Ask someone if they would rather be Adele or Adele’s vocal coach or songwriter. If they say Adele, ask them why. Normally, it’s about chasing a dream, fame, attention, a perceived attitude of it being fun, entertaining, the flashing lights, how exciting it is, and all of that having a positive impact on you as a person. Is that selfish? Is the attention what drives people to pick Adele? Is it the perception of a better life in general? If you are Adele’s vocal coach or songwriter, you live a comfortable life, have credits to your name, have the perks of being in favor with other musicians, labels, etc for opportunities, but you lack the attention and spotlight being on you (most times). You might be known in entertainment circles, but you don’t have the constant attention, scrutiny, or the pressure that being in front of a camera on and off stage puts on you.
To me, a well-rounded person who thinks about this hard enough will pick this songwriter, vocal coach, or the behind-the-scenes person who gets the perks of the entertainment business, lives comfortably, has money, but lacks the attention and pressure that leads to downfalls. If you think about it long enough and pick Adele, you might be a dreamer or have a void that needs filled. You might have a self-fulfilling want or need, a longing for something that is missing, a certain perception of what her life is, or want to reap the perceived benefits of living her life. Think about the pits and downfalls. The lows are pretty low for Adele when she fails. They go public, are usually out in the open, and heavily scrutinized by many miserable people who have too much time on their hands. For her songwriter or vocal coach, they can live life, fail, and deal with their lows while mostly avoiding the scrutiny, public opinion, and the spotlight on them all the time.
It goes back to the would you rather have money or fame argument just with a pop superstar thrown in the mix as the example. She did not ask for this but she’s a perfect example.
So, which do you choose?