Who Thrives In Loud Rooms, Really?

You know that feeling when you leave an industry event and think, blimey, that was a lot - and wonder if it’s just you?

That happened to me recently, and I know I’m not the only one. I bumped into a friend and within minutes we were saying the same thing.

It’s loud.

My voice hurts.

I’m already tired.

I might head off.

Saying it out loud felt like a relief, and I know a lot of women in this industry recognise that feeling.

Because not everyone actually thrives in loud rooms, even if we’ve spent years convincing ourselves we ‘should’.

In the music industry, being noticed often feels tied to being noisy. In meetings, and events, the biggest personalities tend to take up the most space. If you’re quieter, it can start to feel like you need to push harder just to be seen.

So you adapt.

You stay longer.

You speak up more.

You try to be louder than feels natural.

When I shared this online last week, the response said a lot.

Women talked about energy.

About doing their best thinking in smaller settings.

And leaving early and realising they didn’t need to apologise for it.

I see this a lot in my coaching - smart, experienced women quietly doubting themselves in rooms that aren’t built for how they do their best thinking.

That’s the bit worth holding onto.

You don’t have to perform to be taken seriously.

And you’re not doing it wrong if some spaces drain you.

So if you’ve ever walked out of a loud room wondering whether you showed up enough, try this reframe:

Maybe it’s not you.

Maybe it’s the room.

If any of this feels familiar, this is the kind of work I do with women in music.

Helping them trust themselves again without forcing themselves to be different.

Always in your corner,

Sarah