Have you ever stepped onto the stage, with your heart pounding, your palms sweaty, and thought:
"Oh damn. Who am I fooling? I don’t belong here."

Maybe you’ve convinced yourself that you’re not really a “real” singer. You’re caught up in believing that the people around you - your fellow performers, your audience, even your own voice coach - are just humouring you...

that they’re just being nice in supporting you to go out there and perform, but they know you’re not the genuine thing.

Does that sound at all familiar? If so, don't worry - you’re not alone.

Welcome to Impostor Syndrome: Singer’s Edition—the voice in your head that tells you you’re not good enough, not talented enough, not worthy of the stage. It’s the mental gremlin that whispers, "That standing ovation? That was just pity applause." Or "That solo? You only got it because no one else wanted it."

But the worst part is, it feels real. It keeps you small. It stops you from taking risks, from fully expressing yourself, from sharing your passion with the world.

The truth, though, is: Impostor Syndrome is a con artist. And you don’t have to let it run the show.

Today I want to share with you how to overcome it  - starting with a story.

Meet Lucy: A Singer Stuck in Self-Doubt

Lucy came to me for lessons, saying she LOVED singing and performing - but whenever she did, she felt like a fraud. She apologised constantly. Before every warm-up, every song, every note, she'd say things like:

"Sorry, this is probably going to sound bad."
"I know I’m not as good as other singers, but I just like doing it for fun."
"I probably don’t have the right voice for this, but I’ll try."

She had been told she had a lovely voice. And she did. She had even been cast as the lead in a musical once. But instead of feeling excited, she felt like she had tricked everyone. She was terrified that someone – anyone - would call her out and say, “You don’t deserve to be doing this.”

So she held back. She played it safe. She avoided high notes, big emotions, and opportunities to shine because the risk of being “exposed” felt too big.

Does this sound familiar to you?

Now, here’s how I helped Lucy break free of the clutches of that villain, Impostor Syndrome.

3 Ways to Silence Your Inner Impostor and Sing With Confidence

1. Recognize the Lies and Rewrite the Story

Impostor Syndrome thrives on false beliefs. You know that voice in your head saying, “You’re not really a singer”? Well, that’s not the truth. It’s fear talking.

Next time you catch yourself in a spiral of self-doubt, ask yourself: “What actual proof do I have that I’m not good enough?”.  Make yourself respond scientifically, providing evidence. The chances are, you don’t have any!

Journal this, because writing makes things seem more credible and you can see the argument, the evidence or lack of it, with your own eyes.

Lucy did that, and also started keeping a record of every compliment, every successful performance, and every moment she felt proud of her voice. And little by little, the facts started outweighing the fear.

With positive facts on her side, her beliefs started to shift.

2. Act Like the Singer You Want to Be

Confidence doesn’t come first - action does.

I told Lucy, “Stop waiting to feel like a real singer before you act like one.” Instead of apologising before every song, she practiced stepping up to the mic as if she were already confident. Posture tall, breath free, no excuses.

At first, it felt awkward. But the more she did it, the more her brain caught up. It wasn’t about pretending to be something she wasn’t - it was about stepping into the truth of who she already was.

3. Reframe Mistakes as Proof You Belong

Fear of failure is a big cause of Impostor Syndrome. We think that if we mess up, it’s proof we shouldn’t be singing at all.

But the truth is, making mistakes and keeping going doesn’t make you a bogus singer - it makes you a bona fide performer.

Every vocalist - even the pros – sometimes fluff lyrics, crack on a high note, or hit the occasional dodgy pitch. That’s not failure. That’s human.And to be honest, audiences warm to performers who aren’t perfect.

Lucy was terrified of making a mistake in front of people. But after some coaching, she started seeing mistakes differently. Instead of panicking, she learned to take a professional attitude, to focus on staying on track with the song, getting the NEXT bit right, beautiful, authentic.

And the best part was, audiences loved her for it.

The Other Side of Self-Doubt

So, where is Lucy at now? ...

She’s definitely no longer apologising before every song. She’s no longer expecting put-downs, or the rug to be pulled out from under her.

She’s stepping into the singer she always was - not because she magically stopped having doubts, but because she stopped letting them control her. And she replaced them with stronger, positive beliefs. She knows that the work she regularly does on her mindset is part of her credentials as a legitimate singer.

Now her voice is freer, more expressive, more her. Because when you start valuing your passion, your gifts, yourself... your voice SHINES.

Your Voice Deserves to Be Heard

If you’ve ever felt like an impostor in your own music-making, I want you to hear this loud and clear:

You are not a phony. You are a singer.

Not because someone else says so. Not because you’ve reached some imaginary level of "good enough." But because you love to sing. Because it brings you joy. Because your voice - your unique, one-of-a-kind voice - deserves to be heard.

So step up to the mic.
Take a deep breath.
And sing like you belong there.