Our World | The Power of My Voice

When Thomas Hardouin steps out on stage, he’s stepping into the unknown. Although it’s something he’s done a thousand times before, it’s still another world.?

“There’s always that strange feeling when you face an audience, wondering how they’ll react,” says Thomas. “Then there’s a moment when I get goosebumps and suddenly, there’s nothing else, just me and my voice.”?

As a side hustle to his day job as a Sales Engineer at RS France , Thomas has used his voice to entertain. But his experiences over the last 25 years as a singer and songwriter in choirs and pop-rock bands have taught him about more than just melodies.?

“Everyone’s voice, no matter who you are, can produce music. But that means we all have the responsibility to use it, to make our ideas and thoughts heard.”

The most powerful messages??

Having a voice isn’t just about singing – for Thomas it’s far more, it’s the idea that even the quietest of voices can share the most powerful messages.??

“Music is sharing,” says Thomas. “Everyone’s voice, no matter who you are, can produce music. But that means we all have the responsibility to use it, to make our ideas and thoughts heard.”?

As we reflect on our My Voice survey – our employee survey which provides us all with an opportunity to have a say on life at RS Group – it’s clear just how on point Thomas’ words are.?Thomas explains: “I’m lucky, I’ve never been scared to speak up when I’m at work. I think the more we share our thoughts constructively, the happier we can be. If everyone finds their voice and uses it, we can do good things.”?

Have your say?

Having performed from the age of four, Thomas is confident in using his voice, it’s second nature. But the true test comes when he – as a songwriter – shares his own work.??Thomas explains: “When you go up there and you’re performing something you’ve written, it’s different, because whatever I share is me reaching out with my own message. That’s personal.”??

Love, life and nature, Thomas’s music takes inspiration from it all but whatever the theme, it’s clear that having a voice and using it to share a message, is what drives him, and that’s exactly what he’s encouraging others to do.??

We may not all be singers or songwriters, we all still have a voice, and it’s up to us all to use it.?

You can listen to Thomas' music at:? https://open.spotify.com/intl-fr/artist/0kXqMaq5iE1p3LiRCFswlZ

We would like to say a special thank you to Franck Charbonnier , IT Service Analyst, RS in France, for his live translation during this interview.?