Day 62 of Embracing the Wonders of Life – The Wonder of Many Voices

There is something deeply grounding about being in the city where your roots lie—especially when the reason is music. And even more so when that music is brought to life by someone you admire.

That evening, I had the privilege of seeing Sabine Devieilhe perform. I have seen Sabine sing before, and every time she surprises me. Opera, romantic Strauss, Mozart—each time a new colour, a new emotional texture. But this evening was different. More intimate. Almost disarming.

A programme that moved effortlessly between “go-to-bed songs” and French chansons. Music that doesn’t demand your attention—but gently takes it. Music that doesn’t impress—but stays with you.

What struck me again, as it always does, was not just her range of styles, but the depth of her expression. The astonishing diversity of her voice. The way she inhabits a song emotionally, not as a soprano performing, but as an artist revealing something.

You are not watching a soprano. You are witnessing a complete artist—layered, vulnerable, precise, playful, and utterly present. And that is no accident.

Sabine Devieilhe’s mastery is built on years of rigorous classical training at the Conservatoire in Paris, yes—but also on something far more rare: the courage to move beyond labels. She has never confined herself to a single box, a single genre, or a single “safe” identity. Opera, baroque, contemporary works, chansons—each explored not as a side project, but with full commitment and respect for the craft.

This is what mastery looks like when discipline meets curiosity. And this is where the lesson extends far beyond music.

True thought leadership works the same way. The most compelling thinkers are not those who repeat one message louder and louder. They are the ones who develop range without losing coherence. Who deepen their core while expanding their expression. Who dare to show different facets of themselves—intellectual, emotional, reflective—without diluting their credibility.

Like Sabine, they don’t perform expertise. They embody it.

The tip:
If you want to grow as a thought leader, don’t ask yourself how you can be more visible. Ask yourself how you can become more complete. Master your foundation—but keep exploring new voices, formats, and emotional registers. Depth creates authority. Diversity creates resonance.

And when both come together—people don’t just listen.

They feel.