When singers
interview with the media, they might want to bear in mind that today’s overly
competitive entertainment market makes both what you say and the way you
present yourself important. One simple miscalculated communication can have a
lifelong affect on a singer’s career. An entertainer better have a strategy and
at least some kind of plan before taking on the mass media.
So, you might
ask yourself, how does one prepare for a singer's interview? The answer is
simple: decide what you want to accomplish during this interview and then
practice until you get it right. If possible, spend time working with a
professional media coach; a good one is well worth the money. If a media coach
is not an option, there are four tips below that you can do on your own to
prepare for media interviews of all types: print, radio, and television.
1. Plan
carefully so you are certain to cover all the bases that are important to you
during your interview. If you have a new single or album coming out or are
going on tour, tell your host that you want to share the story behind the song,
the album, or something that happened once when you were on tour. Use your
imagination, be creative, plan these stories out, write them out in advance and
practice telling them.
Ask if you
can provide your interviewer with talking points or give your host producer a
list of topics you wish to discuss, but don’t believe for a minute the list
will actually be followed. You never know when the host may have their own
agenda.
2. If you are
adept at improvisation, scan the local newspaper or local news stations of
their city for a current or recent event that will help foster a dialog between
you and your host. Your interview will be more engaging if you plan ahead and
tell tried-and-true compelling stories, paint vivid pictures, make
self-deprecating jokes. Practice in front of a video camera by getting a friend
to help you do mock interviews. Prepare for the interview as you would any
other performance -- because it is.
3. Know your
vulnerabilities and plan your escape from difficult questions. Don't be
surprised if that day you skipped class in third grade comes back around to
haunt you, so make a record of everything you may not want to discuss. Write
out your answers and rehearse them.
Keep
practicing your responses until they become a believable part of who you are.
When a model-thin friend of mine is asked about her weight, her response is
always the same, “My father always told me that any woman who would tell the
truth about her weight would lie about anything.” By the time the
interviewer has digested that paraprosdokian (occurs when latter part of the
sentence is unexpected), the door has closed on the subject.
But, if you
do get sandbagged by an embarrassing question, either maintain control and
confront the issue or simply say, “I think that’s one question I won’t be
answering today.” And I cannot emphasize enough, that you should never say
anything “off the record.” There is no “off the record.”
4. Rehearsing
with your video camera will help you become aware of your body language so you
can make corrections if necessary. Monitor your practice videos for unnecessary
movement such as licking your lips, blinking your eyes excessively, or swinging
your legs. Practice being fluid with your movements as you communicate, but be
on guard for any tics that make you look nervous. If you look nervous people
assume you are hiding something.
Practice
makes perfect, so the more you work in front of a camera, the more confident
you will feel and the better you will present yourself.
Nashville
vocal coach Renee Grant-Williams reveals the trade secrets that have already
helped hundreds of aspiring singers become celebrities: Tim McGraw, Martina
McBride, Dixie Chicks, Miley Cyrus, Huey Lewis, Kenny Chesney, Faith Hill,
Jason Aldean, Christina Aguilera...
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