Do performers really have to be marketable?

Question

What I mean by the question is do looks have anything to do with why you like a certain performer. Music wise i mean... does a singer really need to have people think she is attractive..I have been over weight for nearly my entire life. I am also a lesbian who has serveral boyish mannerisms. Half the the people who meet me do not know i'm a girl. I am a singer, i love to sing. I'm changing my major at the end of this sem to performence. I'm being trained in classical music with hopes of being a big hit in the world of opera. While i do understand that in order to get parts in a show i have to look the part and be able to pass for that character... at the same time i wonder does it really matter what i look like... I have already decided to make myself more "marketable" and lose weight, besides that there are health reasons as well... but I just wanted to know everyones opinion on the matter. Do you think all performers should look some what attractive?

Answer 1

To be marketable as a singer does not necessarily mean "more attractive" The key is to either look the part or be appropriate for your target audience... and to be yourself in the process. If you're serious about classical music you very well may end up singing Wagnerian Opera (it wouldn't be the same without overweight women wearing helmets with horns). As far as opera in general if you can sing and you're determined you should be able to get gigs and possibly even make a decent living. If you want to move into the world of pop/rock/etc. you can market yourself in a way to hit a niche rather than go for global popularity. You could get an acoustic guitar and sing folk music for other lesbians... your looks won't make much of an impact, because you'll look the part. Heck no matter what style you sing, if you can find a way to connect with your audience and creatively market yourself for what music you've made and who you are you can have at least modest success in the industry. I honestly think if you put yourself out there and have the "this is who I am, accept me or not" attitude, you'll be surprised at the positive response. If you're really self conscious about your looks you could get into singing jingles for a studio... you get royalties for each time your jingle plays and you never have to be seen by the public. Have you ever seen the woman who sings the jingle for the Campbell's Soup ads? Oh, and singing jingles is very lucrative! There's lots of possibilities if you're talented and have a positive attitude.

Answer 2

Well sure, a singer must be attractive to her audience. Her voice, her personality, and her appearance, all play a part in this attraction.
There are fat singers, but they are attractive. There are singers not particularly beautiful, but they are attractive. Attractive is whatever draws a people to like about a singer. They buy their cd's; they want to hear them. In short they like you; they admire you. That is marketability. You have to have that to be successful. Conversely there are turnoffs, things that kill marketability. Once you get the public turned off, that is a bad thing for a singer. A singer needs the public and is dependent on the public. So marketability is an ability to appear before the public in a form the public can accept.

Answer 3

In society these days, Yes they go by looks. Most these beautiful singers can't sing for crap without the studio help. Have you heard some of these people sing live? A lot of them suck. The people who can sing are the ones that society shelters. I think a singer should be noticed by their voice, not their looks. Most of the singers now days have a lot of their music edited to sound great. It is just too bad that people don't know what talent is these days.
Good luck with your major :)

Answer 4

Singing is something that everybody can learn and improve. Of course, some are more naturally skilled than others, but even a poor voice can be overcome by dedication, practice, and more practice. Even if you're content to sing in the shower, there are some things you can do to improve your voice. This is probably the best online course to improve your singing skills https://tr.im/0bdt8
Your golden voice will be ringing out in no time!

Answer 5

It doesn't hurt to be attractive. However, do you remember Ethel Merman? She was on Broadway singing and in movies and she was not attractive. K.D. Lang is a lesbian and it's hard to tell if she's a boy or girl. Meat Loaf is no prize in the looks department. So go with your dream and if it's meant to happen, it will. Good luck to you.

Answer 6

Yes.As you can see, Paris Hilton is not the best singer, but she's Paris Hilton so she gets a record contract, lots of air play, and a video.

Answer 7

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