Vocal Arts

Miss Krystle: Top Music Attorney

Wed, 07 Jan 2026 10:00:00 -0500

Top Music Attorney, Miss Krystle is an entertainment attorney, independent artist, musician and CEO of Delgado Entertainment Law. She hosts the Top Music Attorney Podcast on YouTube (184K+ subscribers) and has sold tens of millions of dollars in music catalogs. As leader of a class action lawsuit against A.I. generative companies Suno and Udio on behalf of independent artists, producers, and songwriters. She continues to champions creators’ rights while teaching artists how to think like major labels and build music careers on their own terms with methods like her “Sell Before You Stream” direct to fan model. Please welcome Miss Krystle.

Tim Welch: Master of Vocals

Wed, 03 Dec 2025 10:00:00 -0500

Tim Welch is a Voice Teacher, Performer, and Music Producer who has worked with performers from broadway stars to Grammy winning artists. Over the course of Tim's 20 year private vocal instruction career, he has taught at least 20,000 voice lessons in virtually every style of singing.

Tim received his master of music degree in vocal performance from the University of Illinois. Shortly after receiving his degree, he worked professionally in opera and musical theatre both in the United States and abroad. Even though Tim has extensively studied classical voice, his experience is far from limited to the classical music world. Each week Tim works with: Singer/Songwriters, Electronic Musicians, Hip Hop/R&B performers, Church Musicians and Jazz singers wearing the hat of vocal instructor, music producer or musical mentor.

Tim is also a critically acclaimed performer, who is constantly honing his skills in singing Musical Theatre, Jazz, Classical and Contemporary Styles. He also actively pursues songwriting and composition. During the summer of 2012 Tim started Sojourn Society an 80's inspired electropop band here in NYC. In addition to "Sojourn Society" Tim launched a solo indie dance project in January 2015 called Volf Yunge which recently had tracks signed to Australian record label Hi-Tech Records.

Rachel Hardy: Soundtrack Vocals

Wed, 22 Oct 2025 11:00:00 -0400

Rachel Hardy is a Canadian composer, vocalist, and cover artist. As a composer, she recently co-composed the soundtrack for Clockwork Labs’ MMORPG BitCraft Online alongside Grammy-nominated and two-time BAFTA-winning composer Austin Wintory. She also worked as a music supervisor for Hidden Path Entertainment on the development of an unannounced AAA Dungeons & Dragons RPG. She has lent vocals to a number of video games such as Eternal Strands, Absolum, and Last Epoch, and has amassed a dedicated audience on YouTube, where she creates covers of songs from video games, film, and television franchises. Please welcome Rachel Hardy.

Andi Deris: The Voice of Helloween

Wed, 08 Oct 2025 11:00:00 -0400

Andi Deris is singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, best known through his work with German power metal band, Helloween.

Helloween is formed in 1984 in Hamburg by guitarist Michael Weikath, bassist Markus Grosskopf, drummer Ingo Schwichtenberg, and guitarist/vocalist Kai Hansen. The band’s early Keeper of the Seven Keys albums helped define the European power-metal sound with soaring melodies, dual guitar harmonies, and anthemic choruses. Over time, Helloween navigated personnel changes, stylistic shifts, internal tensions, and even tragedy with the loss of Schwichtenberg, yet they remained one of the most enduring and influential names in metal. In 2016, the group reunited its classic and modern lineups under the banner Pumpkins United, bringing together former vocalists Michael Kiske and Kai Hansen alongside the current members for a world tour and a self-titled album celebrating their decades-long legacy.

Andi Deris joined Helloween in 1994, following the departure of Michael Kiske. Before that, he co-founded the melodic metal band Pink Cream 69, earning recognition for his vocal power, range, and songwriting skill. Deris ushered Helloween into a new creative era with albums such as Master of the Rings, The Time of the Oath, Better Than Raw, The Dark Ride, and the modern Pumpkins United projects. His warm yet commanding vocal tone and dynamic stage presence helped stabilize the band through the shifting tides of the metal scene, and his compositional contributions have been central to Helloween’s continued evolution as one of the genre’s defining forces.

Mark Garrett: Master of Harsh Vocals

Wed, 17 Sep 2025 11:00:00 -0400

Mark Garrett is a professional vocal coach, voice teacher, singer, and songwriter, specializing in harsh vocal techniques, and teaching through his vocal program, Kardavox Academy. Mark has spent 15 years as a metal vocalist, fronting Kardashev on Metal Blade Records, releasing eight studio projects, and performing internationally. His methods for teaching blend real-world experience with vocal science, and has earned him a place as a research subject in a study on extreme vocals carried out by The Charismatic Voice and The University of Utah. Mark has helped thousands of singers remove strain and find their own sound. Please welcome Mark Garrett.

David Kahn: The Double Low C

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 11:00:00 -0400

David Kahn is a bass singer, songwriter, and traveling musician, known widely throughout the bass and gospel communities for performing numerous double low Cs in live performance with The Stamps Quartet. David initially rose to notoriety through YouTube, where he showcased his unique vocal range, demonstrating down to F#1 in subharmonics all the way through tenor high C (C5) in chest voice. In addition to touring with The Stamps (and performing JD Sumner's double low Cs night after night), David has been independently touring internationally with his own music. He is connected with many of the great basses of this modern generation, including Bobby Bass, Big Brev, and numerous others from the professional acapella community. Please welcome David Kahn.

Logan Alexandra: Make Viral Music

Wed, 20 Aug 2025 11:00:00 -0400

Logan Alexandra is a professional singer, songwriter, and social media sensation, best known for her viral choir memes. She has over 650,000 subscribers on YouTube, and an entire discography of original music with accompanying music videos. Logan and Peter are both in the YouTube Creator Collective program in Arizona, along with creatives like Elizabeth Zharoff, Kardovox Academy, Pink Shirt Girl, Demibaby, and many more. Please welcome Logan Alexandra.

Big Brev: Bass Singer Academy (with Special Cameo from Tim Foust!)

Sun, 20 Jul 2025 12:15:00 -0400

Join Bass Singer Academy! https://basssingeracademy.com/

American bass-baritone and social media influencer, Daniel Brevik, is praised for having "a massive, focused, rich, warm timbre." Boasting an impressive following of over 500,000 monthly listeners on Spotify and 488,000 followers on TikTok. Brevik's singing and teaching channel extends even further, with a staggering 930,000 followers on Instagram with over 60 million views which have amassed over 15 years of total stream time, effectively captivating audiences on a global scale.

A recipient of Opera Theatre of Saint Louis‘ Richard Gaddes Career Grant, and the Wendy Shattuck Presidential Scholarship from the New England Conservatory, Brevik was hailed by The Washington Post for having “an impressive, sonorous voice" while Opera Today claimed he could "rattle the rafters one moment and be lullingly conversational the next."

Brevik was featured on the cover of Opera News for creating the role of Ernest Hemingway in the world premiere of Ricky Ian Gordon's Twenty-Seven. The album recorded with the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis and Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra is available on all major music platforms. Brevik later reprised his role with the orchestra of St. Luke’s in his New York debut at City Center Theatre, and then again at Intermountain Opera in Bozeman, Montana.

Notable venues Brevik has performed in include Boston’s Symphony Hall, St. Louis’ Powell Hall, Lyric Opera of Chicago’s Civic Opera House, Amarillo Texas’ Globe-News Center, Venice Italy’s St. Marks Cathedral, and the Vietnam Opera and ballet in Hanoi Vietnam.

In a recent collaboration with Bobby Bass, their cover of “Hoist The Colours” garnered over 13 billion streams on TikTok, 12 million streams on Spotify, and 7 million views on YouTube. In 2022, Brevik was showcased on stage in concert with Pentatonix legend Avi Kaplan in Boston, MA. Brev opened for Dustin Lynch in winter of 2024 to help fundraise for St. Jude's Children's Hospital for iHeart Radio's Unwrapped and Unplugged fundraiser. He looks forward to performing alongside his good friend Tim Foust at his “9th quasi annual birthday” bash at City Winery in Nashville this July.

As a teacher and vocal coach, he's guided vocalists of all ages in multiple styles to free up their voice and hone their unique instrument for over ten years. In 2024, Brev was one of three selected to judge at the VanderLaan competition through Opera Grand Rapids. Brev co-runs a world-wide online vocal studio, StudioBrev, with his lovely and musical wife and vocal coach: Jen.

Outside of singing, Brev loves weight lifting and spending time training his golden retriever, Wyatt.

Johanna Kurkela: The Voice of Auri

Thu, 10 Jul 2025 11:25:00 -0400

Johanna Kurkela is the lead singer of progressive folk group, Auri. If you open heart and ear to the mesmerizing, hauntingly beautiful soundscapes of AURI, you might find a beacon of light inside a sonic realm untouched by today’s often scary, grim realities; a dreamscape that can be profoundly uplifting.

On their third studio album, III - Candles & Beginnings' the stars have aligned yet again. Propelled by the unique and celestial voice of Johanna Kurkela, the magical textures of Nightwish mastermind Tuomas Holopainen and the almost unlimited musical palette of Nigtwish multi-instrumentalist Troy Donockley, Auri have presented a world to be unlocked with the senses, blending folk, progressive and symphonic elements, world music, pop and avantgarde.

Right after completing Nightwish’s 2024 monument Yesterwynde, the songwriting for the third chapter in Auri’s musical adventures started in 2023, with Troy writing in Yorkshire and Tuomas and Johanna working their creative magic in Kitee, Finland. By Autumn 2024, a 10-song demo was complete, setting the stage for what would become another breathtaking Auri journey. The band and their trusted engineer Tero "Teecee" Kinnunen took the mixing process to sunny Spain, letting the Andalucian vibes infuse the music whereas in March 2025 mastering was wrapped up by Tim Oliver at the legendary Real World Studios - a ground-breaking recording complex started by Peter Gabriel in 1989.

The album is a tapestry of emotions - each song a world of its own, touching on childhood memories, vivid life experiences, and even a nod to one of the group’s most beloved places on Earth - The Lion Inn at Blakey Ridge, a historic spot nestled in the North York Moors and one of the most remote pubs you will ever find.

Visually, the cover artwork by Pete Voutilainen, layout and watercolors by Mikko Pankasalo plus calligraphy by Johanna Kurkela provide wonderful illustrations perfectly capturing Auri’s unique musical visions.

With guest musicians like Frank Van Essen (strings), Jonas Pap (cello), Juho Kanervo (basses), and the incredible drumming and percussion courtesy of Nightwish’s Kai Hahto, Auri III - Candles & Beginnings is as lush as it is atmospheric and provides astonishing dynamics.

Having been a studio endeavour in the past, Auri is finally going on tour with their first-ever live European trek kicking off in August 2025, followed by summer festivals in 2026, allowing you to hear, see and feel songs from their previous two albums, as well as brand new pieces from III - Candles & Beginnings (such as the atmospheric new video's ‘Shieldmaiden’ and ‘Museum Of Childhood’). Its been a long time coming, but coming it is...

Lucie Burns: Unlock Your Art

Wed, 18 Jun 2025 11:05:07 -0400

Lucie Burns is an Industry Leading Performance Coach, Speaker, and bestselling Author of "The Art of Live Performance Unlocked". She is the Founder of Stage Ready Artists and Host of The Singing Buddha Podcast. She was named 'A performance coach to follow' by LA Weekly, and has been featured on two TV documentaries, showcasing her transformational work with musicians. Lucie believes in creatively nurturing the person behind the performer, working holistically and intuitively, focusing on the connection between mind, body and emotion. With nearly 30 years in the industry, Lucie’s unique approach makes her a go-to expert for those looking to own the stage and transform their craft. She is also known as the artist, songwriter and music producer Lazy Hammock. She has achieved 4 x #1s, released 11 self-produced albums, and amassed over 25 million streams. Her music has been licensed to TV shows and major labels including Sony BMG, Ministry of Sound, Hed Kandi, and EMI.

Cesar De La Rosa: Born to Sing

Wed, 04 Jun 2025 11:00:00 -0400

Cesar De La Rosa is a singer, most well-known for being the baritone member of the a cappella group VoicePlay. In his city of Orlando, Florida, he’s recognized as a singer-songwriter and special events producer, with his ten toes in countless shows year-round. In his friends’ circles, Cesar is known as a mystical and deeply silly elf, with a dark sense of humor and an awful sense of style. Finally, in his mother’s eyes, Cesar is just her youngest baby boy—who loves to sing.

Rachel Potter: Broadway Vocals

Wed, 21 May 2025 11:00:00 -0400

Rachel Potter, an acclaimed Broadway star and accomplished Nashville Recording artist, has been recognized by US Weekly as "One to Watch" and praised by the Hollywood Reporter for her "crystalline vocals." With a successful career in both musical theater and country music, Rachel has showcased her talent on stages of all sizes.

Rachel's impressive resume includes her turn as the ever “popular” Glinda u/s on the National Tour of Wicked. Next, she made her Broadway debut as Wednesday Addams in The Addams Family, where she shared the stage with Bebe Neuwirth and Brooke Shields as Morticia. She then went on to originate the role of the Mistress in the Tony Nominated revival of Evita, alongside Ricky Martin and Michael Cerveris. Her standout performance on the Original Broadway Cast Recording of the production, singing the poignant song "Another Suitcase in Another Hall," further solidified her place in the Broadway community.

Residing in Nashville, TN, Rachel remains focused on recording and writing music, as well as enjoying a successful career in real estate. Balancing her professional endeavors with her most important role as “mommy” to Jude, Elliot, and Myla, Rachel's passion for music and family shines through in all aspects of her life. Stay connected with Rachel on social media @therachelpotter.

Yannis Papadopoulos: Beast In Black

Thu, 08 May 2025 11:41:38 -0400

Yannis Papadopoulos is the lead singer for heavy metal band, Beast in Black. The band's blend of power metal, 80s pop, and electronic music, as well as their energetic live performances, have made them pioneers of their genre. Beast in Black's current lineup further consists of founding member and primary songwriter Anton Kabanen, guitarist Kasperi Heikkinen, bassist Mate Molnar, and drummer Atte Palokangas. Please welcome Yannis Papadopoulos.

Simone Simons: The Voice of Epica

Thu, 24 Apr 2025 12:00:00 -0400

Simone Simons is the lead singer for symphonic metal group, Epica, that just released their 9th studio album, Aspiral. The album title is derived from the eponymous bronze sculpture made by Polish sculptor and painter Stanisław Szukalski back in 1965. It stands for renewal and inspiration – keywords that define Epica in 2025. In Szukalski’s work every detail is a piece of art on its own and there’s always more to the story than you initially think. The band saw this as the perfect analogy for the creation of this album: each song stands on its own with a distinctive vibe and meaning, while together they enforce each other into a monumental effort.

At the same time this symbolizes EPICA’s group dynamic throughout this process: they have encouraged, inspired, and challenged each other repeatedly. Determined to achieve something that is greater than the sum of its parts, they left no stone unturned in their search for perfection. If it’s up to creative people to push boundaries, then this sextet sure did just that.

When the band was preparing to write a new album, they kept this in mind: to create, you must destroy. As mentioned earlier, this meant destroying the individual ego and create as a unity. You’ll hear that this made the album even more personal and to the point. More alive and adventurous. But it also made EPICA destroy old underlying patterns to re-invent themselves and to create a bold new era for symphonic metal in general. The band felt the immense urge to focus on what really matters: emotions and melodies. In all capacities.

As the new album is all about focus, the band asked contemporary sculptor Hedi Xandt (Rammstein, Ghost, Parkway Drive) to set all this into a stunning visual representation. It’s a bold statement and a homage all in one. If the number 9 represents divinity, perfection, and spiritual growth, then this album is the modern interpretation of just that. Musically, lyrically, and visually.

Breathe in, breathe out, 2025 belongs to EPICA.

Eli Jacobson: Acapella Rock

Thu, 03 Apr 2025 11:30:00 -0400

Eli Jacobson is a tenor vocalist and a core member of the internationally acclaimed a cappella group, VoicePlay. Known for their inventive arrangements and theatrical performances, VoicePlay gained national recognition as finalists on NBC’s The Sing-Off and became a fixture and fan favorite on The Sing-Off Live national tours. In addition, they’ve shared the stage with renowned artists such as Chicago, Robin Thicke, Steve Vai, Nick Lachey, Chris Daughtry, and Robert Randolph.

Beyond his musical talents, Eli brings a wealth of business experience from his time in the entertainment industry and involvement in his family's business enterprises. He is also a proud father to his one-year-old son, Asher, and husband to Ashley.

Eli is known for his impressively wide and powerful vocal range, which has been instrumental in shaping VoicePlay’s signature sound. The group has built a massive online following, amassing millions of fans across platforms like YouTube, where their viral performances continue to captivate audiences worldwide.

In addition to his vocal prowess, Eli contributes his technological expertise to the group's productions, enhancing the quality and creativity of their content. His multifaceted skills have been pivotal in VoicePlay's continued success and innovation in the a cappella scene.

Anna Lea: The Voice of Penelope

Mon, 17 Mar 2025 12:00:00 -0400

Anna Lea is a 21-year-old singer-songwriter, most known for her work as the voice of Penelope in EPIC: The Musical. She joined the cast of EPIC at just 17 years old, before finishing high school. Outside of EPIC, Anna has released a solo EP, The Dark Between the Stars, and more recently, a full-length album, Therapy. She is currently pursuing in master's degree in social work, and hopes to continue creating a career where all her passions can continue to flourish. Please welcome Anna Lea.

Nick Higgs: Living for Music

Thu, 06 Mar 2025 19:09:06 -0500

Nick Higgs, widely known on social media as Nick Higgs The Singer, is a multifaceted professional in the music industry. As a dedicated singer, voice teacher, and dynamic content creator, he has cultivated a substantial online presence, engaging over 500 thousand followers across various platforms. With a background that includes formal musical education from the University of Toronto, and experience performing in groups such as the Tafelmusik Chamber Choir, Nick combines classical training with a modern approach to music. He displays a strong passion for digital media, and actively motivates fellow musicians to embrace the digital world, emphasizing the importance of establishing a meaningful digital footprint. He shares vocal performances, educational content, and musical analysis to his large online audience. You can find him on social media at the username @nickhiggsthesinger.

JP Warner: The Sounds of EPIC

Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:00:00 -0500

Chicago-based JP Warner has amassed 200+ million streams on his records in his 10+ year career as a music producer/audio engineer. He began his career as a DJ, touring the country as part of then-duo MiNDTRiX. In 2019 he left MiNDTRiX to work behind the scenes, creating electronic & pop records with DJ Mag Top-100 DJs Excision, Tiesto, and more.

Today, JP Warner is best known for his work on the viral Tiktok musical “EPIC” by Jorge Rivera-Herrans. Warner also notably serves as the primary producer/engineer for pop artist TE/MO as well as his own Cinematic artist project SPACELY.

Warner proudly uses his platform to share resources and create a safe space for those struggling with their mental health. You can view his favorite resources here.

For music artists, JP Warner Sound offers everything needed to create a radio-ready release: songwriting, production, vocal engineering, mixing, mastering, and conversion to Dolby ATMOS.

Mako: The Music of Arcane Season 2

Wed, 05 Feb 2025 10:00:00 -0500

Composer, songwriter, and producer Alex Seaver (aka Mako) has created a unique niche for himself in the entertainment industry. He has released two best-selling albums; performed at Coachella, Lollapalooza, and EDC; and collaborated with the likes of Linkin Park, Marcus King, Sting, Pusha-T, Avicii, Madison Beer, and Alan Walker.

A classically-trained musician, Seaver earned a full scholarship to Juilliard. Upon graduation, he relocated to Los Angeles to pursue a career in film music. Alex has established himself as a songwriter and composer for Riot Games’ League of Legends, beginning in 2017. His first track, “Legends Never Die” (performed by Against the Current), has earned over 400 million streams on Spotify alone, while his role expanded with both seasons of Netflix’s League of Legends-based animated series, Arcane (2021, 2024). In addition to scoring the hit show with Alexander Temple, Alex co-wrote songs for the soundtrack, alongside Linkin Park, Marcus King, Pusha-T, Sting, Woodkid, Bea Miller, PVRIS, and others. Please welcome Alex Seaver.

Luke Holt: The Voice of Zeus

Mon, 20 Jan 2025 10:15:41 -0500

Luke Holt is an actor, singer, and content creator, most known for his work as Zeus in EPIC: The Musical. Luke and Peter chat about how EPIC came together, the recording process, musical theater, voice acting, career goals, and much more. Please welcome Luke Holt.

David Michael Frank: Limitless Vocals

Wed, 01 Jan 2025 10:00:00 -0500

David Michael Frank, artistically known as DMF, redefines the modern music scene with his extraordinary vocal range and a unique blend of alternative, pop, and rock, creating a sound that's both nostalgic and futuristic. A multi-instrumentalist and content creation expert, DMF has captivated over 3.5 million followers with deeply personal lyrics and a dynamic style. His musical journey, spanning a decade with various bands and culminating in the innovative 'Private Party Tour,' has led to the eagerly awaited release of his debut solo album. Recognized by Billboard Magazine and other major publications, DMF's compelling story and groundbreaking approach to music and production set him apart as a visionary artist and a rising force in the music industry. Please welcome David Michael Frank.

Emily Kristen Morris: Defying Gravity

Wed, 18 Dec 2024 10:00:00 -0500

Emily Kristen Morris is an NYC-based actor, singer, dancer, certified vocal instructor, and popular online content creator (1.7 Million followers on TikTok). Emily has performed across the nation and internationally, and was most recently the Elphaba standby on the Broadway national tour of WICKED. Coming up next, Emily will be starring as Elsa in Paramount Theatre’s production of Frozen. Her past theatre credits include: Bea in the national tour of Something Rotten, White Plains Performing Arts Center (Daisy in Side Show), The Rev (Sophie in Mamma Mia), Cape Playhouse, the Norwalk Symphony Orchestra (Nellie in South Pacific in concert), Gateway Playhouse, Weston Playhouse, and New York Musical Theatre Festival. Emily has also performed as a solo vocalist with symphony orchestras, including the Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra in China, and the Norwalk Symphony. Her voice is also featured on Joey Contreras’ new album “In Pieces.” On social media Emily is popular for her voice-teaching videos, her singing covers, and her vocal-coach-reacts videos. When she's not performing, Emily runs her highly sought-after voice studio, EKM Vocal Studio, where she teaches lessons, masterclasses and workshops to passionate singers both virtually and in-person in NYC. Emily is certified through the Institute For Vocal Advancement (IVA), and received her BFA in musical theatre from the University of Cincinnati; College-Conservatory of Music (CCM).

Bobby Bass: The New Generation of Bass Singers

Wed, 04 Dec 2024 10:00:00 -0500

Bobby Bass is a bass singer, arranger, and music producer, most noted for his extremely viral cover of "Hoist the Colours," as seen in the forefront of the North Sea trend. Bobby is a member of both The Wellermen and The Bass Gang, and is considered to be one of the main artists and influencers in the new generation of bass singers. In the last 4 years, Bobby's voice has been heard over 3 billion times across social media platforms and streaming services.

Peter and Bobby talk about tons of cool stuff, and they finally got to chat for the podcast in-person! A definitive episode, to be sure -- you do not want to miss it.

Mortius: The Man Behind Mortius

Sun, 17 Nov 2024 19:17:25 -0500

Mortius is a YouTuber and singer, most well-known for his commentary on EPIC: The Musical.

Jojo Otseidu: Voiceover Vocals

Wed, 30 Oct 2024 11:00:00 -0400

Serena Belle: Survivor to Singer

Wed, 16 Oct 2024 11:00:27 -0400

Serena Belle is a singer, brain tumor survivor, and social media sensation. Over the last two years, she built a following of 2.6 million fans on TikTok, and 1.2 million on Instagram, with her viral singing videos, covering everything from Evanescence to Gladiator.

Peter and Serena talk about Serena's life philosophy after surviving a brain tumor, the pros and cons of having a large social media following, vocal technique, music production, opera, and much more. Please welcome Serena Belle.

Lolli Wren: The Fairy Voice Mother

Wed, 02 Oct 2024 11:00:00 -0400

Lolli Wren is a singer, composer, vocal arranger, and vocal coach AKA The Fairy Voice Mother. She is widely known for her ability to explain a huge range of voice techniques and replicate them in a way that anyone can learn, even absolute beginners. As a vocal analyst on YouTube, Lolli has built an audience of over 265,000 subscribers.

Peter and Lolli chat about voice science, vocal technique for varying genres, Lolli's background and training, how she got into analyzing the voice, building a YouTube channel, teaching, the love of music videos, career goals, and much more. Please welcome Lolli Wren.

Matthew Aucoin: Modern Opera

Wed, 18 Sep 2024 11:00:00 -0400

Matthew Aucoin is an American composer, conductor, writer, pianist, and a 2018 MacArthur Fellow. In recent seasons, his music has been performed by artists ranging from Yo-Yo Ma to the Philadelphia Orchestra, and commissioned by institutions including the Metropolitan Opera, Carnegie Hall, and the Ojai Music Festival. Aucoin is a co-founder of the American Modern Opera Company. His book about opera, The Impossible Art: Adventures in Opera, was published in 2021 by Farrar, Straus & Giroux.

Peter and Matt talk about what it takes to compose an opera, writing classical music in the modern age, the symbiotic benefits of being a composer, pianist, and conductor, Matt's upcoming projects, and much more. Please welcome Matthew Aucoin.

Joe Santoni: Disney Bass

Wed, 04 Sep 2024 11:00:00 -0400

Joe Santoni is a bass singer and studio vocalist, best known for his work with DCappella, Disney's premiere acapella group. Joe has had the pleasure of performing for over 15 years both professionally and academically. Throughout his music career he’s had amazing opportunities come his way. Some of his performance credits include performing in over 3 professional operas, benefit concerts, various a cappella groups as well as an elite LA choir called the LA Choral Lab. Performing alongside the LA Choral Lab he’s sung in the ‘Legend of Zelda: Symphony of the Goddesses’ at the Dolby theater in Los Angeles, and had the pleasure of singing on ‘The Nun’ from the James Wan conjuring universe. Joe’s hometown is Port Huron, Michigan where he grew up and went to college for opera and has since moved to Los Angeles to pursue his career in singing.

Peter and Joe talk about working for the monolith company that is Disney, being a part of high-budget music videos, working and living in Los Angeles, vocal ranges, what it's like to be a bass singer on tour, being a studio vocalist, and much more. Please welcome Joe Santoni.

Jonny Stewart: Music of the Wellermen

Wed, 07 Aug 2024 10:00:00 -0400

Jonny Stewart is a bass singer, an engineer for studio and live sound, and an arranger/director. Jonny’s arrangements and mixes have been streamed over twenty million times on Spotify, although it bears mentioning that fourteen million of these were for TikTok sea shanty ‘Wellerman’, by the Wellermen. In addition to his work with the Wellermen, Jonny sings in London-based group NoVI, alongside freelance choir and session work.

Peter and Jonny talk about the rise of sea shanties, going viral on short-form media, going on tour, audio engineering, mixing & mastering, future plans for The Wellermen, and much more. Please welcome Jonny Stewart.

Teagan Earley: The Voice of Athena

Mon, 22 Jul 2024 15:10:00 -0400

Teagan Earley is a Chicago-based singer, actor, and producer, and the proud co-founder of Sisters First Productions—a Tony and Emmy award-winning production company and entertainment fund that seeks to support women, early career artists, early stage businesses, and other vehicles for underrepresented voices using cutting edge technology and original, hybrid content. Throughout her performance career, which includes theatre, concert, and opera credits, she has trained with world-class instructors such as Melissa Foster, Betsy Wolfe, Kiera Duffy, and Nathan Gunn. Her voice is currently being featured as Athena on the Original Concept Album of "EPIC" - the musical that first went viral on TikTok and has amassed more than 100 million views (and counting), debuted as #9 on Spotify with more than 3 million streams in its first week (doubling that to 6 million by the end of its second week), and climbed to the #2 Cast Albums spot on the Billboard Charts, surpassed only by "Hamilton".

Peter and Teagan talk about the origins of EPIC: The Musical, what it was like to be involved with that project from the ground up, the challenges and triumphs of being a live performer, career goals and ambitions, potential collaborations, upcoming endeavors, and much more. Please welcome Teagan Earley.

Davide Dalmonte: Bass Singing Prodigy

Thu, 11 Jul 2024 10:00:00 -0400

Davide Dalmonte is a 19-year-old bass singer, songwriter, and producer. He has amassed over 1.5 followers on TikTok via covers, adding bass lines to popular TikToks via the duet feature. Lately, Davide has entered the world of original music, with new songs coming out in the near future.

Peter and Davide talk about creating music in short form media, what it's like to "go viral," distortion of singing expectations due to the "TikTokification" of music, career and musical goals, psychological challenges of being a creator with a large following, our admiration for other creators in the space, like Bobby Bass, Marwan Ayman, Danny Brevik, and much more. Please welcome Davide Dalmonte.

Colm McGuinness: Video Game Vocals

Wed, 26 Jun 2024 10:00:00 -0400

Colm McGuinness is an Irish composer, producer, musician, and singer. Primarily, he composes and works as a studio artist in the video game sphere for major titles like Critical Role, League of Legends, and more. In addition, Colm produces high-quality covers for his YouTube channel and streaming services, where he has garnered hundreds of millions views/streams, and millions of followers. In the online space, he has become well-known for his extensive vocal range and instrumental prowess.

Peter and Colm talk about composing music for major video games, artistic goals, dealing with haters, working as a bartender, making lemonade out of lemons (a "limoncello cocktail," rather) when the pandemic hit in 2020, vocal range, social media, and much more. Please welcome Colm McGuinness in his first-and-only appearance on a podcast.

If you'd like to take your singing to the next level, Colm and I highly recommend StudioBrev, the most handsome of all voice studios! Check it out here: https://crm.studiobrev.com/webinar-registration-page-9946-3885?am_id=peter_barber

Charlie Hopkinson: One Man, 100 Voices

Wed, 12 Jun 2024 11:00:00 -0400

Charlie Hopkinson is a UK impressionist with over 500 million views across platforms. Best known for his impressions of Morgan Freeman, David Attenborough, the Peaky Blinders, and now, many of the iconic voices from the Star Wars universe, Charlie has gained the requisite popularity to go on tour for stand-up comedy, where he brilliantly incorporates impressions into his act.

Peter and Charlie talk about creating impressions, voice acting, building an online platform, incorporating impressions into stand-up comedy, the challenges of performing live as an impressionist, and Charlie even does a number of his famous impressions in real time. Please welcome Charlie Hopkinson.

Marwan Ayman: Acapella Prodigy

Wed, 29 May 2024 09:16:03 -0400

Marwan Ayman is a 20-year-old acapella musician from Egypt who gained fame on YouTube as a member of The Bass Gang. His viral "build-up" covers contributed significantly to his rise in popularity, and have earned him nearly 20,000 subscribers on YouTube. As a member of The Bass Gang, he has written many of the group's most popular arrangements, including; Hide and Seek feat. Lauren Paley, Emperor's New Clothes, and Arabian Nights. Marwan is considered by many to be the greatest young talent in the acapella world, and is recognized for his abilities to not only write and produce music, but for his video editing skills as well.

Peter and Marwan talk about the current state of acapella, the evolution of acapella, living in Egypt, growing up in a musical family, favorite projects, arrangement process, and much more. Please welcome Marwan Ayman.

Gavin Dunne: Miracle of Sound

Wed, 15 May 2024 11:00:00 -0400

From the guest: "I'm Gav, an independent producer/songwriter & singer from Ireland. My music and songs, under the name 'Miracle Of Sound,' cover a vast range of genres & styles from metal to folk to classical. They have become popular through grassroots word of mouth and gathered over a billion cross-platform digital streams, with my biggest hit 'Valhalla Calling' (which I wrote & performed solo) gathering over 120 million streams.

I love to celebrate great stories in my songs and many of them are inspired by the characters & tales in TV, Videogames, books & movies. I often work on cross promotion with various videogame industry companies including Ubisoft, Bioware, EA, Larian and Bethesda for titles such as Mass Effect, Assassin’s Creed, Divinity Original Sin 2, Wasteland 2 and Watch Dogs. My music is known for addictive, catchy hooks, empowering themes and a diverse range of genres & song structures. Peter and Gavin talk about writing music that gets heard by the millions, Gav's writing process and production style, getting fired from non-musical jobs, controversy over cover songs, and much more. Please welcome Gavin Dunne.

Corvyx: Authentic Artist

Fri, 03 May 2024 10:00:00 -0400

Alternative enigma Corvyx concocts an elixir of cinematic dark pop, pairing his ethereal productions with haunting vocals that drip with raw emotion and power. He dons a self-proclaimed “space witch” aesthetic and, with his 5 octave range, has captivated an audience of nearly 1M+ social followers he calls his Corvyx Coven. His name finds origin in the magical Corvus (”Raven” in Latin) for he too has become a messenger for the misunderstood. With nearly 200K YouTube subscribers and 24 million+ YouTube views and growing, Corvyx has proven himself an undeniable visionary and a musical force.

Casper Fox: Behind the Brand

Wed, 17 Apr 2024 11:00:00 -0400

Casper Fox is a brand manager and musician, who has contributed significantly to the success of groups like The Bass Gang and The Wellermen, as well as the personal brands of creators like Peter Barber and Jennifer Glatzhofer.

Will Liverman: The Future of Opera

Wed, 03 Apr 2024 10:00:00 -0400

Called, “a voice for this historic moment” (The Washington Post), GRAMMY Award-winning baritone Will Liverman is the 2022 Beverly Sills Artist Award recipient and co-creator of The Factotum (Lyric Opera Chicago, 2023 world premiere). This season’s engagements include the Metropolitan Opera (X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X, Roméo et Juliette), Opera Philadelphia (10 Days in a Madhouse, world premiere), Dayton Opera, Tanglewood, Caramoor, Cincinnati Song Initiative, Lexington Philharmonic, Houston Symphony, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, The Washington Chorus, Grand Rapids Choir of Men and Boys, Nu Deco Ensemble, and Experiential Orchestra. He’s Artistic Advisor for Renée Fleming’s Song Studio at Carnegie Hall. Liverman’s Dreams of a New Day: Songs by Black Composers (Cedille Records, 2021) was nominated for a GRAMMY Award for Best Classical Solo Vocal Album. He’s an alumnus of the Ryan Opera Center (Lyric Opera of Chicago), The Juilliard School (M.M.), and Wheaton College (B.M.). www.willliverman.com. Please welcome Will Liverman.

Is Olivia Rodrigo Worth the Hype?

Thu, 28 Mar 2024 10:00:00 -0400

Over the course of an hour, professional singer Peter Barber breaks down Olivia Rodrigo's performance for NPR's Tiny Desk Concert series, and analyzes just what makes her so brilliant. Stay until the end to learn more than you ever thought possible about Olivia's vocal techniques, songwriting, and all the rest. So, is Olivia Rodrigo worth the hype? I'll let you decide.

Peter Barber is a professional singer, music producer, YouTuber, and member of The Bass Gang.

Eric Hollaway: That Bass Voice

Wed, 20 Mar 2024 10:00:00 -0400

Meet Eric Hollaway, the man with a voice as deep as the ocean and as versatile as the wind. Known globally as "thatbassvoice," Eric boasts a rare 5-octave range, enchanting over 2 million followers on social media with his captivating vocals. A prodigy who began singing at 5, Eric's voice has graced numerous viral hits, including the Viking anthem "Valhalla Calling" by Miracle Of Sound and Hans Zimmer's 'Hoist The Colors' from Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean. His unique "bassharmony" technique, seamlessly blending deep tones into any melody, has become his signature. You'll recognize his stirring vocals in the soundtracks of "Doom Eternal" and "Runescape3." Beyond music, Eric is a highly sought-after voice actor, lending his distinctive timbre to thousands of projects, notably for Fableticsmen and Manscaped. Experience the depth and range of "thatbassvoice" - where every note tells a story.

Peter and Eric chat about being bass singers in the modern music world, the rise of the bass voice in popularity, Eric's work as the voice for "Doom" and other voice actings jobs, going viral on social media, philosophies behind music, how Eric's voice has changed over the years, upcoming collaborations, and much more. Please welcome Eric Hollaway.

Analysis Essentials Series: So Hyang | "Bridge Over Troubled Water"

Wed, 13 Mar 2024 13:00:00 -0400

Welcome back to the Analysis Essentials Series -- this episode comes from my first time ever hearing So Hyang, a voice that continues to boggle my mind. Her emotional connection, her power belting, her riffing -- all of it. Please enjoy this breakdown.

Tomi P: The Uncrowned King of Modern Acapella

Wed, 06 Mar 2024 10:00:00 -0500

Tomi P is a bass singer from the Czech Republic, widely known for his musical talent as a vocal arranger and acapella music producer. Many that are familiar with his work consider him to be among the founding fathers of modern acapella, given that he's been making high-quality vocal arrangements for nearly a decade. Tomi is a founding member of The Bass Gang, and currently sings as the bass for renowned Czech acapella group, Shot-C. He has garnered tens of millions of views across platforms for his music, and tens of millions more for his work with The Bass Gang.

Peter and Tomi discuss the future of The Bass Gang and Shot-C, dealing with creative burnout, music as a career vs. hobby, upcoming projects, and Tomi answers many questions from the Patreon community. Please welcome Tomi P!

Analysis Essentials Series: Pentatonix | "The Sound of Silence"

Wed, 28 Feb 2024 21:03:15 -0500

One of the first analysis videos Peter ever made was for this iconic cover from Pentatonix. Peter goes into detail about the musical arrangement, vocal technique, blending of voices, belting, vocal registration, and more. Please enjoy this breakdown of "The Sound of "Silence" as part of the Analysis Essentials Series.

Elliott Michael Robinson: Endless Bass

Wed, 21 Feb 2024 10:00:00 -0500

Elliott Michael Robinson is a seasoned veteran of the contemporary a cappella community currently residing in Dallas, Texas. Though most known for his insane low notes and nearly five-octave vocal range, the Illinois native is also an award-winning songwriter, arranger, and vocal educator. (And attorney, but who's counting?)

Throughout the years, he's performed with countless vocal groups--InPulse, Home Free, Re: Voiced, Chapter 6, Street Corner Symphony, The House Jacks, AXIOM, and more--as well as recording background vocals for projects spanning just about every genre you can think of. Oh yeah, and he also sang all the low bass vocals for Das Sound Machine in Pitch Perfect 2. (Remember them? The group that definitely would've won in real life...) These days, you can find Elliott doing regular corporate things, being a proud and relatively new Girl Dad, deadlifting with your entire family on the bar, grabbing barbecue somewhere, and/or contributing his multifaceted bass skills to collaborative online projects with artists from all over the globe. Peter and Elliott discuss life as professional musicians, vocal range, how voices change and develop overtime, advice for young bass singers, fitness, work/life balance, collaborative projects, career goals, and much more. Please welcome Elliott Michael Robinson.

Eric Whitacre: Musical Genius

Wed, 07 Feb 2024 10:00:00 -0500

Grammy Award-winning composer and conductor, Eric Whitacre, is among today’s most popular musicians. His works are programmed worldwide and his ground-breaking Virtual Choirs have united over 100,000 singers from more than 145 countries. A graduate of The Juilliard School, Eric is currently Visiting Composer at Pembroke College, Cambridge University (UK) and is an Ambassador for the Royal College of Music (London). Eric served two terms as Artist in Residence with the Los Angeles Master Chorale and is proud to be a Yamaha Artist. His long-term relationship with Universal/Decca Classics has produced several ‘hit’ albums. Recent compositions include a long-form work - The Sacred Veil - and an orchestral piece - Prelude in C - commissioned by the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra and the National Symphony Orchestra. His collaboration with Spitfire Audio has resulted in two trail-blazing vocal sample libraries which are used by composers the world-over.

Peter and Eric discuss Eric's Grammy Award-winning compositions, electronic music, philosophies on creating art, the relationship between music, conductor, and ensemble, and many more topics. Please welcome Eric Whitacre.

Bobby Bass: Hoist the Colours

Wed, 31 Jan 2024 10:00:00 -0500

Bobby "Bass" Waters is a bass singer, music creator, and core member of three musical groups: The Bass Gang, The Wellermen, and Pitch Slapped. Across platforms, Bobby boasts a following of over 2 million people, and his videos have garnered over 1 billion views. He has collaborated with many of the biggest names in the short-form content space, like Lauren Paley, MALINA, Vinny, Luke Taylor, Peyton Parrish, and more. Bobby has even been featured in an Apple commercial for his amazing bass voice.

Peter and Bobby talk about the meteoric rise of "Hoist the Colours," how to create success as a musical artist, the financial viability of various platforms, the evolution of The Bass Gang, upcoming projects, and much more. Please welcome Bobby Bass.

Alex Seaver (aka Mako): The Music of Arcane

Wed, 24 Jan 2024 10:00:00 -0500

Composer, songwriter, and producer Alex Seaver (aka Mako) has created a unique niche for himself in the entertainment industry. He has released two best-selling albums; performed at Coachella, Lollapalooza, and EDC; and collaborated with the likes of Sting, Pusha-T, Avicii, Madison Beer, and Alan Walker.

A classically-trained musician, Seaver earned a full scholarship to Juilliard. Upon graduation, he relocated to Los Angeles to pursue a career in film music. Alex has established himself as a songwriter and composer for Riot Games’ League of Legends, beginning in 2017. His first track, “Legends Never Die” (performed by Against the Current), has earned over 400 million streams on Spotify alone, while his role expanded with Netflix’s League of Legends-based animated series, Arcane (2021). In addition to scoring the hit show with Alexander Temple, Alex co-wrote songs for the soundtrack, alongside Pusha-T, Sting, Wooded, Bea Miller, PVRIS, and others. Please welcome Alex Seaver.

Luke Taylor: Luke the Voice

Wed, 10 Jan 2024 09:00:00 -0500

Luke Taylor is a bass singer from Thornton, Pennsylvania who is pursuing a songwriting career in folk and western genres. He has amassed a following of over 4 million people on TikTok from his bass singing videos, as well as performed on American Idol -- he is known throughout the world for his deep, rich voice. Luke is also a member of The Wellermen, and is studying voice at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia.

Peter and Luke chat about bass singing, going viral on social media, vocal technique, career goals, getting recognized in public, philosophies on life, and much more. Please welcome Luke Taylor.

Danny ”Big Brev” Brevik: Viking Vocals

Wed, 27 Dec 2023 09:00:00 -0500

American bass-baritone and social media influencer, Daniel Brevik, is praised for having "a massive, focused, rich, warm timbre." Boasting an impressive following of over 65,000 monthly listeners on Spotify and 465,000 followers on TikTok. Brevik's singing and teaching channel extends even further, with a staggering 650,000 followers on Instagram - with over 100 million views across platforms which have amassed over 20 years of total stream time, effectively captivating audiences on a global scale. A recipient of Opera Theatre of Saint Louis' Richard Gaddes Career Grant, and the Wendy Shattuck Presidential Scholarship from the New England Conservatory, Brevik was hailed by The Washington Post for having "an impressive, sonorous voice" while Opera Today claimed he could "rattle the rafters one moment and be lullingly conversational the next." Brevik was featured on the cover of Opera News for creating the role of Ernest Hemingway in the world premiere of Ricky lan Gordon's Twenty-Seven. The album recorded with the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis and Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra is available on all major music platforms. Brevik later reprised his role with the orchestra of St. Luke's in his New York debut at City Center Theatre, and then again at Intermountain Opera in Bozeman, Montana. Notable venues Brevik has performed in include Boston's Symphony Hall, St. Louis' Powell Hall, Lyric Opera of Chicago's Civic Opera House, Amarillo Texas' Globe-News Center, Venice Italy's St. Marks Cathedral, and the Vietnam Opera and ballet in Hanoi Vietnam. In a recent collaboration with Bobby Bass and the Bass Singers of TikTok, their cover of "Hoist The Colours" garnered over 6 million views on Youtube and 8.5 million streams on Spotify. In 2022, Brevik was showcased on stage in concert with Pentatonix legend Avi Kaplan in Boston, MA. Brevik is on the voice faculty at The University of Hartford, and at the Falcetti School of Music in Simsbury, CT. Peter and Danny talk about going viral on social media, performing opera on a professional level, getting to work with Avi Kaplan, travel stories, fitness, and much more. Please welcome Big Brev.

J.None: Military Bass

Thu, 07 Dec 2023 09:30:00 -0500

J.None is a singer, songwriter, and producer. Featured in the September 2008 issue of “GQ”, he was selected to perform for Grammy Award-Winning super producer Timbaland. J is very giving when it comes to his gift -- he has performed at various community concerts sponsored by Kollission Records, donating all proceeds to the Children’s Kings Daughters Hospital Miracle Network. In 2011 he attained International recognition for placing in the Top 32 on Simon Cowell’s newest talent show The X-Factor as ¼ of the young Pop group 4Shore. Audiences love his hilarious demeanor on stage and his buttery-smooth vocals. J auditioned for Season 14 of the hit Fox singing competition American Idol and advanced to the Top 48. Currently, he is singing bass for The United States Navy Band Sea Chanters, working on original music and producing/writing for other artists via Soundbetter.com, including his nephew, "Naz G." You can find J.None’s newest music on all digital outlets, available now for downloading and streaming!

Peter and J.None talk about his life in the Navy band, singing with VoicePlay, setting and managing career goals and expectations, his experience on X-Factor and American Idol, and much more. Please welcome J.None.

Janet Varney: The Legend of Korra

Wed, 22 Nov 2023 09:45:00 -0500

Janet Varney is an Emmy-Nominated actor, comedian, writer and producer. She can be heard as the voice of Korra on "The Legend of Korra” on Netflix, where she can also be seen as Summer in the comedy series “Country Comfort." On HULU, she fights dark forces starring opposite John C. McGinley on "Stan Against Evil" and appears as Becca on FXX’s "You’re the Worst.” She also created, wrote, produced and starred in the critically-acclaimed IFC online series "Fortune Rookie.” And as of this summer, you can also catch her recurring on Apple TV+’s “Platonic” opposite Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne. Onstage, Janet performs with Rachel Dratch, John Michael Higgins, Michael Hitchcock, Oscar Nunez and more in their improv supergroup Theme Park, and alongside Paul F. Tompkins, Busy Philipps, Paget Brewster and more for the Thrilling Adventure Hour. Janet co-created/wrote/produced “Neil’s Puppet Dreams” starring Neil Patrick Harris. You can also find Janet on YouTube for Geek & Sundry’s “Escape!" which she co-wrote, produced and hosted. She also hosts three hit podcasts: The JV Club with Janet Varney; Avatar: Braving The Elements; and Truth and Justice with Bob Ruff. She is Co-Founder/Creative Director of one of the largest and most acclaimed comedy festivals in North America, SF Sketchfest: the San Francisco Comedy Festival, now in its 20th year.

Layne Stein: Behind the Music (of VoicePlay)

Wed, 08 Nov 2023 09:00:00 -0500

Layne Stein is an arranger, beatboxer, vocalist, audio engineer, and video editor for world-famous acapella group, VoicePlay. Peter and Layne talk about Layne's arrangement process for VoicePlay songs, the development of the group since its origin, the impossibility of predicting which releases will be commercially successful, how to add creative spin to a classic song, PattyCake productions, how VoicePlay creates a song from start-to-finish, and much more. Please welcome Layne Stein.

Lisette Oropesa: Opera Star

Wed, 25 Oct 2023 19:00:00 -0400

Cuban-American Lisette Oropesa is a highly acclaimed and in-demand operatic soprano known for her exceptional vocal skills and stage presence. She speaks 5 languages and excels in a wide range of operatic repertoire, from Baroque and Mozart to Bel Canto and French composers. Her outstanding performances have earned her enthusiastic global recognition, and she regularly stars in productions in the world’s greatest opera houses, from New York’s Metropolitan Opera to London’s Royal Opera House, Vienna’s State Opera, and Milan’s Teatro alla Scala, among many others. In addition to her successful singing career, Lisette is also known for her dedication to health and fitness. She is an outdoor enthusiast and devoted runner who has completed several marathons, and been featured in major fitness publications such as Runner’s World Magazine. She’s followed a fully plant based diet for the past 12 years. Lisette is also a mentor and role model to young singers, giving masterclasses and lectures at universities and young artist programs around the world. She is active on social media, and she and her husband Steven personally curate her website and all her platforms. Her most recent solo album, “French Bel Canto,” released on the Pentatone label, has achieved major critical acclaim, and has been one of the top selling classical opera aria albums since its release. Peter and Lisette talk about what it's like to perform opera on the world's greatest stages, industry biases, obesity vs. health & fitness, pros and cons of social media, taking a stance on politics and religion, vocal technique, role preparation, and much more. Please welcome Lisette Oropesa.

Analysis Essentials Series: ”We Don’t Talk About Bruno” from Disney’s Encanto

Wed, 18 Oct 2023 14:00:00 -0400

One of the most popular Disney songs ever made -- I couldn't resist jumping on the reaction bandwagon when this first came out. However, I added a lot of analysis to the music, singing, voice acting, etc. as usual, and it has resulted in one of the more popular analysis videos on my channel. Please enjoy the analysis.

Jonathan Young: Covered In Metal

Wed, 11 Oct 2023 11:00:00 -0400

Jonathan Young is a singer, songwriter & music producer who independently grew to a fanbase of over 2 million fans with his viral music videos, reimagining songs from nerd culture, writing fantasy-themed power metal music, and collaborating with iconic brands like Dragonball, Beyblade & Magic: the Gathering. In addition to his own discography, Jonathan also runs a production company that offers services & consulting to other music content creators.

Peter and Jonathan talk about everything from music composition to the evolution of YouTube to rock belting. Please welcome Jonathan Young.

Matt Sallee: Bring the Bass

Wed, 27 Sep 2023 14:00:00 -0400

Above all, Matt Sallee considers himself a team player. His instantly recognizable bass tone rumbles straight from the soul as a strong and supple foundation for collaborators to shine just as brightly as he does. The show-stopping vocalist, artist, and member of Pentatonix instantly captivates in any arena—whether on the stage of a legendary venue or solo in the recording booth. As such, acapella represents not only a creative, but a personal and spiritual calling for him. He made his debut with the group on the platinum-certified A Pentatonix Christmas: Deluxe in 2017, which boasted highlights such as “How Great Thou Art” featuring Jennifer Hudson. His voice boomed on a trio of successive Billboard 200 Top 10 albums, namely PTX Presents: Top Pop, Vol. I [2018], Christmas Is Here! [2018], and The Best of Pentatonix Christmas [2019]. Plus, he lent his songwriting to The Lucky Ones [2021] in addition to performing on Evergreen [2021], which garnered a GRAMMY® Award nod in the category of “Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album.” Outside of music, he remains an avid basketball and football fan and dedicates as much time as possible to his family.

Peter speaks with Matt about his musical upbringing, what it's like being a part of Pentatonix, the pressure of filling the shoes of Avi Kaplan, misconceptions about the bass voice, being a versatile artist, gratitude, and much more. Please welcome Matt Sallee.

Analysis Essentials Series: Marcelito Pomoy | ”The Prayer” (Live On the Wish 107.5 Bus)

Wed, 20 Sep 2023 14:00:00 -0400

Next up in the Analysis Essentials Series is Marcelito Pomoy's performance of "The Prayer," live on the Wish 107.5 bus. Marcelito seamlessly transitions back and forth between the lower and higher parts of this song, navigating his high falsetto with complete ease, to greatly impress millions of viewers. Please enjoy this iconic performance, and Peter's vocal analysis alongside.

Ekaterina Shelehova: Opera and Beyond

Wed, 13 Sep 2023 14:00:00 -0400

Ekaterina Shelehova is a singer, performer, and composer who started her career at an incredibly young age -- 4 years old! In 2013, she released her debut album MOONLIGHT (Katya), which can be found on all streaming platforms. A Masters Graduate from Conservatory Giuseppe Verdi in Milan, Ekaterina has performed all over the world (China, Mexico, Russia, Hungary, Bulgaria, and more) with lyrical repertoire, as well as her own compositions. She has made numerous appearances on TV, including a mainstream show in Beijing, the show Nessun Dorma in Italy (where she shared the stage with Ted Neely, the original Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar), and the show I Soliti Ignoti, a popular show in Italy. This led to her viral performance on Italy’s Got talent, where she presented her own unique composition, which has garnered over 500 million views online. She also participated in Bulgaria’s Got Talent, where she performed her original tracks, which exploded online as well. These performances brought her to exciting new experiences, composing of the soundtrack for The Tempest, an Italian movie based on Shakespeare’s play of the same name, and becoming the lead vocalist for a world-renowned music group, ERA. Since then, she has released an EP, and is currently working on a full album. Besides singing, Ekaterina can speak fluently in 4 languages (English, Italian, Spanish, and Russian), is a former gymnast (8 years) and is an avid fitness enthusiast. She loves studying psychology and adores animals.

Peter and Ekaterina discuss her life plans before going viral, training as an opera singer, pros and cons of being social media famous, life outside of music, goals for the future, and much more. Please welcome Ekaterina Shelehova.

Elizabeth Zharoff: The Charismatic Voice

Wed, 30 Aug 2023 14:00:00 -0400

Elizabeth Zharoff is an internationally acclaimed and world renowned opera singer, music producer, AI voice for self-driving cars, YouTuber and proud mother to a beautiful boy. She has degrees in music and voice from Oberlin Conservatory, Berklee College of Music and the Curtis Institute of Music, has sung in over 18 languages across Europe, Asia, and North America, and produced music for over 20 video game titles. On YouTube, she has amassed over 1.3 million followers analyzing voice across multiple genres, with over 240 million views and 30 million watch hours, focusing on vocal technique, performance and music composition.

Elizabeth and I had a wonderful conversation about her musical training, career as an opera singer, transition in YouTube and all the success that followed, vocal technique, and much more. Please welcome Elizabeth Zharoff.

Analysis Essentials Series: Dimash | ”Stranger”

Wed, 23 Aug 2023 14:00:00 -0400

The episode that launched Peter's career as a musical analyst on YouTube, and the most popular video on his channel until being surpassed this year by Diana Ankudinova's performance of "Can't Help Falling In Love." Dimash's performance of "Stranger" solidly planted his flag as one of the world's great vocalists, and this episode was Peter's first exposure to Dimash, having gotten hundreds (if not thousands) of requests to analyze his voice. Please enjoy this deep vocal analysis of Dimash Kudaibergen's live performance of "Stranger."

MALINDA: Find Your Niche

Wed, 16 Aug 2023 14:00:00 -0400

Malinda is a NY/DC based singer, songwriter and actor with a mission to make community through her art. Her debut EP, Love Letter, and her subsequent singles draw influence from folk, pop, and jazz. With the advent of her own music, Malinda is quickly becoming known for her strong sense of vocal storyline, balancing her pure (to quote her fans) “angelic” tone with a more powerful raw belt.

She began her career as a professional actor in regional theatre, including originating the role of Ella in Ella Enchanted: the Musical and winning a Helen Hayes award for her portrayal of Girl in the DC regional premiere of ONCE. Her original work is a creative exploration of what it is to be a young person in our world today. Dubbed a “social media luminary” by the Washington Post, her YouTube content ranges from little conversations, to quirky tunes, to fully produced original music videos.

Malinda’s two Celtic EPs, The Folks I Love and Sea to Sky, both hit #1 on the iTunes World Music Charts. Her debut original album and accompanying visual album, “It’s All True” debut in Cinemark movie theaters across America and she is now headed out on a full US tour.

Peter and Malinda had a wonderful conversation about how to find your niche in music, establishing a unique brand, her life, career, passions outside of music, as well as MALINDA's daily and weekly routines to stay sharp, happy, and productive. Please welcome Malinda Katherine Reese.

Glenn Miller: The Bass King

Wed, 02 Aug 2023 11:00:00 -0400

Glenn Miller is well-known throughout the United States for his unique basso-profundo voice, specializing in Russian liturgical choral repertoire, which began with singing and recording the Rachmaninoff Vespers in 1989 as a member of the Robert Shaw Festival Singers. To date he has performed this work well over 100 times across the country and has made five recordings of the work.

He has performed and recorded regularly with Conspirare (Austin) and was the featured soloist on this ensemble’s recording which was awarded a Grammy in 2014 for best choral recording, “The Sacred Spirit of Russia,” performing Chesnokov’s “Do not cast me off in my old age,” a choral concerto for basso profundo. It is thought that Miller’s recording was the first of the original ending of the work, which requires the singer to sustain a low G1 (the lowest G on the piano).

Glenn is widely respected and regarded as not only one of the greatest basso profundo singers of today, but of all time. He inspires young bass singers and musicians around the world, and believes at all moments of practice and performance that serving the music is the ultimate goal. Peter and Glenn discuss his career, approach to vocal technique, what makes his voice so rare, favorite performances, repertoire, what Glenn hopes to accomplish as he moves forward in his career, and much more. Please welcome Glenn Miller.

Analysis Essentials Series: Diana Ankudinova | ”Can’t Help Falling In Love”

Wed, 26 Jul 2023 11:00:00 -0400

The 2nd addition to the Analysis Essentials Series, please enjoy my full vocal analysis of Diana Ankudinova's live performance of "Can't Help Falling In Love," originally by Elvis Presley. This audio comes from my most popular YouTube video to-date, recently surpassing 500,000 views -- if you'd like to watch the video, follow the link below. Enjoy!

https://youtu.be/-A-wAOR4XOQ

Geoff Castellucci: Flavors of Bass

Wed, 19 Jul 2023 10:00:00 -0400

Geoff Castellucci is a Bass Singer, Producer, Arranger and Co-Founding Member of VoicePlay. He studied music at the University of Central Florida, but most of his stage experience comes from the school of hard knocks. Geoff performed live shows for many years before starting his YouTube channel in 2019. Aside from his work, he enjoys cooking, gardening and spending time with his family.

Peter and Geoff dive deep into Geoff's career as a member (and major contributor) of VoicePlay, his solo work, approach to vocal technique, upcoming projects, hobbies outside of music, and much more. Please welcome Geoff Castellucci.

https://www.youtube.com/@GeoffCastellucci

https://www.youtube.com/@Thevoiceplay

https://www.instagram.com/geophr3y/

Jennifer Glatzhofer: A Jen of All Trades

Wed, 05 Jul 2023 11:00:00 -0400

Jennifer Glatzhofer has been performing on stages all over the UK from a young age. Her first love being Musical Theatre, she then continued training professionally and has been working in the industry since. Finding her own sound has always been a goal for Jennifer and whilst being a lead singer and pianist for a highly demanding functions band, ‘Joyrider Wedding & Function Band’, she has been able to focus on just that. Whilst learning more about her own voice and how the voice works, she then began teaching voice/singing lessons and now has students all over the world. This includes one to one teaching and even through her reactions and analysis videos on YouTube.

During the pandemic, Jennifer’s channel grew as she began to post reaction & analysis videos of artists, focusing on and demonstrating vocal technique, artistic choices and arrangements. On her journey towards 100k subscribers, Jennifer continues to share informative and entertaining videos whilst also sharing her love of music by posting covers. At the end of 2022 she released a covers album called “Layers” which features musical partner Ian Iredale. The album can be found on all major streaming platforms. The two have more recently released their first original single ‘I’m Not A Fan’. You can be sure to expect more original material coming in the future.

Peter and Jennifer chat about her history as a musical theater performer, experience as a wedding singer, being a voice teacher, approach to vocal technique, upcoming solo projects, finding a healthy work/life balance, takeout food preferences, and much more. Please welcome Jennifer Glatzhofer.

Analysis Essentials Series: The Commendatore Scene from Mozart’s Don Giovanni

Wed, 28 Jun 2023 11:00:00 -0400

Peter Barber's full vocal analysis of one of the greatest scenes in opera, the Commendatore scene from Mozart's iconic opera, Don Giovanni. Peter recently had the immense honor of performing the title role of Don Giovanni at The Academy of Vocal Arts, which inspired him to share the audio of this analysis on designated podcast platforms. The sharing of this audio has thus created a new series (the "Analysis Essentials Series") within the larger podcast umbrella, where Peter will choose his favorite musical and vocal analyses to share in between interview episodes. Please enjoy this extensive breakdown of one of the most famous moments in opera history.

Lauren Paley: The Stairwell Siren

Wed, 21 Jun 2023 14:00:00 -0400

Lauren Paley, otherwise known as “The Stairwell Siren”, is a music and lifestyle content creator best known for her haunting covers she records in her garage stairwell. When her husband’s job went remote as a result of the pandemic, recording music in a one-bedroom apartment became a challenge. It was during this time that Lauren stumbled upon the incredible acoustics of the stairwell - now her recording studio away from home. Since dedicating her time to growing her social media presence, she has amassed a total of over 12 million followers across all platforms. When she isn’t posting covers, she is sharing glimpses of her personal life as a new mom with her fan base.

Tim Foust: A Life of Bass

Wed, 07 Jun 2023 14:00:00 -0400

Tim Foust is a sardonic, yet sensitive, singer-songwriter who doesn’t take himself too seriously.

As an established performer with all-vocal country band, Home Free, Tim is known mostly for a bass voice that reaches notes deep enough to shake arenas. Now, as he begins to release new recordings as a solo artist, the world will be introduced to a master craftsman who can build a wall of sound using the unequaled range of his voice alone. An accomplished songwriter, Tim has achieved recognition for his compositions on Home Free’s Billboard Chart-topping albums, “Timeless,” “Dive Bar Saints” and So Long Dixie.” With an unmistakably authentic writing voice, Tim uses his clever wit to tell stories inspired by both fact and fiction. He enjoys being a wordsmith as much as a musician, and each piece is an opportunity for him to pen lyrics that stir emotion as well as entertain with originality and, at times, humor. Onstage, Tim is known equally for his voice and his personality. Like a big brother, he shows affection to his audience through jokes and teasing, and he’s built a community of fans who travel from far and wide just to be in the same room with him. Tim is a true musician’s musician, which is why he feels at-home in Nashville. Born and raised in the small town of Nederland, Texas, he went on to live in Los Angeles, Boston, Minneapolis, and At-Sea as a guest entertainer aboard cruise ships, before joining Home Free in 2010. In 2013, the group found international success after competing on, and winning, the NBC series “The Sing-Off”. Tim finally found a home in Tennessee in 2014, which is where he also met his wife and frequent musical cohort, Jenika Marion. Collaborating with friends is a huge part of what makes Tim happy and one of the ways he prefers to spend his time. He has been featured on releases by Peter Hollens, VoicePlay, Straight No Chaser, The Hound + The Fox and more. This year, he plans to use new platforms to share the stage and screen with his talented cohorts via stage and backyard shows, destination experiences, livestreamed events, exclusive recordings and more. He recently formed the supergroup, Sweet + Low Music Co., with some off his favorite vocalists, writers and multi-instrumentalists. Tim has two solo albums - “The Best That I Could Do,” a collection of country originals, and “Pieces of Me, Vol. 1,” and all-Tim, all a cappella Doo-Wop project.

Tomi P: Bass Singing Nation

Mon, 16 Aug 2021 08:11:03 -0400

Tomi P is a 22-year old bass singer from the Czech Republic. His musical training began with piano at age 16, and he as since developed into an outstanding vocal arranger and a cappella music producer, while maintaining his position as the bass singer in the vocal band, Shot-C. His YouTube career, where he has accumulated his largest following, started out as a hub for bass singer compilation videos, highlighting vocal ranges of various famous singers in the a cappella world. However, in the last five years, he has become one of the biggest up-and-coming a cappella musical artists himself, with over 32,000 subscribers, and millions of views. Recently, Tomi helped found a group of four bass singers called The Bass Gang in collaboration with Bobby “Bass” Waters, Marwan Ayman, and Peter Barber. With high aspirations, Tomi hopes to create a full-time living from his music, and become one of the leading names in the a cappella world. Tomi and I talk about the landscape of the virtual a cappella world, growing a following, his method for arranging music, his plans for the future, and many more topics. Please welcome Tomi P.

The Bass Gang: May the Bass Be With You

Mon, 19 Jul 2021 09:03:39 -0400

The Bass Gang is a group of four bass singers, thriving in virtual collaboration from all corners of the planet — Bobby Bass from Connecticut, Tomi P from the Czech Republic, Marwan Ayman from Egypt, and Peter Barber from Virginia. During the COVID-19 pandemic, The Bass Gang assembled for their premiere project, entitled, “May the Bass Be With You,” covering four songs by the worldwide sensation, Billie Eilish. So far, May the Bass Be With You has yielded nearly 100,000 views on YouTube, tens of thousands of plays on streaming services, and tens of thousands more on Instagram and TikTok. Needless the say, The Bass Gang’s reputation has quickly permeated throughout the online bass and a cappella communities. With merchandise on the way, as well as plans for future collaborations, The Bass Gang is here to stay, and the buzz around them has only continued to snowball since the their first project came to completion.

In this podcast, we talk about how The Bass Gang started, how we pulled off enormous virtual collaborations from around the world, why we chose Billie Eilish, our whirlwind experience from the onset of the group in January through the culmination of our first project on May 31st, as well as a host of questions provided by BSN, the Bass Singing Nation discord server, without which, The Bass Gang would’ve never been founded, Please welcome The Bass Gang.

My Merchandise Store on Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/PeterBarberMerch

Veronica Swift: Trans Genre

Mon, 05 Jul 2021 11:56:38 -0400

At age 26, Veronica Swift has become one of the world’s most sought-after jazz talents. At age nine, she recorded her first album, and began professionally touring with her parents, as well as The Young Razzcals Jazz Project. At age 11, after recording her second album, she headlined her first show at Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola at Jazz at Lincoln Center. Just before graduating from the University of Miami, Veronica was awarded second place at the Thelonious Monk 2015 Jazz Vocal Competition, landing her a showcase at the esteemed Birdland Jazz Club in New York City, where she maintained a weekly residency while touring internationally with famous trumpeter, Chris Botti. Over the past few years, Veronica signed a record deal with Mack Avenue Recordings, and released her 2019 album entitled, “Confessions” with them. She has also toured and performed on numerous occasions with Michael Feinstein, Benny Green, Wynton Marsalis, and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, appearing at many of the world’s legendary jazz festivals and clubs.

Veronica and I go way back, all the way back to 6th grade at Henley Middle School. A simpler time, and a more awkward time to be sure, but it looks like we’ve both turned out okay. We cover a lot of ground in this conversation, discussing what it means to be a storyteller, to be an artist, the comparisons between jazz and operatic lifestyles, international tours, going to school in Miami, and much more. We went out to dinner the day after this interview, and she casually clued me in that the week prior, she went out to dinner with Sting while she was in New York. I’m obviously a much more exciting dinner date than Sting, but save some fame for the rest of us, would ya? Please welcome Veronica Swift.

Bryan Hymel: Opera Life

Mon, 21 Jun 2021 11:10:49 -0400

Bryan Hymel is a professional opera singer, father, and a member of the Board of Directors for the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia. Praised by The New York Times for his “unflagging stamina and impetuous abandon” during his 2012 Metropolitan Opera debut as Énée in Les Troyens, Bryan Hymel went on to be awarded the Metropolitan Opera’s Beverly Sills Artist Award for his achievements in the production. He is also the winner of the 2013 Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Opera for his trio of performances in Les Troyens, Robert le diable, and Rusalka at London’s Royal Opera House. An exclusive recording artist for Warner Classics, his first solo album Héroïque earned Hymel the coveted Georges Thill Prize by the Académie Nationale du Disque Lyrique and the Newcomer of the Year Award from ECHO Klassik. Additional recordings include La Damnation de Faust with Simon Rattle and the London Symphony Orchestra, Robert le Diable with Daniel Oren and the Opera di Salerno, as well as DVD recordings of Carmen, Les Troyens, Robert le Diable and Les Vepres Sicillienes all from the Royal Opera House in London.

Bryan and I talked about the realities of a career as an opera singer, starting a family as an opera singer, the psychological challenges of the business, vocal technique, and much more. Please welcome Bryan Hymel.

Rod Gilfry: The Baritone Bartender

Mon, 31 May 2021 08:05:48 -0400

Rod Gilfry is a professional opera singer, two-time Grammy nominee, actor, and voice teacher, and is acclaimed world-wide in opera, musicals, recitals and cabaret. He has performed in all the world's music capitals, and appears on over 30 recordings. An important part of his 75-role repertoire are the 12 leading roles he has created in new operas. These include David Lang's solo opera the loser with The Los Angeles Opera, and the Metropolitan Opera’s production of Thomas Adés’s The Exterminating Angel. Despite cancellations due to COVID, Rod has upcoming performances with Renee Fleming, the Metropolitan Opera, and more. Rod is in his 12th* year as a Professor of Vocal Arts at the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music in Los Angeles.

Outside of the musical world, Rod has become a true renaissance man, cultivating the skills of mixology with his full-scale home-bar, and he has even learned how to weld and shape metal.

Rod was my voice teacher at USC for two years, and it was both a joy and an honor to work with him. Despite being an absolute master of his craft, he wouldn’t hesitate to strike up a conversation about a NASA space-launch, and all the sophisticated science that goes into it. He is truly one-of-a-kind. Please welcome Rod Gilfry.

Josh Shaw: COVID fan tutte

Mon, 17 May 2021 12:48:00 -0400

Named as one of Musical America’s Top 30 Innovators in Classical Music, Josh Shaw is the Artistic Director and CEO of Pacific Opera Project (POP), which has been described as "L.A.'s most exciting new opera company." Over the past nine seasons, Mr. Shaw has directed over 35 productions at POP, including The Rake’s Progress, Ariadne auf Naxos, La Calisto, Tosca: A Moving Production; and La Boheme: AKA “The Hipsters”. Mr. Shaw’s reimagining of Die Entführung aus dem Serail as an episode of Star Trek has gained national attention and has been produced by eight companies selling out houses with record-breaking numbers.

Josh and I talk about innovation in opera, running an opera company during a pandemic, what he looks for in singers during auditions, and much more. Please welcome Josh Shaw.

Michaela Murphy (AKA Jessie Flower): The Voice of Toph Beifong

Mon, 03 May 2021 08:55:38 -0400

Michaela Jill Murphy (aka Jessie Flower) is an American actress, singer, and writer often known for her voice work as Toph Beifong in Nickelodeon’s Avatar: The Last Airbender, Chaca in Disney’s The Emperor’s New School, and many more. She grew up acting in Los Angeles, then went on to graduate with a Theater and Film double major from Yale University. She recently started releasing ATLA inspired apparel and merchandise on her new site titled Bandit Basics, and premiered her first short film as writer/producer! Follow her on Instagram @michaelamostly to stay up to date daily and check out her website www.michaelajillmurphy.com!

Michaela and I had a great conversation about her experience as a voice actress, growing up as a child actor in the limelight, her foray into pre-med at Yale University, her journey back into the world of film and theater, her experience in a cappella, the psychological implications of quarantine for performing artists, and much more. This was a true joy for me, and I’m thrilled to share this conversation with all of you. Please welcome Michaela Jill Murphy.

Bobby ”Bass” Waters: Going Viral

Mon, 19 Apr 2021 08:26:53 -0400

Bobby Waters is a 22-year old bass singer, currently pursuing a degree in Computer Science and a minor in Sound Recording Technology from the University of Massachusetts Lowell. In recent months, Bobby has experienced what it’s like to “go viral,” garnering hundreds of thousands of followers and millions of likes. Through TikTok, Bobby and several others formed a vocal group at the beginning of 2021 named The Wellermen, referenced after their sea chanty studio single, “Wellerman.” After releasing this track just weeks ago, it already has millions of streams throughout all streaming services, and over one million views on the corresponding YouTube video.

Bobby and I talked about what it’s like to go viral, the differences between the college and professional a cappella worlds, TikTok, growing a following, sea chanties, Game of Thrones, and much more. Bobby and I recently collaborated on a cover of “The Summit” by Avi Kaplan, which Avi actually ended up seeing, AND giving us a full stamp of approval — we talk about this briefly in the interview, and what it’s like to interact with your biggest musical heroes. Please welcome Bobby Waters.

Introduction: Vocal Arts with Peter Barber

Sun, 18 Apr 2021 11:39:27 -0400

Hi everyone, and welcome to Vocal Arts, the podcast that explores the world of professional voice artists. My name is Peter Barber, and I'll be your guide along this path of vocal performance. What's that? Oh, why am I qualified to host this show? Well, for starters, I got my master's degree in, you guessed it, "Vocal Arts and Performance" from the University of Southern California. I trained one-on-one with world-class singers, and learned all about the physiology and function of the human voice from leading voice scientists. Beyond that, I currently sing opera professionally as a Resident Artist at the Academy of Vocal Arts. Since quarantine started, I began producing my own a cappella music, from arranging and recording to mixing and mastering. I've performed in basically every genre from EDM to chamber choir, and with an undergrad major in audio engineering, I can comfortably bridge the gap between live performance and studio recordings, from the grandiose space of a 3000-seat opera house to the intimate, sound-proof booths used in voiceover. But perhaps most importantly, I'm just a young artist, fascinated by the various careers in vocal performance, and inspired to learn more about them from the best and brightest vocal talent the world has to offer. Thank you so much for joining me on this journey, and no matter what your involvement is within the world of vocal arts, I hope that here, on this podcast, you can both learn something and enjoy. This is Peter Barber, and I'll see you next time on Vocal Arts.