Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Kristen Princiotta. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Kristen, thanks so much for taking the time to share your insights and lessons with us today. We’re particularly interested in hearing about how you became such a resilient person. Where do you get your resilience from?
I believe resilience comes from within. It’s messy and beautiful, and is built from our ability to dust ourselves off and keep going – no matter what it takes, or what we’ve been through. It’s a practice, and takes falling in order to learn how to get back up. It’s not always perfect or pretty. But when you realize you’ve done it before, it really helps the next time around when you feel like you can’t muster the strength to try again. I’ll reflect on some of the toughest or scariest moments I’ve had to work through, and stay focused on all of the positive things that came out of the other side when I took the leap. Staying where you are (because it’s more comfortable) is often the greater risk – I’ve found this to be true both personally and professionally.
I’ve also learned the importance of not waiting for perfection before putting yourself out there, and ‘doing it scared’. Ready, fire, aim is a motto I try to remember when I find myself getting too caught up in the details. Most of all, I’ve learned that continuing to show up is the best thing you can do. Put yourself in places and rooms that you want to be. Meet that person that knows another person that later you’ll find yourself working or collaborating with. Every connection and relationship matters.
These are all things I’ve learned as a working singer throughout California (Orange County, the SF Bay Area, and now Los Angeles). My dreams as a singer are ever evolving, and once you realize the top of each mountain is the bottom of the next – you become more open to the process and timeline that the universe has in store. Enjoy the journey, because a true ‘destination’ is a dead-end.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I started as an opera major turned singing voice on a viral children’s show on Netflix called CoComelon (voice of JJ’s Mom – if you know, you know!). I’ve been singing on the show for over 12 years, which has now evolved and expanded into mobile games, toys and merchandise, and live shows. It’s been a joy to witness the growing success of the production over the years, and more importantly – the impact it has made on families around the world. I’m so humbled and grateful to still be a part of it all.
I was also a voice teacher for about 10 years before becoming the teacher trainer and hiring manager at Songbird Studios SF – San Francisco’s premier vocal coaching studio with now 20 teachers, 500 students, and 3 beautiful studio locations. I am in charge of hiring, training, and providing continued support for our amazing team of voice instructors under the incredible guidance of Songbird’s owner Whitney Nichole (click here to check out her Bold Journey story!). This role has helped me grow immensely as a singer, teacher, and leader of a team who has truly become family. I continue to work remotely from Los Angeles, and fly up to the Bay Area a few times per year. It’s the best of both worlds!
I’ve sung professionally as a soprano w/ the San Francisco Symphony Chorus, West Edge (Berkeley) Opera, Volti, Choral Arts Initiative, The Charles Dickens Carolers (yes – the people you see in big old fashioned costumes around Christmastime!), and in choirs backing Andrea Bocelli to name a few. I’ve also sung for a multitude of churches throughout California as a section-leader and soloist for 10+ years. Now, I continue to pursue my ultimate dream of singing on films and tv in a very niche world called session singing. *Think – the music you hear in movie scenes, on shows, and in commercials – or the back up singers/choirs you see backing big artists. Despite being one of the most competitive musical industries that can take years to break into, my genuine passion for the field keeps me going. Is it intimidating? Yes. Is it a ton of work to even be seen or considered? Yes. But each step closer makes me more and more excited, and challenges me to continue to evolve and grow.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Three qualities, skills, and areas of knowledge that were most impactful on my singing journey I would have to say are my vocal training, sight-reading skills, and ever-growing knowledge of voice science/pedagogy.
Years of vocal training have helped create a foundation that supports me in singing a variety of styles and vocal coordinations in as healthy of a way as possible. Not all singing styles are created equal, so it’s super important to understand the mechanical differences in order to crossover successfully (and authentically!). I’m continually challenging myself to dive deeper into the nuances of different styles and vocal effects. Authenticity is key!
If you want to pursue any kind of singing in the choral/classical world, developing strong sight-reading skills is a must (it’s beneficial for a variety of other genres as well, and helps open the door to more overall opportunities as a singer!). I feel extraordinarily grateful for the intensive musical training I received in order to be able to sing whatever, whenever, on the spot. Like anything else, it’s a skill that takes continuous practice and nurturing. As dry as it might sound, I find sight-reading to be a true joy. Taking something that started in someone’s mind, put to paper, and eventually brought to life is such an amazing thing. I’ve found being a vessel to be more gratifying than any music I’ve ever attempted to create myself.
If you want to be a voice teacher, developing at least a base understanding of voice science, anatomy, and vocal physiology is paramount. The voice is a complex instrument that takes great care to guide and develop. The more you understand, the more tailored and specific your application will be – both for your students, and for the development of your own voice! The more I know, the more I realize how much more there always is to learn. It’s a forever journey!
Do you think it’s better to go all in on our strengths or to try to be more well-rounded by investing effort on improving areas you aren’t as strong in?
I think it’s important to play to your strengths, but never limit yourself! You will be more easily marketable if you ‘stay in your lane’, and are really good at that one thing. That being said, you may miss out on some really awesome opportunities you never would have imagined or been open to. Studying primarily opera and classical singing, never did I think my first pro job out of college would be singing for a children’s nursery rhyme cartoon (let’s just say Puccini and Wheels on the Bus are a little different!). I was able to jump into this opportunity quickly and with confidence since I’d allowed myself to continue to sing in more popular/contemporary styles alongside my classical training. This has served me well over the years when needing to crossover from one genre (or job) to another, and personally – I think that overall versatility is king!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.kristenprinciotta.com
- Instagram: kristenprinciottavocals
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kristen.princiotta
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
