Simisola Kosoko, known professionally as Simi, a Nigerian singer and performer, has candidly discussed her approach to managing stage fright.
The 'Joromi' singer, acknowledging her past struggles with stage fright, likened performing a new song live to breaking in a new pair of shoes that require adjustments. She elaborated that her initial performances of new songs are particularly nerve-wracking, attributing this to her history with stage fright. Simi revealed that she consciously allows time for her brain to familiarize itself with the song, enabling it to overcome her nervousness.
Sharing a rehearsal clip of a track from her latest album, 'Lost And Found,' via X, Simi wrote: "The first few times I have to perform a new song (any song) live on stage is like trying on a new pair of shoes that needs adjustments. I don’t know why that is. Lol. Maybe it’s cos I have a history with pretty bad stage fright. Now I have to give my brain time to bond with the song so it can learn to disregard me and my nerves. Anyway this night, I kept rehearsing this song (maybe overly so), because it was my first time performing it on stage and of course the nerves came. But I have one or two more to go until I get out of the way and my brain takes over lol."