You do not get to choose if they like you or will hire you. No matter how good you are.

As both a voice teacher for over 20 years as well as a singer myself, I know the life of an artist inside and out.
Singing while it is the biggest joy and gift, can also be a tough sentence to carry.

I am speaking to the professional level of singers on this one.
If you have an extreme talent and work your hardest there is still no guarantee that you will be paid for your craft. Unlike a med student who gets good grades, which gets them into the right college, and then into the right job; there is no guarantee of work, (let alone long lasting “pay the bills on going” kind of work), in singing.

There are those singers who make it of course, but think about the amount of brilliant singers there are.

Let’s say that every High School you know had one or more. (I mean top level singers). There are over 21,000 high schools in the US. There are not enough positions of employment for those high schoolers to work as well paid singers for the rest of their lives. Even if they dedicate everything to it. Time, finances for training, love.
How many Broadways are there? Spots on the radio? Jazz night clubs?

Many singers find ways to lead lives as singers by doing other things to “fund” their singing careers. Can you imagine if a doctor had to do that?

To be a singer you must be resilient. You will be rejected repeatedly and often by people who do not even have the skill set or training to judge you. People will be in positions of hire that have no business doing so and you will have to do your best to please them. It can be a frustrating experience for a true seasoned artist who just wants to work and be a professional. There will be sexism, ageism, and of course "jerkism" to deal with.

So singing is a tough path to chose. I always say it is amazing for those who feel complete doing it as a hobby. It is the “career level singers” that have it hard. Those who mix their passion and talent with the practical need to support families and pay bills.
You will be asked to sing things that don’t fit your voice, in places with bad acoustics for people who don’t care how hard you prepared, and for not enough money- over and over.

I want to take my hat off to you singers out there who fight this fight and stay standing. They call us Divas but have no idea what we have to sacrifice and endure to stay in this industry. They don’t want to pay us enough, don’t guarantee hiring us again, and get disinterested quickly.

We singers hold on for those magic moments when we finally get them. They feed us and help build us back up to keep going. It’s a bummer though, at a certain point a lot of singers have to give up, whether their psyche can’t take more rejection, or they just need to guarantee a paycheck, or start a family.

Daily I interact or teach with young singing students with dreams as well as the older ones who long for dreams that were not fulfilled.- All for the genuine love of singing. It can be heart wrenching.

I am speaking about the highest talented and hardest working singers.
If you can find a way to enjoy the journey, please do so. There is no guarantee of the destination.

Love your singing, love you vocalizing, your practicing, your rehearsing. Sing for friends, for family.

Volunteer to sing. Sing for joy.

Find joy and balance as young as you can with your singing. It is the most important thing you can do for a healthy relationship with your music to last a lifetime.
Know that you must strive for the ultimate but make peace with the process and with the uncertainty of it all.

Tough love and caring for my fellow singers and students.

Sing well!

Ariella Vaccarino (creator of Voice Lessons To Go)

I am looking to develop healthy singing voices across the planet, to whomever loves to sing by creating free content and resources on quality singing instruction. Please help fund my endeavors by becoming my Patreon with any monthly pledge if you can. Thank you!www.patreon.com/voicelessonstogo

*Sign Up: Newsletter sign up for Blog posts and Voice Lessons To Go coupons*