Staying Motivated during Covid | Why I started The Scrappy Mezzo

Hello friends!

I'm sure there are plenty of people that decided to start a Blog or a YouTube Channel in 2020. Why did I start The Scrappy Mezzo?

There is a space for it.

I have searched high and low for a channel that talked about the things I want to talk about. There are thousands of videos talking about the different voice types, opera synopses, a day in the life when they have rehearsal or a show, and general opera singing, and how to sing opera. I wanted to know what to expect when going into a young artist program and what those days look like at different levels. I wanted to know what to pack for a 3 week gig, a 4 month gig, and perhaps a yearlong. What do you do with your apartment when you're gone? What's it like to be married in this profession? Do I really have to be fluent in 3 or more languages? What does it look like when you have kids? How on earth do I deal with my taxes? What do opera singers do when they're at home? How do you deal with contracts and what is the proper etiquette for when you are offered multiple contracts? What are some side hustle ideas for when I have awkward amounts of time between gigs? What is the best way to record opera singing for audition videos? (Still asking this question, and this video will be coming in the next few weeks!)

To inspire my fellow singers.

There are so many singers that have lost work in 2020. So many things that we were working towards have come to a complete stop. The work we thought would be there in the Fall is beginning to trickle away as well. At this point, we'll be lucky if Summer 2021 happens. Basically, a lot of singers are twiddling their thumbs at this point. I want to inspire people to find their inner scrappiness. We don't need gigs to keep improving and exploring our artistry.

So, I hope you can come along with me as I share my own scrappiness journey with you. If you have any requests or thoughts, let me know below!

Photo: Brent Calis / Opera McGill / Little Women / Jo March

a.k.a. Jo telling 2020 to GET OUT OF HERE. :)