The mind numbing fear that you feel right before you have to make that big speech or sing that song is one that we are all familiar with. But what we have here, are several popular venues in the city opening up their spaces for youngsters to take the spotlight. Open mics are a raging concept in the city and especially so for young students who are braving up to perform on stage. There are no limitations to what they can do on stage, and this is not about the competition. Nouveau artistes love bringing their best performances on stage to an audience that genuinely cheers on! For young students, these events mean going beyond what they have been taught and learnt at schools and colleges, and facing a real, live audience for the first time. This can be a nerve-wracking experience but as Anviksha Masih, a commerce student and a singer says, there is no better way to overcome stage fright. “I was quite nervous at my first open mic event a few months ago. Singing comes easy to me, but performing to a crowd makes it different. Being on stage is the best way to overcome any fear that you have. I think open mic events are a great way to get over your fears and gain some confidence,” she says. It seems that the Bengaluru crowds are rather kind, as Sakhi a slam poet and stand-up comedian points out, “Open mic events usually have other budding artistes in the audience. There is no judgement then. Any sort of performance is accepted at an open mic be it poetry, music, comedy, or dance. These events are also a great place to build your network.” As a musician Bony, a political science student, believes that baring your soul for the audiences is key to the development of an artiste. He explains that even attending an open mic event as a member of the audience can sometimes give you the push to showcase your own talent, “I realised that the music scene in Bengaluru is like a culture in itself. I went for an open mic event once, and after seeing the way people were cheered on, I wanted to try it myself. A few people come to try to encourage the people going on and they have an urge to try out a song or a piece of comedy, because they feel like they won’t be judged and it gives them a boost.”

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