Get enough sleep... “Singers need a lot of sleep, so it’s imperative for me to get eight hours every day. Also, I’m a big believer in power naps. I normally sneak 20 minutes in the mid-afternoon. But if I don’t get my eight hours at night, I make sure I nap for longer during the day. If I don’t, I find my voice tires out easily.”
Eat well... “I eat out a lot, which makes it easy to slip into the habit of eating unhealthy food. So I try hard to maintain a healthy balance by loading up on lots of fresh vegetables – especially before performances – as they fill me with great natural energy. I tend not to eat right before I go on stage, as it makes jumping around quite hard, so I eat dinner at around 6pm, or 6.30pm. It’s generally soup and salad.”
Avoid heavy food... “If you want to keep energy levels up, avoid heavy foods like steak and mashed potato. I went for a surf’n’turf before a show recently and it was a massive mistake, as I was really sleepy throughout the first set. I find red meat really tires me out – no matter when I eat it. So I would avoid it before a big night out, or an important event. Also, I used to be addicted to energy drinks, but I steer clear of them now as they give you a great buzz to start off with, but leave you feeling drained.”
Keep well... “If I’m feeling especially rundown, I drink plenty of water, and down some multivitamins, which area great pick-me-up.”
Look after your skin... “After a show, I’m pretty hyped up so I often don’t get to bed until the sun comes up, which can leave my skin looking dull. I swear by drinking plenty of water, using a good scrub every night and getting at least eight hours of sleep. When my skin’s in need of a real boost, I go for a Moroccan bath, or hammam spa treatment. I don’t go for creams and gels that claim to stop ageing, because I’m proud of the fact that I am growing older (and hopefully wiser). I’m 34 and I think we can naturally stay young by living balanced lives and treating our bodies as our temples.”
Keep active... “Being on stage every night is a pretty good workout, but a spiritual healer once told me that exercise is important not just for your body, but for your mind, too. So I make the effort to walk, or jog, every day for between 30 minutes and an hour. I find it gives me more energy and clears my head. It seems to be most effective when I first wake up.”
Stay positive... “I believe you have to make the most of every moment and that being upset about something that is out of your control is just a waste of time. But it’s not always easy to put on a smile and a happy attitude when you are stressed out, tired, or upset about something. When this happens, I try to turn negative energy into positive energy through singing. I’ve had family members die, relationships finish and all sorts of things happen – but, for me, singing about it is a brilliant way to get it out and console myself. Find an activity that makes you happy and use it to lift your spirits when you are feeling low.”
Listen to your body... “It’s easy to over-work, or over-party, but if you learn how to listen to your body, and work out what your body needs at those times, you’ll find your mind is able to cope with everything a lot more. Remember your body and mind need to work in harmony.”
