Okay! I've been thinking about it. There is something all famous performers have in common ...they are absolutely comfortable on stage! And, having a great time!! 
I worked on; 

​Giving up the stage Fright; 

​For the time between knowing I had the gig and doing the gig. Every time I would get "butterflies" in my stomach. Or, I would I would have a scenario run through my head. Where I was, in one way or another, failing. I would pull myself up short. Tell myself, "cancel, cancel, cancel." And then, think about how I wanted it to be. 

I imagined how it would be if I got paid a lot to be there ...if everyone who was there, came to see me! 

​I tried that ...with great success!! 
BTW - It is unedited for one purpose; the preparation for "The Voice" isn't always as easy or slick as I'd like it ...and that's all a part of it!

It went went great!! There were sound issues... and coffee making issues ...and lyric issues: ) 
But all it all, it went really well. I was focused on having fun and paying attention to what I was singing. I think I nailed it 
...except when I forgot my words!: ) 
Check it out!!!  

V - Love&Happiness    V – IloveYouMoreThanYoullEverKnow    V – ICantTakeMy EyesOffOfYou

This was a submission from my own studio. Where the sound just isn't right.: ( 
But, I was desperately frustrated by this "Studio" of mine, at the time. And, the new season was being cast.

So, I just did it...

V - J White Intro 
V 2 love an happiness                V - 3 I love you more than you’ll ever know 

Things I didn't like...

There is that "watching yourself" thing. That I am determined to be free of! The basic quality of the sound I didn't like, either. This was still the "learning curve." There were so many things I didn't like about this submission.

Maybe I shouldn't have submitted myself. But, at the time, I thought, I've got to take the chance. Maybe it will be good enough; that I will get out of my "perfectly-lovely-but-not-music" corporate job, this summer. 
Two months went by with no contact (that's how long the submission is good for.) Oh well, I didn't like that submission, anyway.

I wanted to get the best quality I could so I went into a studio. Booked some studio time ...and a videographer. The intent was to record my submission and video record it at the same time.

V - Introducing Jenepher White 

V – Deaths Got A Warrant                      V-Lil Darlin 

What I learned from that experience was that I wanted to have my own equipment. That way I could sing a song as many takes as required so I would be truly happy with the end product ...also, I wanted a studio because I am writing songs! …and who knows where that’ll take me.: ) 

After much research, I found the equipment I could afford. But, then came several months that the studio would only work, off and on ...some electricity issue. And, then sometimes it would work. But, the sound wasn't right?!? (some Operating System issue.) It was very frustrating …grrrrr!

May 2014 - Submission #2

For the next submission, I had decided to go into a recording studio and get a videographer. One of the perks of working full-time is that I had the money in my savings to do that! Now, mind you, it was a small savings. But, I could do it! So I did. : )

First, I...

• Chose and learned songs "Death's Got A Warrant" by Patti Griffin and "I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know" by Donny Hathaway
• Did a creative Intro (Like "The Voice" wanted)
• and submitted myself 

It took 10 1/2 months (June 2014 - May 2015) to get that next submission in. But, every step of the way, I felt more and more confident ...and that was really good.

October 2014 - Open Mic - Hop Vine

Hop Vine Open Mic - Seattle, WA (Capital Hill, to be exact: ) 
So......there we were, Jenepher and I, sitting, rather awkwardly, in a cool, hip pub on capital hill... 
Since we'd just enjoyed Thai food and neither one of us drinks, we pulled up a couple of bar stools and ordered some fizzy water... 
The place was loud.. 
At the front was a make shift stage.. 
People were gathering their equipment and musical paraphernalia, getting set for the open mic session... 
As pitchers of beer and funky people filled the pub, our anticipation grew... 
Soon, it would be Jenepher up on that little stage, her big voice ready to belt out the Al Green song, she'd been practicing... 
She was seventh in line to perform.... 
Dude with guitar, after dude with guitar approached the stage, sang, played and enjoyed their moments of limelight... 
But.....and here's the thing.... 
For the most part, all the people in the pub, just kept talking and drinking and barely noticed the artists on stage, pouring their hearts out into the microphone... 
Mere background noise, it was, mostly a barely discernable tune and vague lyrics.... 
Until.... 
Jenepher approached the stage... 
The only woman to perform that evening...A rarity in the open mic scene... 
Someone clearly different, tall, blond and evidently poised... 
Her music began, she grabbed the microphone confidently in her hand.... 
The energy in the pub shifted palpably the moment her voice filled the air... 
As she sang, the people stopped talking, a hoot was heard, and all around, people began to groove... 
Oh yeah!, 
Blond, blue eyed soul captured the scene.... 
Her black hat fell off her head, she kept singing, feeling the vibe.... 
When the time came to continue the words, she reached down grabbed that black hat and put it right back on her head....the hat had soul! 
The crowd loved that! 
Everywhere, people were tapping and swaying and feeling the music that oozed from the artist on stage... 
It was clear, Jenepher owned this time in space... 
We all felt it, in the way that soul music should be felt, in your heart, the kind that makes ya just feel free and happy... 
The end of her song brought  rousing applause... 
We all, wanted more! Another song, to keep the feeling going! 
But alas, there was just the one song... 
But what a song it was! 
Love and Happiness.....more than the title of the song, it was the shift that permeated the air at the Hop Vine Pub last night... 
And, while I will admit, some dude's tune My Love is Like a Frisbee, was pretty catchy, ( no pun intended ;) ) it was Jenepher and her soulful performance that made the night, and, I think it's safe to say, based on the hoots, nods of approval and shouts as we left the pub last night, that Jenepher, indeed, has only begun to tap her talent and create her own fan base of those who feel the power too... 
Well done, my friend....I almost feel famous, just because I was with the star of the evening  ...Jenepher White <3 
Written by Michelle Berger

September 2014 - Writing songs???

I started writing songs, again!! They are totally different than anything I've ever written.

I think some time away might have done me some good.: )

May 2014 - Submission To "The Voice"

I worked on it for about 10 months. Mostly, because my voice was still rehabbing. But also, my confidence was getting stronger. After almost a year, I was ready. June 2014, with "I Am Changing" and "Love & Happiness" (shot on my cell phone) I submitted myself for The Voice. I heard nothing 
 

The Voice encourages all singers to submit/audition often. They say, "Don't assume that you're not good enough, it you're not chosen. There are a zillion things that go into making a TV show, that have nothing to do with the Artist.

So, I started working on two more songs I would learn and submit. 

October 2013- Vocal Coach

I also found the best Vocal Coach to help me "rehab" my voice. 
​Jordan Corbin Wentworth has/is doing amazing things for me and my voice.

July 2013 - What Does "The Voice" want???

First I found out that you have to have two songs to submit yourself for The Voice. I started looking.

I realized that I didn't know at all what style of music I would do. My voice, and experience would lend itself to something ...but what??? Finally I came upon "Love & Happiness" by Al Green. 

And I started learning my second song

July 2013 - I remembered The Words!!

V-I Am Changing 

As I turned to leave the stage I had one thought, "Well ...I could do this all the time!!!: )" 

And so, my decision to be on "The Voice." 
I knew that there would be some work for me to do. Vocally, at least  ...all of the surgeries with a tube down my throat and all of the intervening years. 

But, it was still there ...in me. I had to sing. And I had to sing for as many people as possible!!!

April 2013 - The Beginning ...again

I was singing in a choir (...something I did now and then, because I could still do that.) And the Choir Director announced that the church was having a Talent Show. 

Perfect! I wanted a place that I could "try out" my voice, in a performance. That I knew I wouldn't get "booed" off the stage, no matter how much I sucked. 

After not singing, as a solo artist, for over twenty years. I was preparing to be in this talent show. Yikes!! I still had plenty of stage fright. I was not sure if I would get sick the day before the performance or have a horrible migraine that day. After all, my singing history was littered with my body getting in the way of performances; that was the "usual." But, has it changed? 

Yes!! It had. The only way that old "stage fright" actually showed itself, was that I would forget some of the lyrics every single time I was singing in front of another person ...all the way up through the tech rehearsal!! 
But, I was determined...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVahaANlwC0