Join the Singing Revolution 2.0
Soft Power Choir is Back Tonight!
It was the summer of 2012 when I first watched the documentary “The Singing Revolution.” That particular summer, I was living at home with my Mom as I was in between my Sophomore and Junior years at Millikin University and working as a server at the local wine bar. I had just gotten done with closing the bar, so it was past midnight when I curled up on the couch to eat my dinner and watch some TV before bed.
Within the first few minutes of the documentary, I found myself sobbing and feeling so touched by this story. It had such an effect on me that I knew I was meant to remember the message of this film.
In summary, it tells the story of the Estonian revolution and how Estonians were able to gain independence from the Soviet Union through singing.
And not a single drop of blood was shed.
Initially, I thought it was just confirming my path to becoming a music educator and inspiring me to become a choral conductor. Cute, right? And yes, that was part of it.
But today, I feel this deep sense in my body that I have been called to help initiate another singing revolution.
This singing revolution, however, is to liberate our voices for the purpose of self-regulation and co-regulation, so that we can put into practice non-violent communication, community care, and ethical world building.
You see, my understanding of our society and the role of the voice is:
We are a world full of dysregulated and traumatized people from generations of colonization, war, poverty, and displacement. And what I have learned is that the voice is connected to the nervous system, and specifically the vagus nerve. So when we sing, hum, or chant, we activate the part of the nervous system that relaxes our body, slows our heart rate, slows our breathing, and brings us back to a place of safety.
Our voice is the most accessible holistic health resource on the planet.
To me, the voice is one of the main keys in unlocking liberation within ourselves because it helps us intimately connect with ourselves, as well as tell our stories to connect with others. When working with one-on-one clients, something I have heard many times after a vocal coaching session is:
“Singing makes me feel alive!”
And this is why I am so passionate about sharing knowledge about the voice and creating spaces for people to explore their voice without fear of judgement or shame.
Because using our voice is a practice. Our vocal folds are delicate muscles that desire ritual and affirmations and nurturing.
So, let’s start there… take a deep breath and speak out loud:
My Voice Is My
Soul’s Unique Frequency
And now… I am excited to announce that Soft Power Choir is back!
The Soft Power Choir is an innovative choir community where we believe singing is a birthright.
We have been called by our ancestors and guides to re-member the power of collective singing as creative resistance to colonial powers that want to silence our voices.
For centuries our ancestors sang together to co-regulate, to express, and to channel Spirit, however, the communal singing space has been co-opted to further colonial agendas causing harm to people of the global majority, people with disabilities, and the queer community.
The vision for Soft Power Choir is to be a fun-loving safe haven for individuals seeking an emergent and creative healing space to explore and activate power in the voice —or what I call the “Soul’s Unique Frequency” — in order to create a ripple effect of healing in ourselves, families, communities, and the world.
If you are wondering if this is for you, we are calling in:
People with no singing experience
People who love to sing but may feel rejected from singing + music institutions
Professional singers, music educators who are looking to decolonize/heal in their work/practice
Interested? Join us tonight, Monday, August 12th at 5:30PM PST / 8:30PM PST during Soft Power Choir’s open rehearsal and info session. You can expect an introduction of the Soft Power Choir leadership team, a brief overview of our philosophy as a decolonial and nervous system-informed singing community, and information on an upcoming in-person singing event.