Hosted by Broadway performer, vocal & mindset coach Erin Stewart, The Joyful Singer Podcast is for singers — professionals, enthusiasts, former singers, and shower singers — who want their voice to feel free, overcome performance anxiety, and reconnect with the joy of singing.
Every Wednesday, Erin shares insights on vocal health, creative inspiration, performance mindset, and whole-person well-being — helping you not just grow as a singer, but come back to yourself through your voice.
Think of it as your weekly reset toward joy.
About Erin: Erin Stewart is a Broadway performer, vocal and mindset coach, and founder of Joyful Singing. She made her Broadway debut in The Phantom of the Opera, performed the role of Christine Daaé in the Broadway national tour and Phantom: The Las Vegas Spectacular, and the role of Mrs. Nordstrom in the Broadway revival of A Little Night Music. A certified Positive Intelligence Mindset Coach with a Master's Degree in Voice Performance from the Manhattan School of Music, Erin combines vocal training with mindset work to help singers build confidence, quiet self-doubt, and navigate the emotional side of using their voice.
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Ep 27: Letting Go of Other People's Not-So-Helpful Feedback
Season 1
Wednesday, September 30, 2026 • Duration 16:50
Ep. 27: Letting Go of Other People’s Not-So-Helpful Feedback
Have you ever had someone say something about your voice that you just can’t seem to shake?
A teacher. A director. A parent. A colleague. A reviewer. Maybe even someone you love.
Sometimes it’s useful feedback that landed badly. Sometimes it was an offhand comment. And sometimes it was just plain unhelpful.
But years later, you’re still carrying it.
And sometimes someone else’s opinion becomes your inner voice.
In this episode, we’re talking about how to become more discerning about the feedback you receive so you can take what’s useful without taking on the shame, fear, or story that came along with it.
We’ll explore:
Why we can mistake other people’s opinions for facts
How old comments can shape the way we sing today
The difference between feedback about your singing and someone defining who you are as a singer
How to separate the facts from the stories our minds create
How to ask, “Is there anything useful here?”
Why you can learn from criticism without beating yourself up
How to recognize voices in your head that may not actually belong to you
And how to decide what you want to carry forward and what you’re ready to leave behind
Want a little support?
My free Joyful Singing Starter Kit includes a 2-minute guided At Ease Break to help you step out of mental chatter, reconnect with yourself, and practice choosing where you put your attention.
And if you have a question you'd like me to answer on the podcast, send me a DM on Instagram! I genuinely love hearing from you and finding out what you're struggling with and what you'd like to hear me talk about.
And if this episode resonated with you, follow the show, leave a review, and share it with a singer friend. It helps the podcast so much!
Ep 26: Stop Focusing So Much On Your Voice
Season 1
Wednesday, September 23, 2026 • Duration 16:23
Ep. 26: Stop Focusing So Much on Your Voice
Do you find that you’re listening to yourself sing while you're singing way too much?
Did that note sound good? Am I in tune? Do I sound okay? Do they like me? Ugh. That was terrible.
Like you’re overly focused on your sound and not actually enjoying the act of doing it.
I talked about this during my recent Step into the Spotlight workshop, and two questions that came up during the Q&A really stuck with me because they're things so many singers struggle with.
One of them we're talking about today (the other next week!) and it's about what happens in the moment we're singing—when our attention gets hijacked by our own thoughts and we start monitoring and judging ourselves instead of actually experiencing the music.
That's what we're tackling in this episode.
In this episode, we'll talk about:
Why you don't have to be a victim of every thought that pops into your head
How mindfulness and meditation can help strengthen your attention muscle
My At Ease Breaks—short, two-minute check-ins you can do practically anywhere
How to notice where your attention has gone without judging yourself for it
How to gently redirect your attention back to the story, the person you're singing to, the meaning of the lyric, your body, or whatever you want to be focusing on
Why getting distracted isn't failure—the redirecting is actually the exercise
And we're going to talk about how you can start training your mind now, so that when you're on stage, you have more ability to choose where your attention goes.
The goal isn't to never think about your voice.
It's to stop letting monitoring take over the experience.
A resource I mention:
Ep 25: Keep Going: 6 Ways to Build Resilience as a Singer
Season 1
Wednesday, September 16, 2026 • Duration 18:47
Keep Going: 6 Ways to Build Resilience as a Singer
What happens when the audition doesn't go your way?
When you lose your voice?
When the gigs dry up?
When your confidence takes a hit, or you simply find yourself wondering, “What now?”
If you're a singer or performer, you already know that the highs can be HIGH… but the ride can also be pretty bumpy.
Because being a singer isn't just about what happens when everything is going well. It's about how you navigate the inevitable rejection, setbacks, uncertainty, changes, and challenges that come with being a performer.
In this episode, I'm sharing 6 ways to build resilience as a singer so you can bounce back from challenges, keep moving toward your dreams, and stay connected to the reason you sing in the first place.
In this episode, we talk about:
🎤 Handling rejection and criticism without allowing it to define your self-worth
🎤 Overcoming vocal blocks and setbacks while taking care of your voice and knowing when to rest or get help
🎤 Staying motivated during dry spells and finding ways to reconnect with inspiration
🎤 Dealing with performance anxiety so fear doesn't keep you from moving forward
🎤 Adapting to changes in the performing industry while still staying true to yourself and your creativity
🎤 Maintaining consistency and finding ways to make singing something that feeds and nurtures you—not just something you have to do to get the next gig
And throughout the episode, we come back to one of my favorite tools: your good inner coach—the part of you that can meet challenges with curiosity, compassion, perspective, and wisdom instead of letting your inner critic take over.
🎧 Mentioned in this episode
💛 Want support putting this work into practice?
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Ep 24: When You Sing Better Alone (And what to do about!)
Season 1
Wednesday, September 9, 2026 • Duration 16:55
When You Sing Better Alone (And What to Do About It)
Feeling frustrated that you can sound completely different when you're singing by yourself than when someone is watching?
In this episode, I’m exploring what happens when the attention turns toward us.
I'll introduce you to a concept I've been calling the Shrinking Reflex: that automatic impulse to make yourself a little smaller when you're being seen.
You want to sing. You want to perform.
And simultaneously, another part of you is saying:
Please don't look at me. Please don't judge me. Please don't let me mess this up.
In this episode, we talk about:
Why you can feel like a completely different singer when you're performing
Why performance anxiety isn't simply a confidence problem
The difference between eliminating nerves and learning to stay connected to yourself
How to notice your inner critic without letting it run the show
How to stay connected to your breath, your body, and your expression when you're being watched
How to become the person who can coach yourself through moments of vulnerability
What it means to bring your full self into your singing
Step Into the Spotlight — FREE LIVE WORKSHOP
When You Want to Sing… But Don't Want to Be Seen
📅 September 14, 2026 🎤 FREE + LIVE ⏰ 90-minute workshop
Inside this workshop, we'll explore what's underneath that conflict between wanting to be seen and wanting to hide.
I'll introduce you to the Shrinking Reflex, coach you through a process for beginning to shift out of that automatic tendency to pull back, and help you explore what it means to while staying connected to yourself.
Ep 23: How to find YOUR voice (and stop trying to sound like everyone else)
Season 1
Wednesday, September 2, 2026 • Duration 26:07
EP 23: How to Find YOUR Voice
(And Stop Trying to Sound Like Everyone Else)
Have you ever wondered if you’ve actually found your voice?
Maybe you’ve spent years taking lessons, practicing, studying, listening to other singers, and trying to improve, but somewhere along the way, you started wondering:
What does MY voice actually sound like when I’m not trying to sound like someone else?
In this episode, I’m talking about my own journey of finding my voice—and what I wish I had understood much earlier.
In this episode, we explore:
Why finding your voice is about more than vocal technique
The difference between developing your instrument and trying to erase what makes it unique
Why “non-traditional” vocal qualities can actually become your superpowers
How comparison can interfere with discovering your own sound
Why curiosity and play are essential to artistic growth
How quiet and stillness help you hear your own inner wisdom
Why creating safe spaces for exploration can unlock your creativity
How to begin developing a deeper relationship with your voice
PLUS!!
⬇️
Discovering Your Vocal Superpowers
Try this journaling exercise whenever you’re feeling discouraged, stuck, or unsure about your voice.
1. What do I genuinely like about my voice? What do I feel proud of?
2. What positive comments have I received about my voice that have stayed with me?
3. What negative feedback about my voice has stayed with me?
4. Which of those comments actually feel true to me? Which ones feel imposed?
5 Ways to Start Finding YOUR Voice
📚 Mentioned in This Episode
FREE LIVE WORKSHOP: Step Into the Spotlight
🎁 Want a place to start?
Ep 22: Meet Your Good Inner Coach
Season 1
Wednesday, August 26, 2026 • Duration 22:32
EP 22: Meet Your Good Inner Coach
How to Grow Your Voice Without Losing Yourself in the Process
In this episode, we explore:
Why becoming your own teacher doesn't mean knowing everything
How to become the expert on your own experience
How to distinguish your intuition from your inner critic
Why your “good inner coach” motivates through curiosity, encouragement, passion, and joy—not shame
Three simple practices for strengthening your connection to your good inner coach
Why learning to listen to yourself can actually make your work with a voice teacher MORE productive
How to stop outsourcing your knowing while still welcoming guidance and support
What are saboteurs and how are they holding you back
Your Good Inner Coach
Your good inner coach is that centered, wise part of you that can say:
“Let's see what happens.”
“What does my voice need today?”
“What feels freer?”
“Let's try it another way.”
It isn't the voice telling you that you're terrible.
It isn't the perfectionist demanding that you get everything right.
And it isn't the people-pleaser worrying about whether everyone else approves.
Your good inner coach is curious. Compassionate. Encouraging. Grounded.
And most importantly, it helps you grow without speaking harshly to yourself in the process.
Want to practice connecting with your good inner coach?
Grab my FREE Joyful Singing Starter Kit.
Inside you'll get:
🎵 A guided vocal warmup📝 A workbook with reflection prompts and action steps🧘♀️ A guided centering exercise designed to help you connect with your ✨ A habit tracker and strategies for creating lasting singing habits
Want to go deeper?
Ep 21: Why I Stopped Taking Voice Lessons
Season 1
Wednesday, August 19, 2026 • Duration 19:11
Episode 21: Why I Stopped Taking Voice Lessons
In my early 30s, after more than 15 years of regular voice study, I stopped taking voice lessons.
Not permanently.... I just needed a break.
At the time, I knew I needed a break. But looking back, I can see that I needed something much deeper: I needed to learn how to trust myself.
I had become overly reliant on outside input. I was filtering my singing through other people’s eyes—worrying about whether I was doing things “right,” whether my teacher was pleased with me, and whether I was performing well for them.
I needed to learn how to hear my own voice, trust what I noticed, and ultimately become my own teacher.
And that experience completely changed my relationship with singing.
In this episode, I’m sharing the 3 lessons I learned:
1. Learn to HEAR your own voice. Not just whether you sound “good” or “bad,” but what you are actually experiencing. What feels freer? What feels more coordinated? What is working today—and what isn’t?
2. Learn to TRUST what you notice. Your intuition isn't the same thing as your inner critic. It’s the quieter voice underneath the noise that can notice, This feels freer. I think I need to try this another way.
3. Become your own teacher. This doesn't mean you stop taking lessons or stop seeking guidance. It means you stop outsourcing your knowing.
A good teacher brings expertise you don't have—but you are the expert on your own experience.
The goal isn't to stop listening to other people.
It's to stop outsourcing your knowing.
In this episode, we explore:
Why I stopped taking voice lessons after 15+ years of study
Get the Free Joyful Singing Starter Kit
Ep 20: How to Release Tension When Singing (11 Tips for a Freer Voice)
Season 1
Wednesday, August 12, 2026 • Duration 24:49
Episode 20: How to Release Tension When Singing (11 Tips for a Freer Voice)
Is tension getting in the way of your singing?
You're not alone—and it doesn't mean you're failing as a singer!
In this episode of The Joyful Singer Podcast, we're exploring one of the most common frustrations singers experience: tension.
If you've ever felt like your voice gets "stuck," like you're working harder than you should, or like your body just won't let go no matter how hard you try, this episode is for you.
Erin shares why tension happens in the first place, why trying harder often makes it worse, and practical ways to create more freedom and ease in your singing.
You'll also learn the difference between helpful support and unnecessary tension, and why your body may simply be trying to protect you—not sabotage you.
By the end of this episode, you'll walk away with 11 practical strategies to help you sing with more freedom, trust, and joy.
In this episode, you'll learn:
Why tension shows up when we sing
How your nervous system influences your voice
The difference between healthy vocal support and unnecessary muscular tension
Why "trying harder" often creates more problems
11 practical ways to reduce tension while singing
How body awareness can transform your vocal freedom
A simple question to ask yourself whenever tension appears
Mentioned in this episode:
Free Joyful Singing Starter Kit Download your free Starter Kit featuring a guided "At Ease" meditation, a 12-minute vocal warm-up, and a workbook to help you begin singing with more ease and confidence.
Ep 19: The Performance Hangover: What to Do When the Show Ends
Season 1
Wednesday, August 5, 2026 • Duration 19:25
The Performance Hangover: What to Do When the Show Ends
What happens after the curtain falls?
You've spent weeks—or months—doing the thing you love. You've found your rhythm, built incredible friendships, grown as an artist, and finally started feeling comfortable on stage... and then suddenly it's over.
If you've ever felt sad, lost, unmotivated, or even panicked after a show closes, you're not alone. That post-show slump is real—and in this episode, we're giving it a name: The Performance Hangover.
In this episode, I'm sharing 9 practical ways to navigate the emotional transition after a performance, reconnect with your creativity, and continue growing as an artist—even when you don't know what comes next.
In this episode, we'll explore:
How to identify what you truly loved about your last creative experience
The importance of celebrating before rushing to the next goal
Nine practical ways to keep your creative momentum going
Why your artistic identity doesn't depend on being cast
How to create opportunities instead of waiting for permission
A simple exercise to help you take one meaningful next step this week
This episode is for you if...
You're coming off a show, concert, recital, or major performance.
You're feeling the post-show blues.
You're between auditions or contracts and wondering what's next.
You miss the sense of purpose, routine, and community that performing brings.
You're trying to stay inspired during a quieter season of your creative life.
Episode 18: 5 Ways to Bring More Joy to Your Singing
What if the thing standing between you and a freer, more confident voice isn't your technique... but what you've been feeding your mind?
If your singing has started to feel heavy, stressful, or full of "shoulds," this episode is for you.
In this episode of The Joyful Singer Podcast, Erin Stewart explores why joy isn't something you have to earn—it's something you can intentionally cultivate.
You'll discover five practical ways to bring more joy to your singing and create a practice that feels nourishing instead of draining.
Plus, Erin shares The Joy Flip, a simple mindset exercise to help you transform the thoughts that keep you stuck into beliefs that move you forward.
In this episode, you'll learn:
Why what you feed mentally and emotionally shapes your singing
How perfectionism steals joy
The "Joy Flip" exercise to reframe negative thoughts
Five practical ways to create a more joyful singing practice
Why celebrating small wins matters more than you think
How reconnecting with your original "why" can transform your relationship with singing
The importance of surrounding yourself with encouraging, supportive community
Discover shows related to The Joyful Singer, based on actual content similarities. Explore podcasts with similar topics, themes, and formats, backed by real data.
Dr. Jha is a leading researcher in the science of attention, and her work explores how mindfulness practices can help us train our ability to focus and redirect our attention.
Get my free Joyful Singing Starter Kit
Want to try one of my 2-minute At Ease Breaks?
I've created a free Joyful Singing Starter Kit that includes a guided At Ease Break, plus a 12-minute vocal warmup and other tools to help you reconnect with your voice.
And if you have a question you'd like me to answer on the podcast, send me a DM on Instagram! I genuinely love hearing from you and finding out what you're struggling with and what you'd like to hear me talk about.
And if this episode resonated with you, follow the show, leave a review, and share it with a singer friend. It helps the podcast so much!
Because resilience doesn't mean you never get discouraged.
It doesn't mean rejection doesn't hurt.
It doesn't mean you're never afraid.
Resilience means learning how to meet those moments and keep going.
Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver The book I mentioned that got me thinking about resilience and what it means to keep moving forward when life gets hard.
Episode 7: 12 Tips for Dealing with Performance Anxiety If performance anxiety is one of the things that keeps you from fully showing up when you sing, go back and listen to this episode for practical tools you can use.
Episode 22: Meet Your Good Inner Coach. Connect to the wisest part of yourself to access the resilience you desire. The part that will help you find the gifts from challenges, who will turn setbacks into opportunities.
If you've been listening to The Joyful Singer and thinking, “Okay, Erin. I get it—but how do I actually DO all of this?”
That's exactly why I created A Course in Joyful Singing.
Joyful Singing is my whole-person approach to helping singers become more free, confident, expressive, and fully themselves when they sing.
Inside the program, we work on the voice—but we also work on the mindset, nervous system, body, creativity, confidence, performance anxiety, inner critic, and all the other things that affect how you show up as a singer.
You'll get:
The full self-paced Joyful Singing program
A private community of singers
Two live group coaching calls with me every month
Lifetime access to the program
Support as you work through the real-life challenges that come with being a singer
Enrollment is currently open!
The launch offer ends Friday, September 18th, but I'm giving listeners of The Joyful Singer a special extension.
You can join at the special launch price through Wednesday, September 23rd at the end of the day.
👉 Learn more about A Course in Joyful Singing & join HERE
If this episode resonated with you, make sure to subscribe so you don’t miss future episodes.
And if you’re enjoying the podcast, leaving a review is one of the most powerful ways you can help more singers find this work.
I appreciate you so much for being here!!
While we talk about mental, physical, and vocal wellbeing here, this podcast is not a substitute for medical, vocal, or therapeutic care. Please seek guidance from a licensed professional for personalized support.
Claim Your Spotlight
We'll also explore how to bring more of YOU into your singing.
If you can come live, come live! We'll actually experience this work together, not just talk about it. A replay will also be available to registered attendees.
How might this actually be a strength? What does this quality allow me to express that someone else might not be able to?
7. If I stopped trying to sound like anyone else, what do I imagine my voice would sound like?
And:
How would it feel in my body? How would it change my relationship to singing?
AND.....⬇️
1. Dabble in other art forms.
2. Don’t learn songs by listening to recordings of other artists.
3. Don't compare.
4. Spend time being quiet.
5. Spend time in safe spaces for exploration.
Making Play a Part of Practice — Heidi Moss Erickson This article explores the role of play, experimentation, curiosity, and discovery in a singer’s practice—and why creating space for exploration can help us become more expressive, connected artists.
Want to feel more relaxed and more fully YOU on stage?
Join me for my free, live 90-minute workshop, Step Into the Spotlight.
We’ll explore a new approach to performance anxiety, including the shrinking reflex, and I’ll walk you through my 3-step process for owning your voice so you can bring your whole self to the stage.
There will also be a live Q&A and 2 free gifts for those who stay until the end.
My FREE Joyful Singing Masterclass explores my whole-person approach to singing and the three steps I use to help singers free their voices, build confidence, and reconnect with joy.
Free Joyful Singing Masterclass Ready to experience a whole-person approach to singing? Join Erin's free Joyful Singing Masterclass and discover how to sing with more freedom, confidence, and trust.
🎙️ Episode 5: Vocal Warm-Ups That Actually Work Want to learn more about SOVT exercises? This episode explains why they're one of the gentlest and most effective ways to warm up your voice and reduce unnecessary tension.
Please consider following The Joyful Singer Podcast and leaving a review. It helps more singers discover these conversations and supports the show in a meaningful way.
And if someone came to mind while listening, share this episode with them. Your support is so appreciated!!!
