"Confident on the Sam: Overcoming Stage Fear in Hindustani Singing"

Sharanya naidu
Aug 13
2 min read

Updated: Aug 16

Even the most seasoned Hindustani vocalists—those who can glide through intricate taans and handle the most demanding vilambit compositions—have felt that nervous flutter before stepping onto the stage. Performance anxiety is not a sign of weakness; it’s a sign that you care about your art. But for music learners, this anxiety can sometimes overshadow all the hours of riyaaz and preparation.

Let’s explore why this happens and how you can turn performance jitters into performance power.

Why Hindustani Singers Experience Performance Anxiety

Performance anxiety often comes from a mix of mental, physical, and emotional factors:

Fear of forgetting the bandish or missing the sam.
Overthinking the audience’s judgment—especially when senior musicians are listening.
Pressure to maintain pitch perfection in the presence of the tanpura.
Body reactions to stress—dry mouth, shaky voice, faster heartbeat.
Lack of performance experience—especially for students who have done more riyaaz than stage singing.

How Performance Anxiety Affects Singing

In Hindustani vocal music, anxiety doesn’t just make you nervous—it can directly impact your performance:

Tense throat muscles make meend and gamak difficult.
Shortened breath control disrupts long aakaar phrases.
Loss of focus during taans or sargam improvisation.
Reduced emotional connection to the raga’s bhava and rasa.

Practical Strategies to Overcome Performance Anxiety

1. Simulate the Stage During Practice

Don’t let your first “audience” be on the concert day. Invite a few friends, family members, or fellow students to listen to your riyaaz. Record yourself and imagine you are in a live mehfil.

2. Anchor Yourself with the Tanpura

Before singing, focus on the drone of the tanpura. It calms the mind, centers your pitch, and creates a safe auditory space—like a musical anchor in a storm of nerves.

3. Start with a Familiar Raga

Choose an opening raga or bandish that you know inside out. This builds early confidence on stage.

4. Breathing Techniques for Calmness

Practice slow inhalations and exhalations before performing. This regulates your heartbeat and increases oxygen flow, helping you sustain long phrases without strain.

5. Mental Framing

Instead of thinking, “I must not make mistakes”, think “I am sharing music I love”. Remember—audiences come to enjoy, not to criticize every microtone.

6. Build Stage Experience Gradually

Participate in small baithaks, student concerts, or informal gatherings before tackling large auditorium performances.

7. Accept Imperfection

Even great maestros have missed notes or forgotten lyrics. The difference is—they keep going gracefully.

Turning Anxiety into Art

Anxiety is essentially energy—and with the right mindset, that energy can be transformed into expressive power. The heightened awareness you feel can make your alaap more sensitive, your taans more passionate, and your delivery more alive.

Remember, Hindustani music is not just about technical perfection—it’s about connecting with the raga and your listeners. If you sing with sincerity, even a nervous note becomes part of the story you are telling.

Final Thought:

Every performance is a conversation between your heart and the audience’s heart, with the raga as the language. So the next time nerves visit you before a performance, smile and say—“Chalo, let’s sing together.”