As an artist, how you perform on stage is so important. More often than not, as artists we invest a lot of time on our vocals or on perfecting our music - and there’s no denying the value in this – but working on our actual stage performance can tend to take a backseat. It’s also not the easiest thing to get your head around, is it? Public speaking is scary enough without throwing emotions into the mix, and don’t even get us started on stage fright. 

So, as such, stage presence is important to get right. And there are a few easy steps you could take to improve it. Even if in the beginning you’re only performing to your friends and family, these helpful steps will ease you into ensuring that every performance leaves your audience agape – which, admit it, is just how we like to leave them. 

1.    Ooze confidence

Nothing oozes confidence more than moving around the stage and showing your audience how much you own it and, dare we say, enjoy it. Use your stage. This can be through a variety of different methods; from dance routines to just walking around and interacting with the band. A great stage presence is marked by confidence, and a vocal coach can help you with just that – so, even if you’re still working on your inner confidence, nobody will be any the wiser. 

2. Start and end on a winner

How you begin and how you end a show are the defining bookends you really need to think about. There’s an art to the perfect set list and creating the masterpiece will (hands down) improve your stage performance. Kick off your show with a bang and end on an even bigger one. Scatter in your newer, and perhaps lesser-known, songs a little further down the set list ensuring your more well-known ones come to the forefront – well, at least in the beginning. Your audience know you for your songs, so get them on your side by playing your classics before you sing any of your new tracks. 

3. Connection

The key to a good performance is all about that connection. Your connection to the music and then this connection resonating with your audience. A huge part of performing is letting your feelings flow, as this is a great way to connect with your audience. And the better the connection, the better your audience will view how you performed. You are, after all, putting on a show, and engaging emotions is one handy way to ensure it’ll be remembered. 

4. Smile

We did say these tips would be easy and what’s easier than smiling? The simple act of smiling can make you feel happier, and if you smile during the build-up to your performance, it’ll help in working on your confidence and your peace of mind. After all, performing is not for the faint of heart. 

Performing well is an art best rehearsed as many times as you can, so, if you’ve had a bad experience don’t let this stop you from getting back out there and taking these easy steps to improving your performance. 

Photo by Desi Mendoza on Unsplash