Dear singers, actors, voiceovers and all other professionals who make a living from your throats… we need to talk! No, not about whether “La Llorona” is a myth or a wedding hit, but about a quieter and more dangerous villain: the heat.
That relentless sun, that air-conditioning that feels like a polar desert, not to mention that stage that feels like an oven. All of them have a master plan to sabotage your voice and, in the worst-case scenario, turn your “Ave Maria” into a crow’s croak.
The main problem is dehydration. To put it simply, your vocal cords are like two mini-trampolines coated in a magical jelly that lets them vibrate without rubbing together, creating heavenly sounds. What does heat do? It drinks that jelly. Without that protective layer, your vocal cords rub against each other like two rocks. The result is not exactly musical, unless your genre is “gargoyle song from the Middle Ages”.
Heat is like that friend who invites you to the beach and steals your wallet while you’re asleep. It gives you a false sense of wellbeing, but in reality it’s dehydrating you and taking away your most valuable asset: your voice!
The vocal superhero’s handbook against heat
So the heat doesn’t steal your talent and make you sound like you’re chewing gravel, here are some tips:
- Drink, drink and drink again! I’m not talking about that ice-cold beer that shouts “buy me!” at the beach bar. Caffeine and alcohol are like double agents: they give you a sip of pleasure, but behind the scenes they’re sending your body a message to get rid of all your fluids.
- Humidifier, your new best friend. If you work in an air-conditioned environment that seems designed by a penguin, a humidifier is your shield. Keeping moisture in the air is like spraying your vocal cords with spring water without having to dunk your head in a bucket.
- Rest your voice! After a marathon of voice-over work, don’t head off to a party to shout. Give your voice the same rest you’d give your legs after a real marathon. Imagine every word is a step, and every shout? A 100-metre sprint. Do you want to finish the race or collapse at the finish line?
So now you know. Next time you feel the heat, don’t just think about your tan or whether your ice cream is melting. Think about your vocal cords, which are far more fragile and valuable. After all, without them you could only communicate with your friends via WhatsApp (in writing)… and that really would be a tragedy!
