Syd Silvair - PRESHOW RITUALS

In this Preshow Rituals segment, the indie pop artist, Syd Silvair, reveals what she does before taking the stage. You can check out the rituals below:

I think of my stage persona as a sort of exaggerated, elevated, more fantastical version of my everyday self, so the hours leading up to a show are really critical for initiating that metamorphosis.

Before getting dressed, I always put on a silk robe and light a candle, which makes the whole process feel a little more luxurious and ritualistic (and helps soothe my anxiety!). As I’m doing my makeup and eventually putting on my costume, I imagine transforming into my stage persona from the inside out, which really helps me shift my mind away from the ordinary and into this sort of dream state I like to be in while performing. My favorite shows have been the ones where I’m able to get out of my own way mentally and create this magical little escapist bubble for myself, my band, and the audience.

I’m also quite superstitious, and I try to use that to my advantage by gathering a few objects before every show (usually a lucky charm of some kind and a couple of crystals associated with confidence, boldness, etc.). I hold the objects in my hand and visualize the show going exactly as I’d like it to, and once I feel like I’ve charged them up with my intentions, I’ll place them into my pocket, my bra, or even my shoe if I need to!

My pre-show nerves tend to manifest as a tightening sensation around my throat, which is obviously not ideal for singing. My guitarist/bandmate/collaborator M. Silvair is so helpful when it comes to easing these nerves, and for the past few shows, we’ve started this weird visualization thing where we pretend to rip the imaginary constraints off my neck seconds before going on stage. It sounds a little wacky, but the power of visualization is pretty incredible if you fully commit to it. I can genuinely say it has helped my voice feel more free in those first few moments of the show when I feel the most nervous. The beauty of performing (at least in my experience) is that after those first few moments, the adrenaline always overpowers the nerves, and I’m reminded how much fun it is to be on stage.

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