Finding and Maintaining Your Voice: An Interview with Rose Corps.
Greetings, readers! I recently had the pleasure of interviewing my friend Aeron Premo. She is a talented musician and DJ, known by her stage moniker Rose Corps. As a Speech Language Pathologist and content creator behind Global Speechie, I have wanted to interview her for a while and hear her perspective on finding and maintaining your voice.
I got into the field of Speech Pathology because of my interest in voice…but once I started studying, I fell in love with everything, and my career took me on a different path. Hear what Aeron has to say about finding and maintaining your voice as well as some SLP tips from yours truly.
Aeron’s journey into music:
Aeron grew up in a military family and her first creative love was dance. Through dance and her parent’s appreciation of all musical styles, she learned to love everything about music. After an audition for a dance minor that did not pan out, she was briefly heartbroken, but quickly rediscovered her love for music and singing.
The name Rose Corps comes from one of Aeron’s favorite movies, the 2000 ballet drama Center Stage. The movie follows a group of students from the American Ballet Academy who have a year to prepare for their final performance of a lifetime – to be accepted into the professional academy. The lead character, Jody Sawyer, is a passionate dancer, but her technical skills are looked down upon by her teachers and some of her fellow dancers. After a spectacular lead performance in the student workshop and some brief soul searching, she realizes that while her dream was to be accepted into the Academy, her fate would be spending the rest of her career in the back row waving a rose and she felt she was made for something more. That resonated with Aeron, and the moniker Rose Corps was born!
Aeron admits she is getting a late start to the music scene, but this really sets her apart from others in a good way. Her social media has a green tint to the posts, and she considers this the “Green Light Era.” For her, this era represents her giving herself the “green light” to pursue her dreams at a time when most people have long been settled into a career. It’s ok to go after your dream, regardless of your stage of life.
What kind of professionals have you worked with? How did they help you find your voice/style?
Aeron started her singing journey in the Women’s Glee Club at the University of Georgia (UGA), which had a classical focus. Aeron has had several other vocal coaches between now and working with her current coach of 7 years, Rebekah Eden, a new age and opera singer.
She found that some coaches warn singers that they will ruin their voices if they sing too powerfully or try to box them into a specific style. Rebekah has helped her undo a lot of these negative thought patterns and habits to find her voice and style.
Before a performance, what warm-up exercises do you find most effective for maintaining vocal health?
Aeron says that you must prepare your whole body for a performance because performing is a full-body workout and just belting out from the throat can damage your voice over time. For example, you may bend your knees when you need to hit a high note.
Resonance, which refers to how airflows through the vocal tract, is key for vocal production and volume. Oral resonance is best for volume, while other resonances can inhibit someone from increasing their volume, or at least doing so without hurting their vocal folds. Aeron has a few vocal warmups, such as saying “nasty bat” in different resonances. Then practice with pitch glides while moving her whole body, such as swaying her hips or bending her knees.
SLP tip: To find oral resonance, you want to feel “loose, buzzy lips.” To find this resonance, start by holding out the /m/ sound as in ‘mmm.’ Then add a vowel, so it becomes me, my, mo, mu. Then go up and down the pitch glides. After that, practice with sentences that are sound-loaded with /m/ words. For example, “make more money” or “my mom makes muffins.”
Aeron also pays attention to what she eats and thanks Celine Dion for recommending no dairy on a show day. She avoids ice in sparkling drinks and believes that hot tea and lemon water are helpful. Aeron also stays away from things that can dry out the vocal folds such as allergy medication.
How do you manage vocal fatigue, and what strategies do you use for vocal reset/recovery?
Some musicians put themselves on vocal rest. However, Aeron notes that at the beginning of one’s career, interacting with the audience after a show is critical. She focuses on things other than vocal rest such as hot tea and energy-boosting foods to recover post-shows.
SLP tip: Using the sustained /m/ helps reset the voice, although it’s unknown as to why this helps. So, similar to the vocal warm-up, use the sustained /m/ sound to reset after vocal fatigue. Throw in some pitch glides and sound-loaded sentences. As labeled by Aeron, this is a good “warm down.” 😀
How do you envision maintaining vocal health throughout your career?
The voice is an instrument just like the guitar or piano. It’s the most naked instrument and is part of your body but unlike other instruments, cannot be removed for cleaning or replacement. So, taking care of your vocal instrument is crucial.
Singing is a sport, so like all athletes, do your warmups and warm-downs. Pay attention to the frequency in which you are using your voice, especially in such a powerful way. Unfortunately, some musicians may be at the mercy of the venue for scheduling show times and the frequency of shows, which can cause vocal fatigue if scheduled too closely together.
Also, pay attention to your environment, such as air conditioning, weather temperature, and allergy meds, which can all dry out your vocal folds.
Are there any environmental factors you pay special attention to to maintain vocal health during the week?
Aeron recommends keeping your neck warm in cold weather and always wears a scarf. Smoking is bad for your voice and health in general. Also, avoid what is known as vocal abuse, things like yelling or whispering are hard on the voice and can lead to damage.
What is it like performing in front of a crowd and how do you manage nerves during a show?
Aeron says that trying to give the perfect performance can be agony for musicians. It’s vulnerable to be up on stage in front of everyone, while the audience is just staring back at you.
She says to remind yourself that it is just one night, and you can always improve the next time. As long as you are working hard towards your goals, you can only get better!
SLP tip: Do eye warmups- practice looking around the room and if possible, do so in the same or similar venue as the show. Another tip- get past the first 60 seconds on stage. Research shows that stage fright decreases in just 60 seconds, so find a way to get past the first 60 seconds and you will naturally relax. For me, I try to interact with the audience ASAP. If I can get them talking in the first 60 seconds, it buys me time so my nerves can calm down and it also takes the pressure off of me for a bit.
What do you do if you realize you have made an oops? (i.e., forgetting lines, getting off track)
We both agree that the audience won’t know if you have made a mistake on stage! The best thing you can do is to just keep going! Aeron says that if she suddenly forgets the words, she makes up words while staying on melody.
She also explains that everyone’s ears are their own. One person may hear something as bad but you may hear it as great. So, everyone’s perception is unique and not something you can control anyway.
SLP tip: When rehearsing, practice starting your performance at different points. That way, if you suddenly get nervous or the fire alarm goes off, you can easily pick back up where you left off instead of being most comfortable by starting at the beginning.
What resources would you recommend to fellow performers who want to learn more about finding and maintaining their voice?
Instagram @caricole @iamrozette @thenatalieweiss
Where can people find you on social media?
Instagram @iamrosecorps
rosecorpsmusic.com
List to our full interview here.
More about Aeron
Sparkling, stratospheric, and soulful vocals. Elegant and euphoric melodies ready-made for the dance floor. Production that is both glossy and gritty. This is what listeners will learn to expect when listening to the music and mixes of disco-soul recording artist, producer, and DJ Aeron Premo, best known by her stage moniker Rose Corps.
After releasing her most recent single “Not Just an Angel” in 2021, the Washington, DC-based Premo is currently starting work on her debut EP. Inspired by her late-blooming musical journey, her globetrotting childhood, and the people and places she has come to know and love throughout her life, the songs on Green Light reflect a lifetime of intently studying the songcraft, sounds, and style of her favorite artists while at the same time forging her own artistic path.
Having been featured on outlets as diverse as Vehlinggo, The Face Radio Brooklyn, and This Could Go Boom!, and with appearances opening for some of the top disco talents in the international scene such as Melvo Baptiste, Roosevelt, and the late Mighty Mouse, Rose Corps is setting out to stake her place in both the club and indie music pantheons as a talent not to be underestimated. Stay tuned…the Green Light era is about to begin!
