best it can be because of nerves, as is a good place to practice and improve.