If the string of a guitar breaks, it will be replaced by a new one... Unlike other instruments, our very own instrument – our voice – can sometimes not be fixed that easily. Therefore it is very important to keep the voice healthy. Erika Footman lists up many handy tips to make sure the voice is always in its best shape.

First of all Erika explains the importance of exercising and thereby keeping the whole body in good shape. This also helps keeping the body and voice relaxed.
Nurturing the body the right way also has a great impact on the voice. Erika for example eats at least two hours before a performance in order to give her body time to digest and not to suffer from reflux on stage.
To stay lubricated, she recommends constantly drinking water. Besides water, pineapple juice and chamomile tea are very good for the voice. Both are natural anti-inflammatories which have a soothing effect.

Erika, just like Jono McNeil, emphasizes the importance of warming up before singing. She likes to always have a straw at hand and to sing through it before going on stage. Apart from warming up, it is always very helpful to wear a light scarf around the neck to keep the throat warm – especially during travel or exposure to air conditioning.

What about smoking and drinking? Smoking and drinking, and all other drugs of course, can do a lot of damage to the voice. These substances dry out the throat. Smoking for example burns away mucus, which is necessary to keep the vocal cords lubricated.
The result is coughing. Coughing should also be avoided, as it makes the vocal cords clap together really hard and thereby get damaged. So, if you want to keep your voice healthy: Don’t smoke, don’t drink too much alcohol, and, of course, don’t take drugs!