The Good Vibe Choir
To understand the Good Vibe Choir, start with one song – their rendition of Lou Reed’s ‘Perfect Day’. In the original, its romantic lyrics are tinged with one soul’s melancholy; multiply that voice by a hundred and it becomes something else entirely. The song shifts from a tortured confession to a collective battle cry. It’s a powerful, profoundly moving thing to witness.
As many of us know, January – and winter more broadly – can feel dreary, isolating and emotionally heavy. The festive hype has faded and it can be a fragile stretch of the calendar for many. But uniting in numbers and in song is an antidote worth embracing. It’s true; research has shown the life-changing effects of singing on both mental and physical health. Combine social connection with cognitive stimulation, and your brain surges with mood-boosting hormones like endorphins and oxytocin.
Keen to inspire this hopefulness through a community project, Steph Brown and Kev Minney started the Good Vibe Choir in 2019 – and it has truly taken off. They now run three choirs across Brighton, Lewes and Shoreham, each giving people a place to belt it out and feel better for it. With musical backgrounds, Steph and Kev firmly believe – and prove – that anyone can sing. As Kev explains, vocal cords “are just a skill that needs to be trained”. Today, with more than 185 members, the choir has cultivated a thriving culture of connection.
No auditions, no tick boxes – absolutely everyone is welcome to sign up. Thanks to this inclusivity, it has become a breeding ground for friendship and support – with many sessions ending in a trip to the local pub for those who fancy it. And just like the jukebox you might find there, the choir’s repertoire spans the greats: from pop anthems to undisputed classics by David Bowie, The Beatles, Queen, Beyoncé and everything in between. Truly a ‘Spotify Wrapped’ worth sharing.
So when the inner demons are telling you to stay indoors, step out and make the gloomy glorious instead. Connection and collective energy are what keep us hangin’ on – even when the day has been anything but perfect.
Join a £10 taster session and find out more at www.thegoodvibechoir.com
