The Charismatic Voice’s Elizabeth Zharoff is launching an Kickstarter campaign to advance vocal research. 100% of funds donated to the Kickstarter will go to The Charismatic Voice Research Fund, a non-profit dedicated to vocal research.
You can donate here. And if you’re not sure that you know Zharoff and her work, yes you do – she’s the one that did all the extensive vocal testing of Lorna Shore vocalist Will Ramos.
“I used to think that screams and growls were harmful to the vocal cords,” said Zharoff. “Even with eight years of university opera training and a decade of performing, I believed these sounds were damaging. But I was wrong. We were wrong.”
She continued: “In ten years, I want to see programs on vocal distortion at Juilliard. I want classical singers to cross-train in these techniques because there’s evidence that training in vocal distortion could actually improve your high notes.”
Zharoff envisions a future where vocal distortions are used to treat mental illnesses like depression and anxiety. The vagus nerve, which connects the vocal folds to various critical organs, plays a role in emotional processing. Zharoff believes that engaging the full range of vocal structures, as metal singers do, could lead to breakthroughs in mental health therapies.
So who’s gonna get tested? The short list is:
- Travis Ryan of Cattle Decapitation
- Phil Bozeman of Whitechapel
- Mark Garrett of Kardashev and Kardavox Academy (YouTube)
- Melissa Bonny of Ad Infinitum and Kamelot
- Alissa White-Gluz of Arch Enemy
- Spencer Sotelo of Periphery
- Tatiana Shmayluk of Jinjer
- Devin Townsend
The project will be led by top vocal researchers at the University of Utah, with additional experts from around the world. Zharoff has funded much of the initial research herself, but to expand the study, she needs community support.
“We’ve had people ask why we’re using Kickstarter instead of grants. The truth is, harsh vocals have been so stigmatized that securing grants has been challenging. But we believe in the power of community to lead this revolution,” Zharoff said.
She continued: “Together, we can change the future of vocal science and improve the lives of millions. This is a big deal, and we can have fun doing it too.”
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