Christina Toimela finds you don’t have to be like Beyoncé to sing

Born in Frankfurt. Coffee lover. Doing her creative career abroad. These are things I had in common with Miriam Kisters and I immediately connected with her on a financial course in Brighton in the summer of 2011.

I have always been a big believer in professions and skills that you can use anywhere in the world, even via Skype. I love telling a story and can do it as an international multimedia journalist and producer. Miriam, on the other hand, is a naturally born singer who started singing at the age of two and auditioned for the Frakfurt opera choir at the age of four. She wanted to explore everything with her voice and branched out for chansons, jazz, avantgarde and musical theatre. She came to England in 2002 to study singing.

“Even on The X Factor they are looking for that extra something. When you are connected to your voice you are connected to yourself”

Having studied local singing in India, Miriam decided she wanted to teach it:
“I want to inspire people to believe in themselves as a singer. Even on The X Factor they are looking for that extra something. When you are connected with your voice you are connected to yourself. When you strive for the best you can be as a singer you do the same in other areas of your life. It’s about breaking free from the limitations. As a singing teacher it’s about making people lose their fear.”

Miriam believes that as a teacher you must be an outstanding singer and able to give tools for singers to connect to their essence. Your teacher must have something you want: “My teachers had power over their voice and connection to it,” she says. “I’m out there singing jazz to the public and I use my voice to reflect my personality. I want to light up people and singers. If you look at any performer, who might not be the most amazing singer, but who has a spark you can connect to, it makes that person a good singer.

How can you help people to be the best they can be in singing? “I can intuitively relate to where people are physically with their voice through my experience having overcome many vocal problems. If you are scared that you can’t hit a certain note, you won’t. However, if you are given the map how to get there, you will lose your fear,” says Miriam.

What do you want to say to people who want to sing? “We are taught out of singing because we think we have to be great. I think anyone should sing. You don’t have to be Beyoncé to enjoy singing or to be allowed to sing. Just do it!”

If you want to connect to your voice and sing, Miriam can be contacted on 07816784536 or miriam.kisters@googlemail.com

Do you know any people who have really inspired you in Brighton?
We’re not looking for celebrities. Not ordinary, but extraordinary.
Contact Christina: christina.toimela@gmail.com