Becoming a renowned musician takes years of talent, practice, incredible luck and perseverance. Just ask all the struggling people filling the bars in Nashville, Las Vegas or Los Angeles. There are thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of talented musicians.
So, how can you step up your game and prove you are better than others?
Some say it takes a good dose of pure luck, while others insist that there is no way you can stay on top unless you constantly give 110%.
Do you have what it takes to make it in this highly competitive industry?
Here is a list with the most common features successful musicians share to help you pursue your dream.
Confidence
Confidence is a state of mind but it can also be earned with years of practice. Keep in mind that most successful musicians started from the bottom, with nothing to lose.
If you want to be a renowned artist, you first have to build confidence in your own strengths.
Celebrate every small victory that brings you one step closer to your goal and, in time, you will start believing more in what you can achieve.
Hard Work
It’s not enough to be talented or a work-hard prodigy to become successful in the music industry. You might get a hit or two, even get signed to a major recording label, but you will soon lose everything unless you’re willing to work hard for what you want.
Musicians follow a similar path to athletes, where 20% must be comprised of talent but the remaining 80% should consist of hard work.
Take the renowned football player Christiano Ronaldo, for example. He grew up in one of the poorest neighborhoods in Portugal and he couldn’t afford more than one pair of shoes at the time. He understood from an early age that talent would only get him so far, so he focused his entire spare time into becoming a better player. He trained like no one else and never took a break.
Rapper Jay-Z is another example of how to achieve everything you ever wanted if you’re willing to make an effort. He grew up in Brooklyn, New York, and has built his music career and business empire step by step, becoming the first billionaire hip-hopper in the industry. He even used to sell drugs and was involved in criminal activity until his career took off.
Modesty
You may think renowned artists, especially ones from this pop culture generation, show anything but modesty. However, they worked extremely hard to get where they are now, and most of them started with nothing.
Keep in mind that your income from music won’t be enough to cover your living costs at the beginning of your career, and this should teach you a valuable lesson. No matter how far you get, never forget where you came from, and live with modesty, even if you can afford everything.
Don’t forget that your entire career and fan base can disappear overnight and unless you are willing to sacrifice everything, you might not be able to recover from the shock.
Ability to Sacrifice
Doing what you love and getting paid for it may sound like a dream come true for many but few know the sacrifices that are needed to keep their star shining. Popular singers and artists may have everything they want but can rarely manage to balance their careers with their personal lives.
They are always on the road or recording, meaning they have little to no time at all for relatives, friends, family and their loved ones.
It may take you years of hard work to become famous but you must spend the rest of your life working hard to stay on top, and this doesn’t come without sacrifice.
And, have we even mentioned the initial investment necessary to getting up and running? Picking up any instrument is expensive, so you need to be sure that this is what you want to do in life.
Between the actual instrument and all other gadgets that you’ll need to enhance your sound and record your music, becoming an artist will cost you at least a few thousand dollars in the beginning. Thus, you may want to check the reviews posted by sound-unsound.com if you’re in the market for an affordable yet high-quality music instrument or accessory.
Once you have all your gear figured out, you may also need private lessons or money to rent a recording studio.
So, before you dream of becoming the new Stevie Wonder or Aretha Franklin, ask yourself if this is your one true calling and if you are willing to sacrifice your personal life, free time and your loved ones to build your musical career.
- Top Qualities That Many Successful Musicians Have in Common - January 14, 2020
