New Experiences: Open Mic
I am no stranger to performing - I am an active member of a local amateur dramatics society and have done plays and singing. I am also known to love a good open karaoke session, usually happy to be the first to the mic so its probably isn’t surprise that I would eventually find myself signing up for a local open mic show which was what happened yesterday.
The difference is with most open mic nights, there are no backing tracks and there is an unwritten rule that you will be able to play an instrument of sorts to accompany yourself. The second thing is original songs tend to be the theme for the evening, although you can do covers but again, you have to accompany yourself. So I decided to give it a go, I had been songwriting since the start of the year and I thought now was the time to be brave.
My friends had come to provide moral support for my first time and had managed to get a table right close to the stage. I signed up with the host, changed (as I had been to aerial hoop earlier) and proceeded to have a nice dinner. 100% plant based pizza (perfect for the lactose intolerant moi).
The wait was nervewracking and I nearly didn’t get a slot. The host had forgotten me and honestly I questioned what was the point of bright pink hair if you are that forgettable to the host 🙈 but the thought vanished as he realised and made multiple apologies and slotting me as No. 7 out of 15.
The performers before me were experienced guitar players and it showed and honestly I felt very out of my depth, me and my little pineapple shaped concert ukulele (which looked even smaller in the backdrop of everyone else playing guitars!).
Performer No 6 before me was very experienced, her songs were soulful and to put the icing on the cake she played guitar whilst playing the harmonica. I turned to my friends, face getting pale ‘How am I meant to follow that?!’ I was greeted with encouragement from the trio as I stepped onto the stage.
Now remember how I said I was not a stranger to performing on stage, but this was a completely different ball game.
It was just me, my uke and my original songs - completely exposed, completely open, completely on display. It was a sort of nakedness where I was baring my soul to a room of strangers, singing songs that I had written from my own experiences and emotions, coming from very personal places. I shook, I got chords wrong and made up random strumming patterns. But while I sang the words, it brought me back to those moments in time when I had sung the first note with the chords and put the song together, reminding me of the emotional state and emotions that had circled my heart at that point. It was like taking a glimpse back into the past but also reminded me how far I had come this year.
I finished both songs and stepped off the stage, I was surrounded by polite applause and my friend hugged me tightly as I sat down. I was still in a state of shock, the adrenaline needed to settle and it took a while to sink in, that I did it! I stepped onto a stage as me - just me.
The me that felt like the truest version of me (as cheesy as that sounds). I embodied Huihui - my chosen name.
On my way out of the venue, Performer No 6 said I had a lovely voice and nice songs - I smiled and said thank you. Knowing I touched one stranger with my songs and my truth, that was powerful. We had connected in a meaningful way for that brief moment and it was beautiful. It made me think that no matter how brief your encounters with people can be, you never know what impact you have on them going forward.
For me, this open mic has been such a transformative experience and one I hope will be repeated in future 🩷.
