In this episode, Dr Lee David spoke with Glen Harvey, musician and long-standing choir leader with Rock Choir, about the role of music – and particularly group singing – in supporting mental health, emotional wellbeing and connection.
Singing is often thought of as something people either “can” or “can’t” do. But this conversation gently dismantles that idea. What emerges instead is a picture of singing as a deeply human activity – one that brings together breath, movement, attention and emotion in a way that supports both body and mind. When singing happens alongside others, it also creates a powerful sense of belonging that many people don’t realise they’ve been missing.
Singing as a shared human experience
There is something quietly powerful about singing with other people. It draws attention away from everyday pressures and towards a shared rhythm and sound. When voices come together, individual differences fade into the background and the focus shifts to the collective experience.
Community choirs create spaces where people from very different backgrounds stand side by side. Careers, roles, age, income and life history quickly become irrelevant. What matters is the shared act of singing. That simplicity is part of what makes choir such a leveller and such a relief in a world where people often feel judged or scrutinised.
Many people arrive at choir tired, rushed or unsure whether they have the energy to be there. Yet again and again, people leave feeling lighter than when they arrived. That shift does not require analysis or insight. It happens through doing rather than thinking.
Breath, posture and the body’s calming systems
Singing works on a physical level long before it works on a psychological one. Breath sits at the centre of this. Long phrases naturally slow the exhale, which supports the body’s calming and soothing systems. This is the same mechanism often used in therapy, mindfulness and stress regulation – but singing allows it to happen without effort or instruction.
Posture also plays a role. Singing encourages people to lift their chest, engage their core and open their body. For many people who spend large parts of the day seated or hunched over screens, this physical opening can be surprisingly restorative. Respiratory strength improves, muscles engage and the body moves out of a defensive or collapsed position.
Together, breath and posture help release physical tension that often goes unnoticed until it softens.
Music, memory and the brain
Music does not live in just one part of the brain. It cuts across memory, attention, movement, emotion and language all at once. This joined-up activity supports neuroplasticity – the brain’s ability to form new connections throughout life.
Songs can evoke powerful memories, sometimes transporting people back to moments of joy, connection or loss within seconds. That can feel intense, but it also explains why music is such a potent tool for emotional processing. It gives shape to feelings that may be difficult to put into words and allows people to experience them safely, held within sound and rhythm.
As we age, opportunities for learning and novelty can shrink. Singing offers a way to keep the brain active and flexible, not through pressure to perform but through curiosity and engagement.
Self-criticism, perfection and the fear of getting it wrong
One of the biggest barriers to singing – and to many forms of creative expression – is self-criticism. People worry about being judged, about making mistakes, or about not being “good enough”. These fears often stop people from ever trying.
In community choirs, those fears rarely match reality. When singing happens as a group, attention naturally moves away from the individual and towards the shared sound. Mistakes become part of the texture rather than something to hide.
Perfection turns out to be a poor goal. It does not exist, and chasing it often leads to anxiety and disappointment. Small amounts of nervousness are normal and even helpful – they can sharpen focus and heighten emotion. The key difference lies in whether anxiety becomes something to fight or something that can be allowed to pass through.
Importantly, mistakes do not define people. They do not shape how others see us in the way we imagine they do. Most of the time, others do not notice them at all.
Attention, anxiety and staying present
Anxiety often pulls attention outward. People start monitoring how they look, sound or are being perceived. That split focus makes it harder to stay grounded in what they are actually doing.
Singing offers a way back into the present moment. Attention can rest on sound, breath and physical sensation rather than imagined judgement. Noticing vibration in the chest, feeling feet on the floor or hearing harmonies develop around you gently anchors awareness.
This shift does not aim to eliminate anxious thoughts. Instead, it reduces their grip by giving attention somewhere more stable to land.
Belonging, kindness and shared humanity
People come to choir for many reasons. Some want to do something purely for themselves after years of prioritising others. Some hope to build confidence. Others are navigating loneliness, bereavement, illness or major life changes.
Choir offers something rare – a place to be with others without having to explain yourself. People can show up as they are, take part, and leave without sharing personal details unless they choose to. Over time, friendships often form naturally through proximity, shared experience and kindness.
Small gestures matter here. A smile, a word of encouragement, or simply standing together and singing can create a sense of safety and support. These moments remind people that they are not alone, even when life feels heavy.
Music as a way of making space for emotion
Music does not ask emotions to disappear. Instead, it makes room for them. Songs can hold grief, joy, anger and tenderness all at once. They allow feelings to move rather than stay stuck.
For many people, music becomes one of the few places where the mind quietens. When attention is absorbed by sound, movement and expression, there is less space for rumination. This can offer brief but meaningful relief from mental overload.
Singing loudly in the car, humming quietly at home or losing yourself in harmony with others all draw on the same principle – letting sound carry what words cannot.
Choice Space takeaways
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You do not need to sing well to benefit from singing – you only need to show up and take part.
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Slow, extended exhalation happens naturally when singing and can help settle the nervous system.
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Group singing shifts attention away from self-judgement and towards shared experience.
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Small mistakes do not matter as much as we think – most people are far kinder than our inner critic suggests.
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Music can help you notice and process emotions without needing to analyse or explain them.
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Doing something simply because you enjoy it can be a powerful act of self-care.
About the Guest
Glen Harvey is a versatile musician and choir leader with advanced skills as a vocalist, pianist and guitarist. He trained at the Academy of Contemporary Music and first became known as a semi-finalist on Pop Idol in 2003. He’s been leading Rock Choirs for over 16 years, spreading harmonies and laughter across Hampshire, Berkshire, Northern Ireland and soon the Republic of Ireland.
A master of turning strangers into friends and choirs into families, he’s sung everywhere from Abbey Road to Wembley, for audiences of up to 20,000 people, from royalty to George Clooney. At home in Farnham with his wife Lisa and their three children, Glen swaps his microphone for gardening gloves, gym gear or a dinner menu. Whether on stage or in the garden, he’s all about growing joy – one song, one laugh, one memory at a time.
Connect with Glen: Instagram @glenharveymusic
Find out more about Rock Choir via their website
