I teach you how to use your voice for a job interview – Interview for Libero

Milena was a six year old girl who was singing in the choir of the church in Busto Arsizio (Italy) when an organist heard her voice and said: “This is something fantastic”. I know, it is thought of many, but that pretty and sunny little girl had a touch of genius that made her climb the steps of the musical ladder in one breath and speak directly with God. She could sing like a nightingale. Or teach others to do so. So much so that after a few years of lessons to friends and a first experience as a missionary dictated by her great faith in God, she chose not to have children and to “adopt” all the voices of the world. Milena Origgi created the InbornVoice method (“the voice that was born with you”, editor’s note), which is the salvation of every lost and desperate soul that cannot find its voice, hesitates and sings out of tune. It earned her the American residence permit for geniuses (Einstein had it too). And it applies to everyone: the business leader or the singer. “There is no wrong voice if anything, it’s the context. I help harmonize the voice with the soul.”

She calls me from Boston, where she has lived and worked for 12 years, proudly claiming her Italians origins, and even if she doesn’t say it clearly, she listens to my voice.

I’m terribly tone-deaf…have I lost touch with my soul?

«Few people know that one of the world’s most famous tenors started singing because he had serious hearing problems and was out of tune more than a bell. Everyone can learn, the important thing is to preserve the health of the vocal cords. I get hundreds of emails from people who have compromised their voice as a result of some bad “singing course”. The majority can no longer speak or work».

But what is a vocal coach? 

«Unfortunately in Italy there is great confusion because because of shows like XFactor, practically all singing teachers have promoted themselves to the role of Vocal Coach. This does not correspond to reality. The majority of them do nothing but expensive karaoke. They think that all it takes is a few entertainment skills to teach. But they have no qualms about ruining someone’s voice. My job is different. It takes care of the whole person and his or her voice to try to free personal expressiveness from the constraints or wrong teachings». 

And what the InbornVoice method consists of?

«It is a profound innovation from classical vocal training, which was 200 years old. My method has two cornerstones in stark contrast with other methods. The first is that I do not aim to teach my students anything new, but to remove what they have learned over the years and which is counterproductive. The second is that all my work goes through the emotional aspect, not through cognitive thinking. The voice never lies, while we all know that our mind, does lie». 

Tell us about your students.

«Most are more famous than modern singers. I teach speeches to managers and professionals from the world’s leading companies. I’m only missing one company in the top 10 of Forbes. But I always keep spaces reserved for ordinary people, especially couples with issues or moms».

Which singers have you helped? 

«So many, one even won a Grammy. The thing I like most about my job is that when I was young I had idols among famous singers and today, for some, I have become their Vocal Coach.».

What about in a business? How much does voice matter?

«Few people know that because of a few communication barriers, companies lose time, money and customers. On average, the companies where I go to do team voice training achieve an increase in profitability of 47% or more».

What’s a leader’s voice?

«A leader must have a reassuring voice. The line between friendship and foe is blurred. Employees must know that they can count on the boss, that even a “problem” can be reported to them without punishment, and at the same time must clearly convey the expectations and goals to be achieved.».

Does the voice help your career? 

«Voice is everything. From the first job interview on, everyone plays it by their communication skills alone. You may have a bachelor’s degree with perfect score, but if you can’t “sell” yourself, communicate your values and emotions, not only will you not get ahead, you won’t get hired».

Is singing the most profound form of communication? 

«It helps to stop thinking and let the emotions flow.». 

Do you still sing? 

«Mostly at private events. Or at church, in full voice. I love to sing the Ave Maria in Latin».

Your career in a few lines.

«I was born a child prodigy, I studied many subjects, even unorthodox ones such as medicine and oriental languages. Fate wanted me to be a Vocal Coach. It all started as a joke, when an entrepreneur from Milan asked for my help for one of his “bets”. From there, my success and the relative word of mouth led me to become the most famous Vocal Coach in the world.».

What does the voice need to be like today? Clear? Strong? 

«Today’s voice needs to be TRUE. Unique. Often voice teachers create voices that are all the same. What’s the point of having an Celine Dion clone? Your voice has to tell me who you are, what you believe in. That’s why my method is called InbornVoice, the voice that was born together with you.».

Is there a voice for everything? 

«There is a right emotion for every situation and there is a need to communicate it through voice. You can’t talk to your children the way you talk to a board of directors. It’s not a matter of vocal setting, it’s a matter of emotions to draw from». 

Is it better to raise or lower your voice?

«I have also become famous because among the exercises I teach my students there are some “silent” ones. The perception of the volume of one’s voice is distorted by society. Most of my clients are in their 30s and all of them had parents who forced them to be quiet. When I ask them to speak, they do so in a whisper. If I ask them to use a higher volume, they are convinced they are shouting. The human voice has technical characteristics so that if it is “underused” or strained, it is not able to express its full potential and this creates vocal problems.».

Can a voice improve a marriage? 

«Absolutely. The most important phonatory organ is the ear. I teach couples to listen to the other party’s InbornVoice before their own. Once you have learned to listen to your partner in this way, it becomes impossible to argue. Of course it happens to men every now and then that a vein closes in their brain and they lose their temper, but if the woman learns to listen, she understands that they are in a temporary loop….».

Women are often accused of having chicken voices.

«Hen voices are often linked to gossip. Competition between multiple women who want to have their say leads them to acquire overbearing vocals and high pitches that they then carry with them into their daily lives. It would take very little to learn how to gossip in an orderly fashion». 

Three rules for voice education …

«1)Avoid taking video courses. Educating the voice requires interaction with a mentor with real skills. 2) Drink plenty of water 3) If you experience throat pain before, during, or after a speech, seek the help of a good vocal coach.».

A desperate case you recall.

«A mom once came to me concerned because her 4-year-old son was not speaking. Many doctors were labeling the case as autism. It took me an hour-long meeting to unlock the situation.».

A voice that struck her.

«Among the most beautiful Italian voices I always mention Massimo Ranieri. An expressive voice capable of performances beyond the ordinary. Among the voices I appreciate most here in America is Denzel Washington».

To America you are a genius. 

«This is one of my greatest satisfactions. They gave me the same recognition they gave Einstein at the time. Of course it wasn’t easy. But they recognized my “extraordinary abilities” in the field of Vocal Coaching. Normally those who get green cards are sponsored by a company. Very few go through immigration without sponsors. I was one of 614 approved out of 150,000 applications received.».

Tell the truth, is silence better than an off-key voice? 

«Better silence than a voice that has nothing to say.».