Day in the life: singer & actress
Gemma Knight Jones is a professional singer and actress on London’s West End, currently playing “Hannah” in the Olivier Award Winning musical Come From Away.
Alongside her work in theatre, Gemma is a freelance contemporary vocal coach and co-owns Songbird Sessions – a Vocal Services company that provides acoustic vocals for weddings and special events.
As a session vocalist, Gemma has performed for artists including Ariana Grande, John Legend and Shaun Escoffery and on shows including Michael McIntyre's Big Show and The X Factor.
She tells The Lowdown what her typical day looks like as well as some tips to get make it as a singer and actress.
A typical day for me…
The school run is the very first thing I do every morning. I have a 5-year old son, so once I’ve dropped him off, I come home, hit the mat for some yoga and then do anything from catching up on work emails, to laundry. At 3.30pm I pick my son up after school and head straight to work. Warm up begins at 6pm. We do an independent physical warm up followed by a short vocal warm up. Our dance captain will then work through any notes he has for the company and we’ll work through any issues that might have arisen the night before. At 6.30pm I return to my dressing room to do my make-up and have my wig put on. Then I get into costume ready for a 7.30pm start. Come From Away is a one act musical, so I finish by 9.15pm. I’m home by 10.30pm and in bed by midnight.
The best thing about my job…
My job is more of a vocation than a job and I love it. I feel very fortunate to work in an industry that I had dreams about working in from a very young age. I have always loved theatre and performing and to have gone on to work in shows that I watched as a child, is a very special feeling. I also enjoy the variety of work I get to experience being a freelance creative. Alongside my theatre work, any given day might see me in a studio doing a voiceover or running a vocal workshop before I head to the theatre in the evening. Any opportunity I get to creatively use my voice is a win for me.
The most challenging thing about my job…
I find it challenging working unsociable hours, especially with a young family. I miss out on the normalcy of evening meals, and often also on special occasions and being on a different schedule to the partner, friends and family means I don’t see them as much as I would like. I also only get one day a week off which makes getting enough rest quite tough at times. When not in a long running theatre contract, it can also feel challenging having to continually look for new work. Before one job ends, you have to be thinking about what is next and the nature of auditioning for jobs, means you never quite know when that next job will be.
The biggest obstacle I’ve had to overcome when it comes to my career was…
Navigating the pandemic. This was obviously a tough time for all, but the arts industry was especially hit when theatres closed and the opportunities for work dramatically decreased and even stopped for a time. In my opinion, the government failed to adequately support its arts workers during this unprecedented time and for the first time in over 15 years, I had to find work outside of my industry. This was a humbling but hard pill to swallow.
My number one tip to get into this industry…
Is to find ways to promote yourself alongside what your agent might be doing for you. Social media has made it really easy to create an audience for yourself and more traditional networking will also help you seek opportunities too. Without an agent it is entirely possible to still find work. Take workshops, and courses and immerse yourself in the work you want to do. Be willing to do the hard graft to get to where you want to be.
The best decision I’ve taken in my career…
Was to take a chance on doing it in the first place. My love for the arts very much started as a hobby and I very nearly went down another career path but with the support of my family around me I took the plunge to continue working towards my dreams and I have zero regrets in doing so.
The best career advice I’ve received was…
To find ways that work for you to manage the disappointment. The highs are breathtaking in this line of work, but the lows can be hard to take too. You have to know your worth when dealing with the inevitable rejection you’ll get along the way.
The three qualities I think you need for this career are …
A thick skin, a positive mindset, perseverance.
What I do to switch off…
Yoga and spending time with my partner and son.
