53, it sounds like Female Singer is talking about participating with a solo song at a jam session in an otherwise noisy place, like a pub. She said it's "acoustic," so I assume it's people who are playing informally, even though it's a public place, and not amplified for performance. If it's anything like the sessions I've been to, it's mostly tunes from instrumentalists, with the occasional solo or group song. The other non-participating folks in the bar mostly carry on their normal conversation during the tunes, may or may not stop to applaud something they appreciate, and may or may not tone it down for a solo singer. There's no M.C. at hand, and sound equipment would turn it into a more formal performance than people are trying to achieve in that kind of setting.

I'm a female singer with a quiet voice too, and I have to say that I sigh with envy at the stories of the old English pubs that regularly had singing and had a publican or other person who would call for order for a solo song...

Learning to singer louder properly is key, and/or finding someone who'll help out by shushing folks a bit is useful. Once a good song is started, it seems most people will stop and give it a listen -- I think that nowadays (at least where I live!) it's such a rare thing to hear someone sing unaccompanied and unamplified that people are somewhat awed or astounded to see it. It does vary with the crowd, though.

My personal problem is finding the right spot in the flow of the evening and screwing up the courage to start the song at all. The other thing I sigh about in stories of the old days is having someone who'd M.C. things...

'Course, in the old days, there weren't many women singing in those pubs, they were home cooking supper...

~ Becky in Tucson