Did you dream of being a star when you were small but have kept your talent hidden? Are you worried it's too late? Listen to my conversation with soprano Nadine Benjamin to hear how she switched direction at the age of 35 and has since realized her childhood dream.
Nadine
Nadine Benjamin MBE - Soprano and Empowerment Coach/Mentor
Certified High Performance Coach
Accredited NLP Mind Coach
Founder of Everybody Can! Opera and Mentorship Programme
Former English National Opera Harewood Artist
Member of the Institute of Mind Coaches
Trustee Board Member of Fuel Theatre
Board Member of Opera Brava
Nominated (vocal category) for Emergence: Emily Dickinson at the international Classical Music Awards
Sky Arts Awards Presenter - 2021
Sky Arts Awards Nominee - The Times Arts Award 2019
Ambassador - London Music Masters Since 2017
"Highly Commended" at the Aviva Women of the Future Awards 2016
Winner of the Fulham Opera Verdi Prize 2015
Finalist of the Genesis Competition
DipMus Music (Performance)
Agent: Robert Gilder
Personal Manager: Rita Grudzien
Engagements 2021/2022 Season:
January 18th - Strauss Four Last Songs with Lambeth Orchestra
February 3rd - Shakespeare - soprano soloist - St James's, Piccadilly
February 21st Songs of Joy - Music by Black and Mixed Raced Composers - Barbican, Milton Hall
March 18th - Elgar Coronation Ode - Soprano Soloist - with Waynflete Singers, Winchester Cathedral
April/May - BLUE - Role: Mother - English National Opera
10th June - Verdi Gala - Warwickshire Symphony Orchestra
11th June - Strauss Four Last Songs - Worthing Symphony Orchestra
● [01:20] – The Edge – up to date creative news and views
● [05:12] – Nadine’s childhood dream and ‘Having the twinkle’
● [08:10] – The moment of switching from a banking career to Opera
● [12:17] – How training as a coach, NLP and therapy have played a huge role in Nadine’s success.
● [19:29] – Why as a creative, you need to understand your value
● [24:39] – Nadine talks ‘curveballs’ and ‘terror barriers.’
● [24:39] – Nikki and Nadine discuss education
● [28:56] – Nadine talks about her Doubting Doris's and how they are her greatest gift.
Four Creative Nuggets
- “I wrote a business plan for becoming an opera singer and sent it off to about 150 people and got people to sponsor me.”
- “If there’s one ingredient I would never miss, it was that study of NLP.”
- “Think how limitless you are and get really curious about discovering new pathways, even the ones that you don't even know are there yet.”
- Your visibility and sharing your creative being with the world is vital. “Your work needs to be seen. Your books need to be read. Your voice needs to be heard.”
Links
Nadine
https://www.instagram.com/nadinebenjaminsoprano/
https://www.instagram.com/everybodycanwithnadinebenjamin/
https://www.everybodycan.com/
Conscious Creative Leadership on Apple Podcasts
The Edge
Arts Council England and the English National Opera Statement Jan 2023
English National Opera names five cities on relocation
Creative Industries UK Economic Contribution
Petition to Protect Jobs at English National Opera
Nikki
https://nikkivallance.com/the-creative-switch-podcast/
https://www.nikkivallance.com/join-creative-switch-community/
https://www.twitter.com/Nikki_Vallance/
https://podchaser.com/TheCreativeSwitch/
Tune in for the final episode of the season where actor, author, coach and founder of the Happy Me Project, Holly Matthews shares how creativity and creative thinking have been the constant thread through life’s tragedies and celebrations.
