BBC One’s The Voice Coach, Juliet Russell, reveals her view on the power of singing.

When we asked Juliet to reveal her inspiration for unique community-choir focused tour (see more at the end of the article), here is what she said:

In my work with singers and choirs across the country, I’ve experienced how we can all reap the benefits of the power of singing:

1. It releases ‘feel-good’ chemicals – including endorphins, that are associated with pleasurable activity. Singing can be a brilliantly effective mood lifter and there is an increasing body of research to show that it is a valuable tool in alleviating depression.

2. It brings you closer to others – Singing with other people has been found to be more beneficial to promoting feelings of psychological well being than being involved in team sports or singing solo. Oxytocin, the chemical that bonds lovers together and mothers to their babies is produced when we sing. This reinforces group identity and a sense of community and belonging.

3. It’s really good for your health – Singing is an aerobic activity incredibly beneficial for your heart and lungs. It increases levels of oxygen in the bloodstream. Singing can also help us become more aware of our posture and alignment, as well as working muscle groups in the upper body.

4. You’ll become a better listener - By learning to sing, you develop your musical ear and start to listen to yourself and other singers with a greater level of appreciation and understanding. When singing in an ensemble, you learn to hear more nuance and subtlety in vocal performances, musical arrangements and develop your ability to discern musical detail.

5. It’s a stress- buster – Research studies reveal that choral singers experience a significant reduction in cortisol after a rehearsal. Far greater than if a group just listens to choral music. Cortisol is a hormone that is produced when we are stressed or anxious. It is useful when we need it (e.g. In fight or flight situations), but levels can also be raised when we are unnecessarily stressed. Singing gives us an enjoyable and effective way to combat this.