Karaoke Forums

I have been emailing with several aspiring singers about the music business. They have gotten a bit discouraged by some road blocks and/or less than positive feedback- so I'm gonna share a little about what it takes to be in that industry- starting with my most humiliating moment in the music industry.

Last year- I auditioned for "America's Got Talent" I was called back to the Tv auditions and told what to wear and what to sing- Oh- and I WAS NOT allowed to use any back up- I had to do it acapella(they REALLY didn't want a singer to win last year) I was told that if I did as asked- I would make it into the top 40 when "AMerica" starts to vote. I know how politics are in these kinds of things- so i DID what they asked. Unfortunately- I was caught in the first audition show of last year and what you DIDN't see- was actually more dramatic than what you did get to see. ***Note that after that show and all the controversy with Piers lambasting CHILDREN- they made him and the crowd lighten up considerably- I was just unlucky to be in that first taping before they got the "formula right".

They encouraged a very "Jerry Springer"(read low class uncouth) audience to be as rude as possible. The contestants were not allowed to see what was going on while the other performers were on stage(they kept us in a room downstairs and brought us up to tape in groups of 3)- but all I knew was that everyone was coming back in tears- young- old whatever- and those who had more "classical" talents such as "opera, broadway, ballet, jazz etc" were catching the worst of it. Even knowing this- AND being one of the "broadway" style singers with the song they told me to sing- I still wasn't nervous because I have never come across a crowd that honestly didn't "WANT" to like me.

I could feel the hostility from the audience as soon as I stepped on stage- almost like a hiss. Here I was in this sparkly evening gown- getting ready to sing a BROADWAY song- to a crowd that appeared to have been recuited from the gang ridden streets of LA. I almost changed my song and did something more "R&B" but i remembered what they had told me about doing what they said- So i took a breath and started.

Piers buzzed me literallyon the first note. The audience was booing and waving their arms to get me off the stage. I have never been so mortified in my life. Sharon took pity and buzzed me about 1/2 way through my song. But David was eating up the crowds hostility. When i saw that he wasn't going to buzz me- but wanted to draw out the misery- I tuned out everything and concentrated on my song. Do you have any idea how difficult it is to sing a song with 3 modulations acapella? Now add in the ghetto crowd booing and screaming the entire time and you might be able to get a picture of it. David waited until i FINISHED my song to buzz me. Piers told me I sounded like "a harpooned whale" i said "Ok Thanks" but never allowed any emotion to show. David said "it's a shame when you came on with so much confidence" i told him" I'm leaving the same way. I've been a professional singer for 20 years and this crowd and you don't have the ability to make me doubt anything about my talent- only your hearing" and i walked off stage. jerry was apologising until the cameras turned on me and him then he asked me "how do you feel about what the crowd did" I said " I think it says a whole LOT more about your CROWD than it does my TALENT" jerry make a cut motion to the camera and let me go.

I'm not gonna lie- i went to my hotel room and cried my eyes out.

I got a call from the producers the next day apologising for "piers" and they said what he said would not be aired. I told them if they were going to air ANYTHING- to air it ALL! I also told them that it would totally discredit them as a "talent show" if they DID air it- because I knew I hadn't missed a note! The producer laughed and said "yeah we know. We watched the film back and it was amazing that you didn't"


The end result- you never saw a hair of my head on the show because it WOULD have made them look like fools-But I lived the next 3 months scared sh!tless that my most embarassing moment would be aired on national TV( Oh and trust me- once they have footage of you- they can make it sound/look like ANYTHING they want to with editing) . So the end result is that I still have the scars(healed though they may be) - but I'm also not blind and trusting anymore either.

Was it a worthy exchange? I think so! I Know it was a lesson I needed to learn. If you are thinking of pursuing anything in any aspect of the entertainment industry- you need to learn it too- Hopefully you can learn through THIS rather than experiencing something similar on your own.

I left there with many questions about why they would set up a legitimate talent like me( and others) then put acts like "boy shakira" through. There really aren't any answers to those questions. And I had the rose tinted glasses I saw the world and "reality shows" through ripped off.

Do I think that "reality shows" are 'reality"- NO- they absolutely are NOT! they are whatever the producers feel will get the biggest reaction- and that obviously sn't always the best "talent" Do I still watch them- YES...cuz the producers are right- they DO make for great TV. Will I ever audition again. Well if i could find a way to without my husband,(who is out for BLOOD over the way I was treated), finding out - YEAH- I probaby WOULD- but this time I would NOT allow them to "set me up" and i would come loaded for bear and not as a naieve innocent girl. Reality Shows are just another form of gambling. They have HUGE risks- but the payoff is equally HUGE. How large are your kahunas? Mine are HUGE!


The reason I am putting this out there- is so that the singers I am talking to- and any other of you aspiring singers, musicians, etc...who are feeling like it's "Too Hard" will understand what it takes to "make it" I can sum it up in One sentence.

"If YOU don't fully believe in yourself- how could you ask anyone ELSE to believe in you?"

So if you know you have a talent but aren't getting where you want to go...then TRY HARDER. Always remember- you can NEVER make EVERYONE happy- all the time..but you CAN make SOME of the people happy SOME of the time. All that means is that everyone has different likes and dislikes- they all have different tastes. What you need to find out is "what part of your talent gets the most positive response from the largest number of people. And take note of WHO those people are- THEY are YOUR market.

I may of gotten booed off the stage at Americas got Talent- but it was my own fault for not listening to my gut feeling about what THAT audience needed from me( and it WASN'T BROADWAY!). Boy Shakira, Leonid the Magnificent and Rappin Granny would have been run out of the "Top of the mark"( the jazz club where I perform in San Francisco) Well actually- they wouldn't have passed the dress code to get "IN" in the first place... The bottom line is THERE IS AN AUDIENCE FOR EVERY- and i do mean EVERY "talent".

BOTTOM LINE...ya gotta keep on keepin on. keep a positive attitude- and BELIEVE IN YOURSELF! Are you going to get "kicked in the teeth" YES you are....are you going to be frustrated- Oh YEAH! are you gonna cry your eyes out periodically( or want to) YUP you are. but the question you need to ask yourself is how bad to you want it? How important is it to you? What are you willing to sacrifice for it? Nothing worth having comes easily...ask any MOM how hard birth was, what changes in their life did having a baby make? How much have they given up to have a child. Then ask if they would change anything! Like giving birth- your career choice is something you center your life around. if you aren't willing to put into it the sacrifice that something this "life changing" demands- then maybe the entertainment industry isn't for you. Like I said...set backs are a natural normal things. And truly...what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. I know that sounds cliche- but it's true. I have learned more from any ONE of the most painful things that ever happened to me - than any TEN of the pleasant ones COMBINED.

That said...is there anything wrong with singing "just" at a karaoke show, or "just" in the church choir...or even "JUST" at your own home...NOT AT ALL. But no matter what your ultimate goal with your "talents" may be- understand that you can't move from wherever it is you are right now without "changing" and change is never comfortable( unless you win the lottery) Even if your goal is something as simple as a move from the "choir" to "soloist" there will always be setbacks and times when you feel like giving up. Whether you achieve your goal is all dependant on how persistant you are. But my advise is- is you aren't going to pursue a career in the enterteinment industry- don't take everything so seriously. if its not your livelihood- HAVE FUN with it- that's the only reason you'd do anything like that in the first place. But for those of you who are seriously thinking of or who are actively attempting to enter this industry- get ready for one of the most cut throat and difficult- yet most fun and rewarding ways to ear a few bucks.

I'm sure there are TONS of people out there with similar stories- please feel free to add yours- But I would like to avoid this turning into an "Oh I've been done SO wrong whining thread" Don't just share the hard things you've been through- tell us what you LEARNED from it. I'll look forward to "getting to know all of you better"

Paula

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Wow Paula! That was quite a story of maintaining grace and dignity under fire! Sorry you were "set up" like that by the show's producer. Trying to sing a Broadway type song with a complex melody and without musical backup is sure no easy task. They really do need instrumentation behind them IMO. I don't understand why the judges gave you such a hard time. But maybe they're expected to be on the same page as the ignorant audience. This show sounds more like a freak show than a talent show. Any people with true talent seem to take a back seat to the people that are quirky, humorous and bizarre. Hats off to you for making it through all that! All other challenging audiences must seem like a piece of cake to deal with by comparison!

O you reminded me of the OTHER lesson I learned

....I think I prefer to sing places where they actually compensate me ahead of time to be there....then they HAVE to appreciate it to get their moneys worth! (wink)

That's what I get for singing for free! I'll never do that again...inless it's over in the SS of course!

Just kidding...I'd do it again- but wouldn't allow them to tell me what to sing/wear...and I'd bring my band with me as part of the act..but it looks like they allowed the singers this year to use tracks...and what did they get...a top 10 with EIGHT or is it NINE "singers"

But like I said it taught me a valuable lesson....I'm hoping there will be others here who have also "been through the fire" so the speak and come out still kicking on the other side. That's why I posted this thread. Hopefully it'll do what it's supposed to. Thank you my friend for the very kind words BTW- you're an angel! Mwaahh
Paula

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I learned all about humility in the pro music business. Also that loyalty usually ends around garage band phase. Fortunately I got out and don't hate music, nor am I permanently bitter..well, not totally, well, maybe a little but not completely, well... ma---&#*@ *#&$*, where my happy pills


It's not for all. Hating the cut-throat aspects, and not being tough enough to hang with bigger names doesn't make me less of a musician, the business aspect veers into a different area which often precludes "musicianship"..

I don't know many backing musicians that ever get to write their own ticket all the way thru.

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

I also think the old adage is true. If you love something try VERY hard to keep it a hobby, without relying on it as main a source of income by turning it into a profession= (especially in the Arts), the business aspects and competition is grueling.

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

Hmm.... I also say I am "successful" because I managed to find a way to make a living doing something I'd do for FREE! ...and I LIKE competition- it keeps you sharp and on top of your game. When I get bored I either bring in new material- or switch to a different venue...new audiences always bring a different energy.

I am dissappointed though- I would have thought that there would be MANY stories that the singers and musicians would have to share about "difficult" things they have been hrough- and how it worked out for the good. (sigh) Then again- it ain't easy to "air" something that was probably humiliating- or at the very least "embarrassing"

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No, It's not only not easy, but it would mean disclosing some VERY personal things with residual affects to date in a public venue. Event that didn't often work out for the better.. . There are funny stories too, I was traveling and gigging for 9 years all over the eastern US, and eastern part of Canada.. Right now I'm just focusing on trying to sing and pretending I never divulged I was a musician during this arduous process..HAHAHAHA.. and currently one of the stories regarding a parody I did which was a RAGING spoof and spoofed quite well received kudos, and THAT was funny.. the driveby praise of those that don't even listen to the song.. Ross Perot singing Bob Dylan out've tune... and the first comment "Fabulous job, keep em coming", or something like that.. (See, doesn't take much to crack me up)

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

anyone seen this dude before? interesting example of head voice....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjO_VXHxsRw

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"Be who you are and say what you feel... Because those that matter... Don't mind...And those that mind... Don't matter."

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"Be who you are and say what you feel... Because those that matter... Don't mind...And those that mind... Don't matter."

Yes Vicki, I'm familiar with him and I've seen that video before, He's Russian, and I'm wondering if that's head voice or a very well controlled whistle-tone in that video. I think Vitas is a classically trained counter-tenor but also a Russian pop-star... Paula or Operakitty would know what he's doing in the first video... He's extremely accurate given what he's doing and while I know nothing about any technical aspects of singing but I think the second video is a great demonstration of a male counter-tenor. I'm going to show you something I find bizarre... brb..

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

What the heck does that have to do with lessons learned Vik? (hand on hip finger wagging)Bad girl - getting us off topic! waaauuughhh!

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What does David Hasselhoff know about singing or talent? That overpaid over praised jerk couldn't carry a tune if it had a handle on it! I'm sorry you had to go through that humiliation Paula, but I'm glad you didn't let them get to you. You know what you've got kiddo - don't let anyone tell you different.....Lee.

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I've always wanted to be a singer in the worst way.....and I often am!

Good Lord, Paula! I knew you had been through something with America's Got Talent, but didn't realize how bad it was! Dang! I spent all of early this year arguing with my mom and aunt over why I WOULDN'T audition for the current season...and it's because I expected something exactly like that. Frankly, Hasslehoff has NO business judging anyone's singing ability.

I had a less traumatic experience with a show called 30 Seconds to Fame (anyone remember that?). I was approached after a professional performance by one of the producers before the show went into production and anyone had ever heard of it, and literally BEGGED to be in it. Luckily, the shoot was compansated. The end result, I wasn't buzzed off, but, because "not enough" people were buzzed, the episode I was on ran too long, and since I was the classical singer and not the hot Britney Spears impersonator, I was edited out of the show for time. In the long run, I'm relieved to have been edited...although I was slightly PO'd at the time.

What people don't always understand about this business is that it is a BUSINESS. You can't just sing well. I have come out of countless auditions where I have literally been told "You were our first choice as far as talent - you sang the best, acted the best, but you were too tall/not blonde/didn't look right with the guy/too heavy/etc." For a brief period, I was shopping for a record contract, and told over and over, "We love you voice. We don't know what to do with you. Can you be more like Christina Aguiellra?"

I tell anyone who asks me about becoming a professional performer to first decide if they REALLY love what they do. Is there anything else they could do to make a living and be happy? If there is, I STRONGLY suggest persuing that instead and sing at karaoke, piano bars, weddings, community theatre, whatever. If you decide you truly do love it and wouldn't be happy doing anything else, absolutely go for - but know it is VERY rare to be easy. Overnight success is usually takes 10 or more years to achieve, and you will go to bed in tears because of something someone said.

This business sucks. It will make you question yourself constantly...it will hurt. NOTHING in easy. But, I wouldn't be happy doing anything else. I love what I do, and the moment I step in front of an audience, all is right with the world and none of the BS it took to get me there matters.

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"I hold the key to an open door....will I ever be free...?"

Yep. I'm just happy I don't hate music completely and associate it with trips thru the woodchipper and the rides in the blender. The only glamour is looking in from the outside IMHO

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

Oneofakind, I remember listening to your version of George Benson's 'this Masquerade' in the Showcase before I decided to join this forum. No one on any 'reality' show could ever accuse you of being anything less than a fantastic singer without losing cred from what I remember hearing. It sounds like you handled a really really REALLY wrong situation with dignity and composure.

I guess I have been lucky in that people have always generally been decent and encouraging(well, except a few slimey promoters and such haha). I have had a few contests I didn't win and auditions where I was told I wasn't what they were looking for (Opera Kitty, I got the 'great voice but too tall' thing once, too), and the usual frustrations and occasional disapointments that are part of the 'fun', but nothing traumatic.

The one thing Id say I have learned is that getting good gigs to perform your own songs, on your own terms, as an unsigned by choice artist, is a @#$%^ing struggle and a half. A worthwhile struggle, though. I perform covers for a living at this point, and, I enjoy it,and if I never make it as far as my own music, I will be happy just being able to make a living doing what I love to do.
Anyway, hope youll forgive the rambling post-style as I am running on a caffine buzz right now, and thanks for starting this topic . From your posts, I wonder if you are a writer, because they are so well written.

I'm too much of an amateur to have any stories like this...but I can only say...


It is better to have sung and lost then never to have sung at all....


....it takes a TON of guts to do what you did, me hat is off to ya...

keep on truckin' and #%$* the torpedos...

russ

You don't have to ever "sing and lose" if you love singing Russ, It's really that simple.. I've set very high standards for myself so I have a tough haul. I don't want to sing, I want to sing very well ! If it's an area of aesthetics and I'm exposing it to others, I want to be very good at it in time ! Just how I am...

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Northeast United States runner up for the "Singing Hall of Shame".

Sadly, that is to be expected.. Reality shows are scripted and the production company has picked the winner ahead of taping.

The formula was perfected by the same producer that started Jerry Springer.

He went from Springer to American Idol..

Think about it.. Air time + Crew time = large dollars..

Nobody is crazy enough to waste/risk hard cash on an unknown "talent".

Sad to say this, as we all want to believe..

I'm really sorry about your experience. That kind of thing could very well have caused you give up. I admire your grit and determination and the fact that you've kept your self-confidence depsite what happened.

You said you had expected a lot more stories similar to yours. I think your experience happened a lot closer to the top of the food chain than most of us will ever get to. It's not difficult to imagine that when the stakes are higher so are the disappointments.

I'm kind of glad I've reached the ripe old age I'm at now. I figured out a long time ago that I was never going to be the next Beatles and I've been a whole lot more relaxed about things since.

It seems wrong to me that shows like that and American Idol seem to have a certain level of cruelty built in to them. It may be good for the ratings and it may be fun(?) for the audience but it seems as if we give up a lot of our basic humaness as the result.

I guess one can't expect much more from shows that are more about the competition than the talent. It kind of reminds me of the Christians and the lions in ancient Rome. The "bloodletting" aspect of the whole spectacle bothers me.

I'm at the very bottom of the enterainment food chain. My band plays local bars and for places like the Elks Club and the Moose Lodge. We play out regularly and I feel very fortunate because most bands never even reach our level. I don't guess I really need those "reality" shows. My reality seems to be a lot more real that you'll ever see on those shows. Of course we don't get the ratings those shows do either.

Larry

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"Life is too short for diet soda and lite beer"