Singer Songwriter | How to Write a Song, Make Music, Song Lyrics, Music Theory, Singing Lessons

94 | You Don't Have to Feel Ready: Begin Where You Are as a Singer Songwriter

You think you need more confidence.More training.More certainty.
But what if beginning is what creates those things?
In You Don’t Have to Feel Ready: Begin Where You Are as a Singer-Songwriter, I’m sharing honest stories from my own path — recording before I felt prepared, stepping into rooms that scared me, saying yes before I knew how.
We’ll talk about why waiting keeps artists stuck, how readiness is built through action, and gentle ways to start singing and writing songs from exactly where you are today.
If perfectionism or self-doubt has been keeping you on the sidelines, this episode will help you move.
And if you’re craving support, my free live songwriting workshop is happening today. Come begin with us.
<3 Lainey
Register for the FREE, LIVE Songwriting Workshop happening TODAY (February 17th @ 1PM EST) --> singersongwriterworkshop.com
Join the Newsletter: reawakenyourvoice.com/insider
Visit the Website: reawakenyourvoice.com
Write Me: hello@reawakenyourvoice.com

93 | Why Singing Feels Vulnerable (and How to Build Confidence in Your Voice)

Singing can feel incredibly vulnerable.
Your voice isn’t just an instrument — it’s part of your body, your history, and your identity. So when you share it, of course you can feel exposed.
In this episode, we explore why singers and songwriters struggle with fear, self-doubt, and perfectionism, especially after criticism or difficult experiences.
And we talk about how confidence is really built:
not by pushing or pretending you’re fearless,but through small, safe moments of letting yourself be heard.
You’ll learn practical, compassionate ways to rebuild trust in your voice, expand your comfort zone, and return to singing from a place of authenticity and creative flow.
If you’ve loved singing but felt afraid to share your voice, this episode will help you find your way back.
<3 Lainey
Next Steps:
Join the Free Live Songwriting Workshop on February 17th: singersongwriterworkshop.com
Book a Coaching Session: reawakenyourvoice.com/coaching
Visit the Website: reawakenyourvoice.com
Write Me: hello@reawakenyourvoice.com

92 | When We Pull Away From Our Creativity – and How to Return to Making Music

Have you ever noticed yourself pulling away from your creativity — even though making music is something you love?
In this episode, we explore why singers and songwriters disconnect from their creativity, voice, or songwriting practice — and why this distance is often a form of self-protection, not failure.
We’ll talk about the vulnerability of making music, the pressure to “do it right,” and the quiet ways perfectionism, overwhelm, or life changes can cause us to step back from our creative selves.
Most importantly, I’ll share gentle, grounded ways to return to making music without forcing inspiration or waiting to feel confident first. This isn’t about discipline or fixing yourself — it’s about rebuilding trust with your voice and your creativity.
If you’re a singer-songwriter who’s been feeling disconnected, stuck, or unsure how to begin again, this episode is for you.
<3 Lainey
P.S. Ready to Turn Your Ideas Into Songs?
✨ Join my FREE, LIVE Songwriting Workshop!
In this one hour workshop, we’ll explore simple, supportive ways to start writing songs (again) — no pressure, no performing, just space to reconnect.
🗓 Tuesday, February 17th at 1pm Eastern🎶 Register now at singersongwriterworkshop.com

91 | Song Lyrics or Melody First? 5 Ways to Start Writing a Song

Do song lyrics come first — or does the melody lead the way?The truth is, songs don’t begin in just one way.
In this episode, I walk you through five common “doorways” into songwriting — simple, human starting points that can help you move past the frozen feeling of “Where do I start?” We explore how songs can begin through lyrics, melody, rhythm, harmony, or listening to what’s already stirring beneath the surface — and how finding your doorway can make songwriting feel more natural and less intimidating.
If you’ve been searching for a simple way to start writing songs, this episode offers a clear framework you can return to again and again — without pressure, rules, or overthinking.
<3 Lainey
P.S. You're Invited to Join Me for a FREE Live Songwriting Workshop --> 
🎶 Free Live Songwriting Workshop
Learn how to turn your ideas into songs in this FREE workshop with Lainey
Tuesday, February 17th10AM PST / 11AM MST / 12PM CT / 1PM ESTLive on Zoom
Register at singersongwriterworkshop.com

90 | Listening for a Song: A Different Kind of Ear Training for Singer Songwriters

Songwriting isn’t about coming up with ideas — it’s about learning how to listen.
In this episode, I’m sharing a different kind of ear training for singer-songwriters: one that helps you recognize song beginnings as they’re already forming — where listening becomes the skill that guides everything else.
We’ll talk about the subtle ways songs often arrive: a line that won’t leave you alone, a sound or melody fragment, a feeling that hasn’t found words yet — and why learning to listen for these beginnings can change the entire songwriting process.
Rather than forcing a song into shape, this episode explores how to notice what’s already present and stay with it long enough for the song to reveal itself. This is ear training for the creative process — grounded, embodied, and accessible, even if you feel stuck or unsure where to begin.
If songwriting has ever felt intimidating, overwhelming, or overly technical, this conversation offers a simpler starting place: attention, curiosity, and trust.
Listening is where the song begins.
 
<3 Lainey
 
Next Steps:
Book a Coaching Session: reawakenyourvoice.com/coaching
Join the Newsletter: reawakenyourvoice.com/insider
Visit the Website: reawakenyourvoice.com
Write Me: hello@reawakenyourvoice.com

89 | Let Your Voice Play: A Gentle Doorway Into Songwriting

What if you didn’t have to think your way into songwriting — but could play your way in?
In this episode, I explore how vocal play can become a gentle doorway into songwriting, whether your songs begin with words, melody, or something in between. Instead of focusing on performance or “getting it right,” we look at how letting the voice explore can lower pressure, reconnect you to emotion, and help songs begin to take shape naturally.
You’ll learn:
why singing doesn’t have to mean performing
how vocal play supports the songwriting process
a simple practice for turning journal lines into song ideas
how singing, songwriting, and creativity are deeply connected
This episode is for singer-songwriters who feel stuck, overthink their songs, or want a more embodied, intuitive way to write music.
If you’re longing to reconnect with your voice — and let songwriting feel more alive and possible again — this episode is for you.

88 | Too Many Ideas? The Power of Choosing One Creative Practice for the Year Ahead

If you’re heading into the new year feeling creatively overwhelmed — with too many ideas, unfinished projects, and uncertainty about where to focus — this episode is for you.
So many singer-songwriters struggle not because they lack inspiration, but because choosing one direction feels risky. What if you pick the wrong project? What if you lose momentum? What if you don’t follow through?
In this episode, we explore a gentler, more sustainable approach to creative focus: choosing one creative practice instead of forcing yourself to commit to a specific outcome or project.
Rather than asking, “What should I make this year?” we shift the question to, “What is asking for my devotion?”
You’ll hear:
Why having too many ideas can create creative paralysis
The difference between choosing a project and choosing a practice
How focusing on one creative practice builds clarity, consistency, and trust
A guided listening exercise to help you tune into what wants your attention right now
How devotion to practice can naturally support songwriting, singing, and creative momentum
This episode is an invitation to slow down, listen inward, and release the pressure to have everything figured out. You don’t need to chase every idea — you only need to choose the practice that can hold them all.
If you’re craving creative clarity without burnout, and focus without force, this conversation will meet you right where you are.
 
<3 Lainey
 
Related Episodes:
85 | A Creative Year-End Ritual for Singer Songwriters: Reflect, Renew, and Reconnect with Your Voice
35 | Renew Your Artistic Vision in the New Year with This 5-Step Creative Exercise for Singers & Vocal Artists
 
Next Steps:
Book a Coaching Session: reawakenyourvoice.com/coaching
Join the Newsletter: reawakenyourvoice.com/insider 
Visit the Website: reawakenyourvoice.com
Email Me: hello@reawakenyourvoice.com

87 | From Journaling to Song Lyrics: A Simple Way to Start Writing Songs

If you’ve ever filled journals with words but felt stuck turning them into a song—or if you have music you love but freeze when it’s time to add lyrics—this episode is for you.
In this episode, I’m sharing a simple way to move from journaling into song lyrics without forcing meaning, overthinking, or trying to get it “right.” We’ll talk about how lyrics actually take shape over time, why journaling is already a powerful part of the songwriting process, and how to begin shaping words into songs in a way that feels natural.
You’ll learn:
A simple process for shaping raw language into lyrics
How to bridge the gap between words and music—whether you start with lyrics or melody
How this fits into a gentle, repeatable songwriting practice
This episode is especially for singer-songwriters who want a clear place to begin, without pressure to finish a song or have something profound to say right away.
Most songs aren’t written all at once (It can happen! Stay open to the magic!)— they’re usually written in stages. This episode focuses on one of the most important ones.
 
<3 Lainey
 
Next Steps:
Book a Coaching Session: reawakenyourvoice.com/coaching
Join the Newsletter: reawakenyourvoice.com/insider
Visit the Website: reawakenyourvoice.com
Write Me: hello@reawakenyourvoice.com

86 | What Counts as Singing? Staying Connected to Your Voice in Quiet Seasons (When You're Not Practicing or Performing)

What does it really mean to stay connected to your singing voice—especially in quiet seasons, when you’re not practicing, performing, or making much sound at all?
In this episode, we explore what actually counts as singing for singer-songwriters, and how creativity and voice remain present even when the voice goes quiet. If you’re in a slower season, returning after a break, or feeling unsure how to stay connected to your voice right now, this episode offers reassurance, permission, and a gentle reframe.
We talk about the many forms creativity can take, including listening, writing lyrics, exploring meaning through words, creative cross-training, and rest. You’ll be invited to see silence and stillness not as a loss, but as an essential part of the creative cycle—like the rest in music that allows the next sound to emerge.
If you’re longing to reconnect with your singing voice without pressure, judgment, or performance, you’re in the right place.<3 LaineyNext Steps:Book a Coaching Session: reawakenyourvoice.com/coachingJoin the Newsletter: reawakenyourvoice.com/insiderVisit the Website: reawakenyourvoice.comWrite Me: hello@reawakenyourvoice.com

85 | A Creative Year-End Ritual for Singer Songwriters: Reflect, Renew, and Reconnect With Your Voice

This episode is an invitation to pause.
At the end of the year, we so often rush forward—setting goals, making plans, trying to improve. Instead, this guided creative ritual offers a moment to stand still at a viewpoint: to look back at the path you’ve walked, to sense the artistic horizon ahead, and to listen for what wants to come next.
Together, we’ll move through a gentle process of grounding, reflection, and creative listening—using journaling, intuitive drawing, lyric fragments, and simple vocal sound. There’s no performance, no fixing, and no pressure to create anything “finished.”
Just space.
This episode is especially for singer-songwriters who:
feel tender or quiet about their voice right now
want to reflect on the past year without judgment
are craving creative renewal rather than productivity
want to begin the next year with trust, curiosity, and presence
You can listen straight through, pause when you need to, or return to this ritual anytime. Come as you are. Your voice already belongs here.
 
<3 Lainey
 
Next Steps:
Book a Coaching Session: reawakenyourvoice.com/coaching
Join the Newsletter: reawakenyourvoice.com/insider
Visit the Website: reawakenyourvoice.com
Email Me: hello@reawakenyourvoice.com