Behind the Mic: My Quarantine Comeback

A story about rediscovering joy, finding my voice, and giving myself permission to shine — one note at a time.

Are you treating yourself with extra kindness these days?I truly hope so.

If there’s one thing the pandemic taught me, it’s this:

Treat yourself special — not just sometimes, but always.

And that realization led to the best birthday gift ever.

A Little Pandemic Magic

March 29 — my birthday. Normally, Todd and I don’t exchange birthday gifts. But that year? I really needed a pick-me-up — something to pull me out of the dreary pandemic tunnel that was threatening to swallow me whole.

Then, about a week before my birthday, something magical happened.

One of my favorite musical duos, Branden & James, announced they were offering virtual voice and instrumental lessons (since their tours were canceled).

BINGO.

I’d been looking for a vocal coach for months. And now, I had the chance to train with one of my favorite artists in the world!

Challenge Accepted

In a moment of pure pandemic-inspired boldness (and maybe a little insanity), I posted a video of myself singing on Facebook — pre-lessons — and challenged Branden:

“Let’s see what you can do with my voice!”

I promised I’d share a post-Branden video later.And, well… dammit, I keep my promises.

Unfortunately, my computer crashed, so the pre-Branden video is lost to the digital void (probably for the best). But let’s just say it was… nasally, breathless, and my “dance moves” could’ve earned me a guest spot next to Elaine on Seinfeld. 😂

Post-Branden Transformation

After a few lessons, I couldn’t believe the difference.

My voice sounded richer, more grounded, comfortable. I’d learned the mechanics, breath support, and — maybe most importantly — how to feel the music.

So, for your listening pleasure (or not 😉), here it is:“All That Jazz” — my post-Branden version.

The Real Gift

Branden, you did it — you accepted my challenge and absolutely smashed it!

I still practice almost every day (to the delight of Todd and the neighbors, of course).

But more than that, I realized:

Singing makes me feel good.

And that’s what life is about — doing the things that light you up, pandemic or not.

So go ahead — treat yourself like the special, beautiful person you are. You deserve it.

Find your inner movie star.

xo Kathleen Naomi