Don't Exist (from Fangirls) (arr. Alice Chance and Zara Stanton): Piano Vocal

Blake's song writing captures the specificity of contemporary adolescent experience without condescension. The arrangement by Chance and Stanton strips the material down to its emotional core, making this accessible for solo singers while retaining the theatrical punch of the original.

Urgent and honest without being overwrought. The song sits in that space between private confession and public declaration, where a character stakes a claim about her own existence. There's defiance here, but also real vulnerability underneath.

Voice students exploring contemporary musical theatre repertoire, singers preparing audition material that showcases emotional nuance, and performers developing skills with modern harmonic language and contemporary text setting.

• Find the conversational rhythm beneath the melody; this song thrives when it sounds like honest speech rather than formal singing.
• Let the piano's harmonic movement guide your phrasing more than strict bar lines; Blake's harmonic language supports natural breathing.
• Balance vulnerability with attitude. The song works when both qualities coexist, not when one dominates the other.

Pair this with other contemporary musical theatre selections to showcase how current composers are expanding the canon beyond traditional Broadway idioms. It works equally well as a solo recital piece or as part of a cabaret program exploring themes of identity and self-assertion.

• Navigating contemporary harmonic language and unexpected chord progressions
• Shaping lyrical phrases that follow speech patterns rather than symmetrical melody
• Balancing introspective singing with dramatic delivery
• Collaborating expressively with a pianist to shape emotional timing