[custom_adv] To deliver a fantastic performance, you need the vocal chops to back it up. [custom_adv] It needs time and care to recover and be ready to sound its absolute best. [custom_adv] So, for three days before a big show, you should be drinking 10 -12 glasses of water, avoiding alcohol and dairy (alcohol dries your vocal chords and dairy produces mucus), not smoking EVER, and getting at least eight hours of sleep a night. [custom_adv] But you might not see that you’re slumping at the shoulders, cutting off your breath, and generally look like you’re standing in line at the DMV, instead of in the spotlight. [custom_adv] Instead, choose a few places to make eye contact: the emotional climax, for example, or the first line of every chorus. [custom_adv] Closing your eyes as you sing is another option, though it can be overused. [custom_adv] The important thing is to choose when and where you are going to look. [custom_adv] No need to follow this like a script, but having this rehearsed will keep you from getting that deer-in-the-headlights look on stage.