Performing a song you wrote is scarier than covering one. If they don’t like it, it feels personal. Sing it anyway.

A cover comes with a shield. If it falls flat, the audience is judging your version of something they already have an opinion about, and the song takes some of the weight. Your own song removes that layer, so a quiet room feels like a verdict on you rather than on a performance. It is not one, but it will feel like one, and knowing that in advance helps.

Slip one original into a set of covers rather than building a whole night around yourself. Watch for the single person who leans forward instead of scanning the room.