Curious Vocalists

About Curious Vocalists

For the curious singers who want to find more fulfilment from their craft, join Grace for a deep dive into comprehensive vocal training techniques and profound emotional awareness. Featuring insightful interviews with experienced performers and practitioners, listen in as Grace gleans wisdom about the technical know-how, mental resilience and ways to navigate this turbulent industry with integrity and purpose.

Publisher

Grace Hancock Music

Category

education · health & fitness · music

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

13 Nov 2025

Latest episode

30 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

51 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   30 Oct 2026

   #51 Curiosity & Play in Artist Development: Trauma-Informed Frameworks with Jessica Baldwin (Part 1)

   In part one of this two-part conversation, host Grace Hancock sits down with popular music voice specialist, researcher, and creativity coach Jess Baldwin. Together, they explore trauma-informed voice pedagogy, addressing common pain points such as creative burnout, perfectionism, decision fatigue, and the fear of judgment in the studio. Jess shares how establishing safety and choice forms the groundwork for genuine play, offering structured frameworks for vocalists, songwriters, and voice teachers navigating periods of life transition or creative stagnation. (Note: Part two will focus on building artist identity, accepting your sound, and applying self-compassion during creative despondency.) Key Takeaways: Psychological Safety as the Foundation for Play: Play cannot occur without safety. Singers who struggle with perfectionism or people-pleasing often need time to build trust with themselves and their instructor before taking creative risks. Offering Choice & Agency: For students feeling anxious or reluctant to sing, providing small choices (such as choosing between two exercises) restores autonomy and lowers nervous system activation. Overcoming Decision Fatigue with Constraints: Unbounded creative options often lead to overwhelm. Setting specific boundaries—such as syllable counts, rhyme schemes, or specific prompts—lowers cognitive load and makes songwriting accessible. Managing Creative Flux & Nervous System Safety: Transitions (like moving or career shifts) destabilise our nervous system. During these periods, find small instances of comfort/delight. These shouldn't be forced into productivity; instead, simple, comforting non-musical routines help restore baseline safety. Structuring Popular Music Pedagogy: Unlike traditional classical training, popular music education requires self-reflection, learning by ear, and collaboration without a single authoritative director. Intention Over Perfection: Moving away from a rigid "right or wrong" mindset happens when artists clarify their underlying intention (e.g., the specific vibe or emotion they want to convey) and test choices against that goal. Chapters List 01:51 Establish Safety First Before Creativity Can Flow12:26 Using Delight as a Compass to Creative Direction17:44 How Structure Can Support Creativity22:35 Setting Intentions Helps Make Artistic Choices25:19 How to Choose When There's TOO MUCH Choice Resource Links Jess Baldwin’s Official Coaching Website: https://truecolorscreativity.com/ Jess Baldwin’s Official Website: https://www.jessbaldwin.com/ Jess's Previous 2024 Podcast Interview Mentioned (Valerie Day's Living A Vocal Life): https://livingavocallife.com/living-a-vocal-life-podcast/living-a-vocal-life-jess-baldwin — Empowering Singers Through Creativity Coaching with Jess Baldwin Ohio University School of Music: Discover the https://www.ohio.edu/fine-arts/music Discover the degree course at Ohio University, where Jess teaches voice and artist development. About the Host Grace is a seasoned singer-pianist, vocal coach and composer. Over the past decade she has dedicated her life to music and creativity, performing aboard luxury cruise ships across the world and composing for theatre and short films. Her original compositions have been recognised by festivals such as the Paris Film Awards and Only the Best International Film Awards. She strives now to determine how to cultivate authentic expression in music and the importance of it for mental health and human connection. Contact Method gracehancockmusic@gmail.com www.gracehancockmusic.com https://www.instagram.com/gracehancockmusic http://www.facebook.com/gracehancockmusician

2. 

   15 Oct 2026

   #50 AI Tools for Singers: Evolving Tech for Vocal Teachers and Students

   Celebrating Episode 50! Please note: Curious Vocalists is now on a biweekly schedule. See you in two weeks! In this episode of Curious Vocalists, host Grace Hancock speaks with Sergey Kuhne, the founder of Singing Carrots. They discuss how artificial intelligence and interactive software function within vocal education. Sergey explains the platform's dual approach: a free video conferencing and transcription tool designed to help voice teachers manage and track student progress, and an AI chat assistant equipped with a virtual piano that guides independent students through pitch and range exercises between lessons. The conversation explores the limitations of automated vocal assessment, particularly regarding timber, physical tension, and bodily posture, while emphasizing that technology acts as a supportive practice partner rather than a replacement for human pedagogy. Chapters 00:47 How Singing Carrots Works for Singers and Teachers06:45 The Role of AI as a Vocal Training Companion08:03 Uses for Various Singing Levels11:29 Copyright Limitations on Practise Content13:13 Assessing Vocal Performance: Capabilities and Limitations16:31 Caution Advised Not to Over-Trust21:59 Watch Out For AI Hallucination25:29 8000 Users Have Measurable Improvements26:00 Pricing and Accessibility of AI Tools27:53 Speculations on The Future of AI32:25 How Singing Carrots Might Evolve In The Future Key Takeaways Dual Platform Design: Singing Carrots offers a free video and transcription tool for teachers to monitor homework, alongside a paid AI assistant that acts as a virtual practice partner for students. The Gym Analogy: The platform functions similarly to a gym or a personal trainer's equipment, providing structured workouts and pitch tracking between lessons rather than replacing the instructor. Technical Limitations: While reliable for measuring pitch, tempo, and vibrato, current AI technology struggles to consistently and accurately assess complex vocal attributes like timber and physical register breaks without professional calibration. Beginner Confidence: The app provides a safe space for timid or tone-deaf beginners to practice privately, build self-esteem, and eventually transition to human teachers or singing communities. The AI Threat Debate: Sergey notes that while technology will continue to evolve slowly, teachers have time to adapt, integrate these tools into their workflows, and enhance student engagement. Find Out More About Singing Carrots: Platform Website: Singing Carrots https://www.facebook.com/singingcarrots https://www.instagram.com/singingcarrotsapp/ https://www.youtube.com/@singingcarrots About the Host Grace is a seasoned singer-pianist, vocal coach and composer. Over the past decade she has dedicated her life to music and creativity, performing aboard luxury cruise ships across the world and composing for theatre and short films. Her original compositions have been recognised by festivals such as the Paris Film Awards and Only the Best International Film Awards. She strives now to determine how to cultivate authentic expression in music and the importance of it for mental health and human connection. Contact Method gracehancockmusic@gmail.com www.gracehancockmusic.com https://www.instagram.com/gracehancockmusic http://www.facebook.com/gracehancockmusician

3. 

   8 Oct 2026

   #49 Diaphragmatic Breathing Fix: 10 Ways to Finally Feel Your Core Support

   Mastering diaphragmatic breathing can feel elusive, especially if you lack initial body awareness or default to upper-chest movement while singing. In this episode, Grace shares her top ten simple, tried and tested techniques she uses daily for her students, designed to help you connect with your core and build healthy breath support naturally. From everyday physical triggers like coughing, laughing, and smelling a rose to postural adjustments and gravity-assisted positions, this episode offers a diverse toolkit so you can find the specific method that clicks for your body. Chapters 00:00 Importance of General Bodily Awareness Before Singing 02:03 1: Cough or Laugh to Feel Natural Movement 03:28 Quick Anatomical Description 04:35 2: Pretend You're Shouting For a Taxi 05:51 3: Hands Behind Your Head Posture Corrector 07:05 4: Breathing Exercise Lying Down 08:14 5: Ab Engagement - Brace For A Punch 09:55 6: Exercise for Breathing Low Down 'Into Your Hips' 12:03 7: Sniff the Rose 14:37 8: Squeeze All The Air Out, Then Relax 16:09 9: Let Gravity Help You 17:20 10: Check You're Doing it Right Key Takeaways Before attempting diaphragmatic breathing exercises, building general bodily awareness through gentle stretching, swaying core twists, or ab crunches helps loosen up your midsection. Coughing, laughing, or being startled naturally engages your diaphragm and core muscles, providing the exact physical activation needed for singing. Using conversational vocal triggers like hailing a taxi or shouting a friend's name allows your support to kick in naturally without over-manipulating your muscles. Correct posture, such as imagining a string pulling you up from the crown of your head or lacing your fingers behind your skull, keeps your sternum raised and encourages downward breath movement. Practicing while lying down or on your hands and knees uses gravity to help your belly move correctly, making it easier to feel the breath expanding your lower core. Many of the muscles we use for singing are involuntary muscles which are often more easily manipulated by envisaging an environment or carrying out an act that inadvertently uses those muscles, like smelling a rose or the kind of slow, silent breathing we do when hiding during a game of hide and seek. Explosive consonant blows like angry s, f, and sh sounds check that your airflow is being driven entirely by your belly while your throat and chest stay completely open and relaxed. About the Host Grace is a seasoned singer-pianist, vocal coach and composer. Over the past decade she has dedicated her life to music and creativity, performing aboard luxury cruise ships across the world and composing for theatre and short films. Her original compositions have been recognised by festivals such as the Paris Film Awards and Only the Best International Film Awards. She strives now to determine how to cultivate authentic expression in music and the importance of it for mental health and human connection. Contact Method gracehancockmusic@gmail.com www.gracehancockmusic.com https://www.instagram.com/gracehancockmusic http://www.facebook.com/gracehancockmusician

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