There is a misconception that if you are a singer in a concert, all you have to do is stand onstage in front of a microphone to do your thing. That is far from the case at a hard rock or heavy metal show. Performers such as I Prevail vocalist Brian Burkheiser commits a lot of energy because he uses a powerful voice and moves around the stage a lot in order to connect with the fans rocking out to hits such as “Gasoline” and “Bad Things.”
“I have a lot of respect for artists in other genres, but it is just different with my genre. We have to provide that energy so the crowd has the best experience possible,” the vocalist said. “That is why I am a huge cardio guy. If my cardio is on point, I can be 30 minutes in a show and still have my first wind.”
Fortunately for Brian Burkheiser, he can provide the energy he needs thanks to his previous experience playing sports when he was younger. His love for singing began after high school after he was told he had a good voice.
“I always thought I was going to go into sports broadcasting,” he said. While he may have been good at doing play-by-play, his pivot to music has paid off.
“Before I knew it, we had managers, we were on a label and on tour. I was able to quit my job at Domino’s.”
Since I Prevail began in 2014, they have released three albums, had their version of Taylor Swift’s hit “Blank Space” go platinum, and have become quite comfortable with the Billboard charts. They have also been nominated for Grammys. They were on a rocket that appeared to just keep going up. No journey is completely smooth, though, and Burkheiser found that out for himself when he had to have a polyp removed in 2017.
“That was the first thing that hit me and made me realize how much I needed to take care of my voice.”
After that brief bump on the road, he applied that lesson going forward. However, a much bigger pothole was awaiting him when he noticed something was off within himself. He was checked out and cleared, but he still didn’t feel right.
“I was in pain constantly,” he recalled. “So, I put my own finger and dig around my mouth to feel around. All of a sudden, I hooked myself in the back of my mouth and felt something like a bone sticking out.”
Following his own self-exam, doctors determined he was dealing with Eagles Syndrome. According to the National Institute of Health, Eagles Syndrome is a condition associated with the elongation of the styloid process or calcification of the stylohyoid ligament, clinically characterized by throat and neck pain, radiating into the ear.
“It wreaked so much havoc on my voice and even my everyday life,” he recalled. “Talking at times was so painful, and there was so much mental taxation.”
Brian Burkheiser had to go under the knife to repair the damage that was done. He expressed gratitude to Dr. Ryan Osborne in Los Angeles for the care, but the surgery meant he had to go off the road for a while. Once I Prevail wrapped up a tour, Burkheiser had his surgery.
“(Dr. Osborne) said that it was one of the worst cases of Eagles Syndrome he saw in quite a while. He saw it on the right side but discovered it on the left as well. The left side was very close to my carotid artery, and who know what would’ve happened if I waited.”
As of the summer of 2024, Burkheiser is back on the road, and I Prevail is in the final leg of their 2024 tour. He is doing well enough to perform but still must take extra care of himself so he can completely recover.
“He did tell me this won’t fix itself in a day. Even though I am overall feeling better, I still have my days that I have pain and swelling. I just do my best to stay positive every day.”
Brian Burkheiser Shares His Four Tips To Save Your Voice
The voice is as important to a singer as any muscle for a bodybuilder. That is why singers are encouraged to work on recovery and protect their voices. Brian Burkheiser shares three tips that help him make sure he is ready to perform onstage or in the studio.
Be Very Regimented with the Voice
Just as athletes train for their sport consistently and with a high level of commitment, Burkheiser feels artists should do the same. Making sure you have a routine for your voice that you can stick to will serve you very well.
“If you take a couple of days from it, you will feel the negative effects from it. I stay hydrated and steam my voice as much as possible.”
Brian Burkheiser Is all About Warmup and Cooldown
You wouldn’t jump on a 500-pound squat without stretching and doing lighter sets first. Nor would you go sit somewhere for an hour and do nothing after. Burkheiser advises that singers warm-up and cool down their voices so they can stay healthy and ready to perform.
“I have made the mistake of singing for a long time, then talking for a while without cooling down, then I feel like garbage the next morning. It is very important to do both. If you don’t you may get sick, then you might have to postpone a show.”
Bubbling with Doctor Vox
Burkheiser learned about Semi-Occluted Vocal Tract (SOVT) therapy during his 2017 recovery from polyp removal and started using a tool called DoctorVox. He vocalizes into the long tube of the bottle and if it generates bubbles, then he is doing it correctly. He found this to be so helpful that he invested in the company as a part-owner.
“I recommend this to any singer.”
Brian Burkheiser Now Relies on Sleep More than Ever
Everyone needs sleep regardless of what they do for a living, but it is especially true for musicians because they are touring, flying, and are often in different time zones. Yes, there are perks to fame, but Berkheiser hopes other artists make sleeping at night a priority.
“It’s fun to party and go drink, but sometimes I go in my bunk, put on my ear buds, and try to relax. It’s so important for me to go into shows. A lot of musicians that get into this world don’t realize that until it is too late.”
You can learn more about I Prevail and see their remaining 2024 tour dates by going to www.iprevailband.com and following them on Instagram @iprevailband.