i’m curious about people who have the ability to sing professionally and to a wider audience and choose not to, i.e. they’re not an aspiring singer who hasn’t made it but rather someone who’s fine doing something else. how do they feel about having that level of talent and not being “known” for it? do they ever feel like they’ve given up something or are missing out?
i want to preface this by saying i’m well aware that most performing arts careers are difficult and unstable, and that it makes total and complete sense not to pursue one. but i wonder how even if people know this logically with their “brain” how they feel about it in their “heart” and if they’re at peace with it.
this was sparked by hearing a friend sing with a small community choir the other day. dude went up to the mic for a solo and absolutely filled the room with this gorgeous tone. i hung out with him afterward and a constant stream of people came up to him asking him “are you a pro? you should be on a bigger stage, you should go on a singing competition, that voice is amazing” etc. and he just smiled and thanked them. i thought, “man, there are people out there who’d kill to have that level of talent and he’s basically hiding it away” but he seems otherwise happy from what i can tell (it helps that he has a nice desk job lol).
i wondered if there weren’t more complicated feelings involved but i didn’t feel like prying, so now i’m asking internet strangers, especially if you’ve had personal experience. maybe this’ll be helpful for the young singers out there for whom singing is a passion but are wondering how they’ll feel later on if they don’t pursue it professionally. thanks in advance!
