LOUISE | THE VOICE

Louise's gives us the inside scoop on her vocal journey, sharing insights into her background, influences, and the unique challenges of being the voice of a high-energy band.

Let’s take it back to the beginning—how did you first find your voice?

It’s an interesting one, because I’ve always loved singing, but I didn't actually know I could sing until about three years ago. Apart from the odd karaoke session with family, I’d never performed in front of anyone, so I knew I was in tune, but I had no idea if I was actually any good.

In early 2023, I joined the Melksham Music and Drama group. At the time, they were rehearsing for 'Cover Me Different', a show featuring cover versions and mashups. I remember standing in that room for the first time, absolutely terrified, with my lyric sheets; I think I mimed half the words because I was so nervous compared to everyone else.

However, I plucked up the courage to sing and I was immediately told by several people that I had a great voice. I was soon given loads of solo lines and a duet. I was sick with nerves for that first performance, but it truly sparked a passion. I’ve performed in every show since, and that mix of acting, singing, and dancing has pushed me way out of my comfort zone. I owe a huge amount to that group for boosting my confidence and self-esteem—not to mention, I’ve made friends for life.

Do you have any memorable gigging stories?

I'm pretty new to the whole gigging scene, Chord-ially Invited is my first band! But, I was singing in show in 2025 and I made a really embarrassing mistake. I wasn’t paying attention to the running order. The lights went down so i took my place on stage, as that was my cue for the next song. I was a bit confused at first, as I spotted a couple of people who appeared to be stood in the wrong place. I was about to hiss at them when suddenly the lights came up and the music started. It was then that I realised I wasn’t actually in this song and wasn’t due on stage until later. I had to casually sidle off stage before the audience noticed. Unfortunately, it was too late, and I was spotted by some keen-eyed club members in the audience who were watching that night. They pointed and laughed at me. It was so embarrassing!

As the 'instrument' in the band, how do you prep your voice for a gig?

I have learnt the hard way that I need to take my vocal health quite seriously. A day ahead of a gig, I will attempt not to talk as much as possible to preserve my voice, as well as make sure I’ve drank lots of water and eaten well. Before singing, I religiously warm up my voice; my favourite warm-up instrument is my singing straw, and I take it everywhere with me. I also have a travel nebuliser that I use to keep my vocal cords hydrated and flexible, which is really handy if I’m singing outside in quite dry or humid conditions. I also carry a packet of emergency Vocalzone pastilles just in case. It may sound like an extreme routine, but singing a whole gig puts a lot of strain onto your vocal cords so it is best to be as prepared as possible

Who's on your Spotify playlist at the moment

Everyone in the band knows that Muse are my all-time favourite band, so my playlist is very Muse heavy, but I would say that I have a very eclectic variety of songs. I love rock/indie/punk pop songs, but I grew up in the late 80’s/early 90’s so my playlist is full of songs from that era too. My guilty pleasure is actually old school trance, and I love putting it on when I’m doing jobs around the house. If you see me jumping around in the garden whilst mowing the lawn, you know what I'm listening to.

If you could steal the stage presence of any iconic frontman or frontwoman, who would it be and why?

The band No Doubt, and specifically their frontwoman Gwen Stefani have hugely influenced me, especially in her early days. Gwen always had this fearless energy, completely owning the stage in an often male-dominated scene. She was the presence and the driving force of the band and was also completely unapologetic about it. She definitely shaped how I see my role on stage and the energy I want to bring as a female frontwoman.