For ZINGMagazine, I write a column called ‘Tips from Ineke Vandoorn’.
In my experience, when interpreting a piece, most singers first think about the meaning of the lyrics and then immediately ask themselves which underlying emotions should be expressed at which moment. But is it really necessary to ‘put emotion into the lyrics’ and consciously try to sing with the right emotion at the right moment? After all, we don’t do that when we speak; the emotion in our voice automatically follows our intention. ‘Intention’ is therefore the magic word when it comes to interpretation. You internalize the text in such a way that when you sing it, you experience the words spontaneously from within. You don’t consciously control your emotions.
This will not be equally easy for every piece, so it is worthwhile to explore a text in all kinds of ways, even if you already know it. First ask yourself: do I understand what it says and do I know all the words, including their pronunciation? And then: what is the text about? Is the text sad, happy, or subdued? Is there a development in it: for example, sad at the beginning but hopeful at the end? Then read the text aloud in different ways: fast, slow, gloomy, excited, neutral, childlike, angry, tired, disappointed, elated, with a hoarse voice, with a sharp voice, very loud, or whispering. Also make combinations: whispering quickly, slowly and loudly, quickly and loudly, childishly and angrily. The latter is important to create more emotional layers, because you are rarely just happy or just sad. Usually you experience multiple emotions at the same time or the emotions follow each other in rapid succession. The most fun is to turn it into a little play and adopt different postures or portray different characters. Through these exercises, you will naturally discover all kinds of nuances and perspectives that enrich your experience of the text. This makes it easier to sing the text from within, with the emotion in your voice automatically following your intention.
Ineke Van Doorn ©2025
Published in ZINGMagazine 124 – May 2025