Singing in protest is universally recognized as one of the most impactful forms of peaceful protest. Ever since we have had songs we have had work songs, love songs, grieving songs and protest songs. This short episode is a dip into the water of Protest Singing with special gratitude to the people behind the Singing Resistance movement in Minnesota and all those who have gone before them. It also offers some practical guidance on how to keep your voice safe while you're singing for extended periods and in extreme weather.

Thank you for listening! Please share with your protesting friends and family! 🙏🏻🎶🎤

Here are links to some of the resources I shared in this episode:

My Free Five Minute Warm Up Video

Other podcast episodes you might want to listen to are:

12 Tips for a Healthy Voice this Cold Season

There are 5 short episodes about warming up starting here:

All About Warming Up Part One

Then Cool Downs and how to use vocal straws.

Cool Downs and Straws

Where this new wave is beginning:

The Singing Resistance grass roots organization video.

Singing Resistance Marin

Then finally, if you would like to read a messy transcript of this episode click here.

I can't believe you almost didn't get this episode and it's so good!

Jonathon Heather has studied Alexander Technique with global mentors and alongside some of the world's top performing musicians. A life long musician, artist and long distance cyclist, he has a deep love of sharing this work so that others can unlock their natural potential .

He says "So far I'm the only trans AT practitioner I know!"

"I draw daily on the Alexander Technique as my fount of physical and emotional well-being.

I love this work and am happy to have the opportunity to share the inspiration of it as I teach.

There is a spacious beauty and a peacefulness (as well as so many practical benefits) that is hard to define, but which for me, is at the core of learning the Technique."

This episode will benefit singers, actors, voice over artists, musicians and anyone who wants to have a deeper, more fluid connection with their body, their instrument for expression.

You can read more about Jonathon at his website here www.jonathonheather.co.uk

Or follow him on instagram here https://www.instagram.com/bodywise2jq/

For the FULL transcript and images associated to this episode go to Episode 58 Show Notes

You can find out more about my work at www.yourfreevoice.com

or follow me on instagram https://www.instagram.com/julianortoncoaching/

LinkedIN https://www.linkedin.com/in/julianorton/

And you're interested in more resources to Free Your Voice go to:https://yourfreevoice.com/resources/

For my first episode of 2026 I wanted to address the elephant in the room and remind us all, myself included, of some simple things we can all do, to help us feel better.

Moving your body, singing with others, having a 'Cheer the F-UP' playlist and taking action where you can are some of my suggestions. For the whole deal give it a listen and let me know what you're doing to feel better?

You can find me at yourfreevoice.com and also here on Instagram and here on LinkedIN

Thank you SO much for listening and sharing with your friends, if you had a moment to subscribe, like and review wherever you get your podcasts I would so deeply appreciate that.

Now do a little deep breathing and then make that playlist!

Love Julia

For many free resources including warm ups, meditations and my cold season voice tips click here.

How to Feel Better - through, breath, movement, song and connection.

Click here for show notes and messy transcript

In this episode I'm sharing with you some of my ideas for creative rituals for the winter solstice.

I also wanted to make sure this one was properly grounded in our voices and how we feel about them so I offer:

1. Working with the pause between the in breath and the out breath.
2. Writing a Shadow Inventory.
3. Writing a letter from the self you are ready to become.
4. Making a collage.
5. Singing the things from your shadow inventory as you release them into flames.
6. Scanning your body for the holding and stories that are hiding there.

I also invited you to join my mailing list which you can do here to be the first to know about #7 which is the new resource I'm creating for the new year about releasing ancestral blocks.

Take care of yourself in these cold months, give yourself up to the darkness for a moment to relax and listen to what your body is telling you. You'll be glad you did.

And lets make 2026 the year you fully Free Your Voice!

Happy Holidays!

Julia

Click here for show notes and messy transcript

It's that time of year folks! 🎤 If you need your voice to make a living, share your message or bring the joy (I'm looking at you voice actors, podcast hosts and carol singers!!) ..keeping your voice in great shape should be a daily routine, but sometimes it's even more important.

Like during the cold season :)

In this episode I take you through my favorite remedies (many of which you can create in your own kitchen) and yu don't even need to take notes because you can grab my free guide Get that here.

An episode full of simple remedies for prevention, relief and comfort, from saline to nebulizers, to self massage, it's all inside the guide.

Stay healthy my friends 😷 ❤️

Important disclaimer - I'm NOT a medical professional, but I've been coaching singers and actors for over 25 years and have found these remedies to be super helpful.

Please help me get the word out about this podcast 🙏🏻 Follow rate and share with your friends especially the ones who need to step into their light and shine!🌟

This is a very quick episode as I'm actually prepping for Thanksgiving hosting, but I wanted to share.

• Discover how to tweak your gratitude practice (or create one) so that you can begin to manifest your future. 🌟

• It's not selfish to feel gratitude when so many are suffering… in fact it's essential. ❤️

• An intention practice for when you're bustling through holiday traffic and shopping, to not add an extra burden to those you encounter… you don't know how many invisible things they are already carrying. 🙏🏻

• And a quiet breath. 😮‍💨

Please subscribe and rate and share with your friends and I would LOVE to welcome you to my community of open hearted voicey people, you can find me in all the following places, but the best stuff happens in my private newsletter my website

LinkedIN

YouTube

Instagram

I'm so grateful for you!

See you next time!

Julia xox

Click here for show notes and messy transcript

Warning there are some references to smoking and swear words in this episode!

In this episode I'm chatting with my former voice student and current rock star of the moment, Chris Portka.

I interviewed Chris a couple of years ago about his earlier album 'TRASH Music', which was fab, but in a very different way to this album. Since I received my vinyl copy it's been on a regular rotation in our house, it's that good.

'The Album That Everyone Wants' was recorded in a frenzy of play and experimentation in a hallowed New York Studio earlier this year and the result is honestly just fantastic. Playful, folksy, hopeful and a bit dry & smoky around the edges. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Here are the links to listen and buy - support a real life musican this holiday season! ❤️

Listen to tracks and buy a digital copy HERE

Buy the vinyl directky from Chris HERE

If you want to listen to my earlier interview with Chris where he talks about his journey to accepting his voice and himself as a singer and working with his Shadow material to transform his life, you can do that here.

If you are ready to take the journey yourself, I would love to talk to you about your voice and journey so far. Schedule a meeting with me to discuss how we might work together on this page.

Click here for show notes and messy transcript

In this episode I explore some of my thoughts and feelings about what it means to "come home" to your voice. As the nights draw in and we begin to turn inward a journey into 'self' feels a bit more possible.

• Can you begin to experiment and play with your voice for just 5 minutes a day? What does it feel like to take off any ideas of being 'good' and just vocalizing freely?

• How does it feel to move and vocalize? Dancing to music you love and making up a melody or words that don't match the song can feel really naughty and hilarious.

• Which 'coming home' myths resonate with you? Why do you think that storyline is SO popular?

If you would like to understand how your voice actually works I created a short online course a few years ago called Your Vocal Health - it's really liberating and creatively freeing to know what actually causes vocal loss. More info on that here.

If you happen to live in the San Francisco Bay Area and would like to spend an afternoon moving and vocalizing with me in Berkeley, there are a few spots left for my Coming Home to Your Voice workshop at the Berkeley Alembic, details for that are here.

If you're enjoying this podcast, please subscribe and share with your friends, thank you so much for listening!

Click here for show notes and messy transcript