Surefire Ways to Make a Lasting Impression on Your Audience
Getting up on stage and delivering an impactful performance is a skill that takes practice. With that being said, it can be learned, and there are some surefire tricks and tips to improve your stage presence!
In this article, we’re going to drop 5 key ways to make a lasting impact with your audience and broaden your horizons as a musician or performer. The first one starts before you ever get up on stage!
1) Convert Nerves into Excitement
This is definitely easier said than done and takes practice. There is a saying often used in sports – “nerves mean you’re ready.” That is to say that if you are nervous, you are ready to perform.
Alternatively, being too nervous on stage won’t translate into a good show, and the audience can feel it, resulting in an uncomfortable show. With some positive self-talk and the realization that feeling nervous and excited are very similar, your nerves can be overcome and translated into excitement that will resonate with the crowd!
Believe in yourself, you’re ready! Make sure you have fun, and your audience will too!
2) Connect With Your Audience
Connecting with your audience is key to any performance. Whether it is through the music, interacting on the microphone, stopping the show to speak with an audience member – whatever it takes, you need to connect.
If you fail to connect with the audience, you fail to perform. This means that you need to be there early and assess the crowd before you go on stage. Who are they, why are they here? What material is resonating with them and what is falling flat? Reading your audience is a vital skill as a performer.
3) Say Something
Miles Davis famously ignored the audience while performing, often playing with his back to them, too cool to acknowledge them. Ironically, that was also a way of connecting with his audience. Inspiring a form of intrigue and awe – it worked for him, but it may not work for others.
It is good to have something to say prepared. Practice how you’re going to say it and acknowledge your audience by speaking. Tell a story, draw them in and let them get to know you – that is the magic of a live performance: that you get to know the artist better.
4) Move A Little!
This might seem obvious but make sure your body language emulates the music. Stillness can work for dramatic emphasis in some parts, sure, but you should try to move around to connect with your audience. There are circumstances where this isn’t practical for everybody– like an orchestra, though the conductor moves around and handles this aspect on behalf of everyone. So remember, movement is a highly important consideration.
5) Connect With Others On Stage
Just as part of the magic of a live show is getting to know the artist, a lot of it is seeing the artists in their element, jamming and connecting. Watching John Frusciante and Flea of Red Hot Chili Peppers or Mick Jagger and Keith Richards play and sing together is mesmerizing.
It is one of the most captivating parts of seeing a live performance, to see the musicians when you’ve only heard them on a recording or seen them on TV. Connect with those around you, tell a story, and put on a show!
Learn More at MI College of Contemporary Music
When it comes to solo performances, it always comes back to connecting with the audience and expressing yourself through body language and speech. Pulling a fan up on the stage to connect with can be a great way to get some company up there, but use your discretion!
You can learn more about how to make your shows more engaging by checking out the programs at MI College of Contemporary Music! They have all sorts of programs from audio engineering to electronic music production that will help you learn how to become a better performer. You can learn more here.