Life of a student: Emily P.

Finding your voice is more fun together!
–Liz Jackson Hearns

Emily is one of the most joyful people I’ve ever met. She can put a positive spin on just about anything, and she has as much determination as she does generosity. I had the pleasure of working with Emily to find a voice that felt complete, authentic, and healthy. It didn’t take long, because she was ready to dive in to this fun and transformative process with enthusiasm. She was practically an expert even on her first day of lessons, having already completed several DIY training programs for voice feminization. As we explored some of the basics like breathing, pitch, and resonance she gained strength and stamina in her voice and found new ways to express herself. It was my privilege to be a part of that process with her, and I am grateful that she took the time to answer a few questions below. What I love most about what she said here is the reminder that no one has to do this alone. We’re here to welcome you, and to help you love your voice!

Liz: When and why did you start taking voice lessons?

Emily: I started taking lessons back in April, after trying several online and self-study trans voice lessons.  They helped a little, but I had nowhere near the voice I wanted, even after several months of practicing.  I felt I needed the benefit of private voice instruction to get to where I needed to be.

Liz: What do you think was the weirdest thing we ever did in a lesson?

Emily: I have to pick just one?  🙂
To interject, Emily was excited and willing to try all manner of nerdy voice stuff, including straw phonation, character voices, and repeating the rainbow passage about a million times.

Liz: What are the most fun and most challenging aspects of voice work?

Emily: I never realized how exhausting it could be!  I’m often both mentally and physically drained after a lesson, but it’s just so satisfying to know the progress I’ve made.

Liz: What has been your most proud moment while working on voice?

Emily: When strangers on the phone kept gendering me as female, and insisted I could never have been anything else, I knew all that work with my voice had finally paid off!

Liz: And you had an interesting experience getting your license changed, right?

Emily: Yes! They wouldn’t believe me that my old license was really mine, they thought it must have been my husband’s or something. It was pretty funny!

Liz: How would you describe your teacher, never mind the fact that I’m right here.

Emily: (laughing) of course! Liz has an amazing talent for making the lessons encouraging and uplifting while at the same time working me so hard that I’m sooo tired at the end of the lesson!  I’m also really impressed by her ability to pinpoint exactly what I need to work on, based on the sounds I’m making and even the way I look while making those sounds.  And I don’t know how, but she does it all in a way that’s uniquely fun!

Liz: Emily, thank you. I had so much fun working together, too!
What would you say to someone who is thinking about taking lessons?

Emily: There’s really no substitute for private voice lessons.  Being in the same room with a professional instructor, who can give you immediate feedback on everything you do, is immensely helpful!

Liz: Is there anything else you want to say about voice, or about your vocal journey?

Before taking trans voice lessons with Liz, I tried Andrea James, Kathe Perez, and numerous other online sources.  I tried all kinds of tips and tricks from other trans women.  But none of them worked.  It wasn’t until I started taking lessons with Liz that I truly found my female voice.  And I was shocked at how quickly it happened once I did!  Finding my voice has finally allowed me to live as my true self, and I’m grateful to know Liz as both an instructor and as a friend.

Liz: I’m grateful to know you, too, Emily.