NYVC Singer Spotlight: Anaité Caycho

Hi, Anaité! Tell us a little about yourself!

I am from Lima, Perú, where I started my journey as a performing arts major, CCM singer and voice teacher. Currently, I’m living in Worcester, MA, but hopefully will move to NYC during 2022, that’s my goal. In Worcester I am teaching Spanish! I came to the U.S. just four months ago to be part of a program in College of the Holy Cross that brings together people around the globe to be Foreign Language Assistants. We all teach our own languages. I love being part of this program, and being a voice teacher is actually really useful to teach language pronunciation. 

One of the reasons I took this job is it brought me closer to NYC and will help me get used to living in the US. It will help put me in the mindset to apply for a master’s degree because I do see myself living here for a few more years. I actually applied for a Master’s program in vocal performance a few weeks ago. I will have to keep you updated on the results!

When did you discover your passion for singing and vocal coaching?

I knew I wanted to be a singer since I was a kid. I remember saying it to my dad, “I want to be a singer,” but, as usually happens to many people, I lost confidence in my dreams as I grew older. In 2013, when I was 20 years old, I was in an exchange program in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and my Musical Theatre teacher asked me after a song exam, “Anaité, what do you want to do in the future?” Of course, my response was “I...I...I...I don’t know." My teacher calmed me down and told me I was still young and had time to figure it out, but I couldn’t ignore the fact that I wasn't able to answer that question. How could that be possible?

On the way back to my dorm, I kept asking myself the same question over and over: What do I want? I brainstormed all the things I liked doing: singing, dancing, acting, writing lyrics, doing covers, playing piano, some guitar, singing, etc. I just couldn’t organize my mind into one single thing. I looked up to the sky and asked God, "What do you want me to do?" Then - I can’t explain how - I knew. Suddenly it all made sense. Everything I liked doing had two things in common: music and singing. I surrendered to my inner battle and just said out loud, “I want to sing! I want to be a singer!” I knew I wanted to sing for me, but also for God. It's my way of praising Him, and to this day I praise Him with my voice. From that moment on, I had it all clear, I reconnected with my dream as a child and owned it with determination and responsibility.

Back to Perú, some friends asked me to teach them singing, and I told them, “Hey, I am no professional, you would be my first students." They said they trusted me and wanted me to teach them. That’s how it all started in 2016. I kept having students nonstop and I couldn’t believe it. In 2017 I did my graduate thesis on how singing can improve interpersonal communication of teenagers, and I think that’s when I confirmed I loved teaching voice. The whole experience of designing that workshop and then seeing the results in the teens (whoa!…) made me so happy. I am so grateful for the Thesis, because in the process of my research I found NYVC and met Justin Stoney through the magic of the internet.

Who are some of your favorite singers and why?

Ella Fitzgerald. I love her. Need I say more? To me, she is an example of freedom as a singer. She plays with her voice with such ease, and that is amazing to listen to. She inspires me to sing from my most personal feelings, to let myself be the best I can be without shame.

I also love Beyoncé and Bruno Mars. I think they both know the instrument so well and are also comfortable being themselves, bringing a great show for their audiences. 

In the Spanish world, I love Pablo Alborán. He is a pop-ballad singer and sings with such an emotion that you could cry. That's what I treasure most in artists, that they connect with themselves as artists.

You were a part of NYVC's Voice Teacher Training. What was that experience like for you?

AMAZING. I took the course online during the pandemic in winter 2021, and it was the best investment of time in such a difficult context. The course pushed me out of my comfort zone and I learned more than I expected. I confirmed my passion for teaching and was inspired in every class. There are different training programs for different singing methods, but what I loved about NYVC’s VTT was that there is no method. Instead, I received a lot of knowledge about vocal function and the possibilities of the human voice, and it all made sense. My favorite part was designing my own exercises and being inspired to find my own way of teaching. 

What do you love the most about singing?

Being myself. When I sing, I am fully me, and there is no greater feeling than that. That’s also why I love singing to God. It allows me to show myself without masks, and in return I feel incredibly loved and full of Joy. I always want to share that same level of love and joy with my students in every class and with the audience in every performance.