EDITORIAL

Success In Music Demands Sacrifice

Thursday, August 26, 2004

The current Star Quest talent competition being conducted in Cayman comes at a time when the country’s musical community can be seen to be stirring in a number of directions.

Along with the long-running Children’s National Festival competition, where various artistic abilities have been on annual display, there has been exposure of musical talent as well in the Cayman National Cultural Foundation projects, including items such as the popular Rundown show.
Within recent years, we have seen the emergence of several high-quality recording studios here, including one of international standard. The result has been an increase of locally generated recordings and an improving standard.

In very recent times, the Music Association, with support from the Ministry of Culture, has embarked on business and technical seminars for its members including the recently concluded recording production seminar with presenters from overseas.

The overall picture is one of a vibrant artistic community and in the course of the Star Quest competition, in particular, the thought has been expressed by several observers that music industry talent scouts should be visiting our Islands for recruits.

In that context it is important to note that the music industry may work that way in a movie; in real life, the potential music star must beat his/her own path to the doors of employers.

Talent is only the first part of the entertainment success equation; the second part, and probably the more critical one, is the dedication and sacrifice that people of talent must then produce to achieve that success.

To put it in specific terms, to achieve the slightest chance of international entertainment success, our people will have to leave Cayman behind, leave family and friends behind, leave leisure pursuits behind, and, in many cases, live on subsistence earnings while trying to have industry leaders notice them and their talents. There is no other route to success as an entertainer; it is a particularly hard road, but it is the only path to the top.

Caribbean groups that have achieved success over the years (two examples familiar to Caymanians are the Memory of Justice group and the Tradewinds) have made their mark only after venturing out, with their own funds initially, performing for nothing initially, and enduring sleepless nights in airports, unscrupulous promoters, and NSF cheques along the way.

No entertainer anywhere has had the brass ring arrive in a velvet box with his/her name engraved on it. It has to be earned by hard work and personal sacrifice.

There are undoubtedly individuals in Cayman, in the competitions and outside, who have the ability to make an international name in entertainment, but it is also a fact that many of them, if not most, are not prepared to turn their backs on their present life to achieve it. And there is absolutely nothing wrong with that position. Indeed, given the sacrifice required, and the uncertainties being faced, one cannot argue with the choice.

The point, however, is that if some of the hopefuls do decide to ‘go for it’, they must commit to a hard, lonely and sometimes cruel experience with no guaranteed reward at the end.

Those of us – and there are some – who continue to believe in the movie version of success coming like angel dust through the window are simply engaging in delusion.

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