As teens, we used to point out all the things we hated about our bodies as the fairy known as puberty began working its magic — “I wish my eyes were rounder”; “Ugh, my nose is too flat”; “I hate how my ears stick out.” It seemed that we never got tired of criticizing ourselves back then. As years went on, the young adults that we’ve grown into finally learned to appreciate ourselves, saying “Damn, I am hot” when we see our reflections in the mirror. (That’s right — work it!)
But even with all the self-love now at this stage of our lives, I have realized that many people have never come around to appreciate their own voices. Question to those lovely people: why? Sure, what we’ve been hearing inside our heads for the entirety of our lives is totally different from what actually comes out from our mouths, but why? Our voices are completely unique to us; every voice out there is one-in-seven-billion, just like our fingerprints. So why not spread some self-love to the special sound-making instrument that you have been using your whole life as your main form of communication?
I’m a singer, so my voice is really important to me, perhaps the most important in all of my body’s physical aspects. Back in high school, when I wanted to become the next Christina Aguilera (well, honestly, I still want that…), I casually recorded myself singing to her songs and listened to them. Needless to say, I absolutely hated it! All the rich, dark Xtina-esque vocals that I heard inside my head came out to be an annoyingly bright and light sound that couldn’t even put up a fight with a gentle gust of wind. I loathed my voice, so much that I almost gave up singing. But then, I started to get into and learn more about classical singing — and you know what I discovered? Opera, the pinnacle of vocal technicality, doesn’t discriminate what kind of voice you have, because I can guarantee that there is something from all the repertoires out there that will suit your voice. You’re a female who thinks your voice is masculine and too dark? Wagner says hi! Or you’re a guy who gets called “Ma’am” over the phone and in a drive-thru (a.k.a. me)? Rossini and Donizetti are waving at you frantically, hoping you would join their world of Romantic bel canto. Or you’re a petite girl with a voice that is a perfect match to your physique, and you detest it. Don’t worry — all the soubrette roles are excited that you’re performing them. And of course, there is everything else that lies in between because the operatic world is so vast that everyone will find his/her niche and do great things in it, and that’s when I realized that my light tenor voice will, too, have its use (that is not being the next Christina Aguilera).
And it is the same in the world of humans. It doesn’t matter if your voice is shrilly high or singsong low, too feminine or overtly masculine, or barely audible or simply roof-blowing in power. There will always be a comfortable place for it because it is truly one-in-seven-billion, unmatchable and irreplaceable.
