In need of vocal health tips for when it’s 18 degrees out and you’re using hand sanitizer like your life depends on it? Let’s talk vocal health and stamina.
Audition season in the dead of winter will never make sense to me… This is cold and flu season, people!! And if you’re traveling for it, add in early flights, dry hotel air, packed waiting rooms, and somehow we’re all expected to sing at our absolute best.
Cool cool cool.
So today I want to share three tried-and-true vocal health principles I lean on every single year—whether I’m coaching high school seniors through college auditions or working professionals navigating long rehearsal days, callbacks, and winter illnesses. These aren’t flashy. They’re not magic. But they work.
Tried-and-True, Bare-Essentials Vocal Health Tips
1. Treat audition season like a marathon, not a sprint
Your voice doesn’t just need to be “ready” on audition day—it needs stamina across weeks. College audition season (and honestly, any audition-heavy season) asks you to sing repeatedly, often under less-than-ideal conditions.
That means the real work happens weeks before you ever step into the room:
- Prioritizing sleep (yes, even when you’re busy)
- Hydrating consistently, not just the day before
- Staying in regular, technique-focused practice
This is not the season to overhaul your voice or try to “fix” things last minute. You’re building reliability, not perfection.
2. Have a simple, repeatable vocal warm-up plan
You do not need a heroic 45-minute warm-up routine to sing well.
What you do need is something you know works for your voice.
My ideal setup:
- A longer warm-up earlier in the day (10-20 minutes is likely more than enough time)
- A short reset right before you sing—think straw work, lip trills, gentle SOVT exercises
Familiar beats fancy here. And audition days are not the time to experiment with something new. If you haven’t used it before, don’t introduce it now.
If you’re looking for a press-play warmup you can start using now and carry into audition season, try these. And use code 104U to take 10% off.
3. Plan for nerves and less-than-perfect voice days
Here’s the truth: nerves, fatigue, and mild sickness are part of the deal. That doesn’t mean you’re unprepared or doing something wrong!
Choose audition material you can sing well on a 70% voice day. Because honestly, 100% vocal days don’t really exist!! Real life requires flexibility.
Auditions are about potential and connection, not perfection. And even the people behind the table know that, I promise.
A Grounding Practice I Use (and Recommend to My Students)
One of my favorite pre-audition tools is simple, discreet, and incredibly effective—especially when nerves show up physically.
Try this:
- Take a slow breath in through your nose.
- As you breathe out, gently pinch or squeeze your thumb.
- Repeat this process for each finger, pairing each breath and finger pinch with an affirmation.
Examples:
- “I am calm.”
- “I am prepared.”
- “I am clear.”
- “I am grounded.”
- “I am enough.”
This does two things:
It slows your nervous system and brings your body into the present moment. Practice this ahead of time! Don’t let audition day be the first try.
Your Vocal Health Toolkit (Pack This Stuff)
I recommend figuring out ahead of time what works for you and building a small, reliable vocal health kit. Mine usually includes:
- A straw (for SOVT resets anywhere, anytime)
- Saline nasal spray (I swear by this stuff)
- A sinus rinse (Neti pot or squeeze bottle—your call)
- Lozenges (nothing numbing! Avoid any menthol)
- A portable steamer or nebulizer (if you already use one)
- A thermos for warm drinks
Important note: don’t try new medications, supplements, or remedies for the first time the day before an audition. This is not the moment for experiments.
If You Wake Up Sick on Audition Day
First: take a breath! This happens more than you think.
If you’re mildly under the weather:
- Go to bed and wake up earlier than usual
- Do a gentle warm-up
- Take a hot shower
- Hydrate
- Focus on storytelling and communication
If you are truly sick—laryngitis, fever, unable to phonate—reach out to the audition (or for college auditions: the school) as soon as possible. Ask about rescheduling or alternate options. Communication matters, and especially in the case of college auditions, schools are far more understanding than students often realize!
One more thing: don’t apologize in the room. Ever. Many times, the panel has no idea you’re not at 100%. Trust your preparation.
A Final Reminder
Auditions are one step in a long artistic journey—not the final verdict on your talent or your future. Consistency across a season matters far more than any single moment. And prioritizing your vocal health in the weeks leading up to auditions really makes a difference!
Your voice is allowed to be human. (cracks happen! It’s ok!)
You’re allowed to have off days!
And you can still show up as an artist and make a connection in the room.
Listen to more of this topic here on the Broadway Vocal Coach Podcast
Cheering you on!
Chelsea
