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Freeing Your Voice & Reimagining “Traditional” Arts Spaces
- Kira Troilo
- Jul 1
- 3 min read
Can performance spaces become places of healing? And what happens when we stop following the rules and start listening differently?
In this reflective and visionary conversation, I sit down with singer and sound healing artist Davin Youngs to explore how voice, vulnerability, and immersive sound healing experiences can lead to personal and collective transformation.
What begins as a journey through Davin’s classical training and artistic roots unfolds into a powerful story of reclaiming creativity, queerness, and authentic self-expression, on his own terms. From lying on orchestra hall stages to improvising entire performances live, Davin invites us to question the systems we’ve inherited and imagine more inclusive, human-centered creative spaces.
Together, we explore how sound can be used not only to perform, but also to heal. How voice, when freed from perfectionism and performance pressure, can help us become more fully ourselves. And how institutions might save themselves by getting curious about what else is possible.
If you're a performer burned out by old rules, a creative leader seeking new models, or simply someone who craves experiences that speak to the body and the soul, this episode is for you.
Here's what we cover:
How Davin went from conservatory-trained singer to sound healing facilitator and creative disruptor
Why classical training often disconnects artists from their authentic voice
The power of unlearning and how somatic voicework helped Davin find freedom
Why immersive sound experiences like The Reset are resonating with diverse, intergenerational audiences
The challenge of booking bold, unconventional work—and what that reveals about the arts industry
How healing-centered spaces can transform the lives of artists, audiences, and institutions alike
Why it’s time to reimagine performance not as spectacle, but as energetic exchange
What happens when we literally lie down on the floor of a symphony hall and listen differently
Whether you're an artist, administrator, educator, or curious human, this conversation is a reminder that the most powerful work doesn’t just entertain... it transforms.
What if sound wasn’t just something we perform, but something that heals us, too?
More About Davin Youngs
Davin is a singer, sound healing artist, and keynote speaker based in Chicago, IL.
He is the creator of The RESET, an immersive sound healing experience that has captivated audiences at iconic venues like The Kennedy Center, Chicago’s Orchestra Hall, and Nashville’s Schermerhorn Symphony Center.
As the visionary behind VOXUS, Davin transforms corporate and professional groups through an interactive keynote experience that utilizes improvisational singing and spontaneous song. His work has inspired teams at global brands like Coca-Cola, WD-40, and Chicago Public Schools.
At the community level, Davin leads Chicago Circle Singing, a joyful and inclusive improvisational singing gathering open to all.
He also hosts the acclaimed Free Your Voice, Free Your Life podcast and coaches influential singers, performers, and leaders toward greater freedom, authenticity, and ease in their voice.
Connect with Davin
Connect with Kira
Thanks for joining me on this episode of Inclusive Stages! If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review on Apple or Spotify to help me reach even more theater makers, theater artists, and theater lovers who want to make our industry a better place for everyone.
Thanks to our music composer, Zachary McConnell, and our producer, Leah Bryant.
More about the Inclusive STAGES Podcast
Inclusive STAGES™ Building Healthy Arts Spaces is the podcast for theater makers, creatives, and arts leaders who believe we can build a better industry—one brave, emotionally intelligent, and trauma-informed space at a time. Hosted by Kira Troilo, founder of Art & Soul Consulting, each episode explores what it really takes to create inclusive, healthy creative environments in today’s rapidly changing performing arts landscape.
Whether you're a theater artist, an arts administrator, an educator, a creative leader, or a producer, this show will help you answer big questions like:
What is inclusive leadership in the arts, and how do I practice it?
How can performing arts organizations promote diversity and inclusion?
What does “representation matters” mean in theater and beyond?
How can venues make performances more accessible?
What tools do I need to lead with care—and still make bold, brilliant work?
Through honest conversations, industry insights, and practical tools, Inclusive STAGES™ empowers you to reduce burnout, dismantle harmful norms, and build the kinds of creative spaces where everyone can thrive.
New episodes every week. Follow now and join the movement toward healthier, more sustainable arts spaces.
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