Despite the common belief among many girls—and even guys—that living in a major U.S. city provides a significant advantage in a music career, this isn’t exactly true. If you’ve dreamed of becoming a singer since childhood, you can rest assured that being in Los Angeles or New York won’t give you a 90% head start. This didn’t matter much even in the pre-digital era, and in the age of the internet and social media—where anyone with YouTube access can watch your music video from anywhere on the globe—physical proximity to famous record labels offers no real advantage. Content is everything.
If you’ve decided to become a famous singer, you first need to think about exactly why you would be interesting to your listeners. You can forget about “model looks” right away; while they offer a slight advantage, it’s minor. Your only real shot at the global stage is if you—or someone invested in your success—can write songs that resonate with a wide audience. Given the immense competition in show business, the music must be truly talented and original. Otherwise, your songs are unlikely to be heard by millions.
Option 1: The Talented Independent Artist
You are a young, talented singer who writes and performs genuinely great music. Whether you compose using a guitar or software like MIDI keyboards, FL Studio, Cubase, or synthesizers, you possess the most important advantage that will open doors: talent. If you are capable of writing songs that captivate people, try starting a band. It’s not easy, but even in a small town, you can find like-minded people ready to help. Many world-famous bands started back in high school.
Once your group is established and you’ve rehearsed your original material, your focus should shift to distributing your work as widely as possible. YouTube and TikTok are your primary tools here. Social media and YouTube have long been the most effective platforms for reaching a broad audience.
What about sending demos to record labels? Experience shows this is largely ineffective. In 95% of cases, you’ll be rejected, wasting your time. Every day, labels receive hundreds of emails; perhaps one in a thousand catches their interest. Competition is too high. However, if a vocalist has a striking appearance and a good voice, there’s a chance. Remember, labels today primarily look for whether a newcomer can eventually sell out large venues. The real money is in live performances, not streaming. While a charismatic look is important, the songs come first. If you don’t have potential hits, no one cares about your looks.
Creating music videos isn’t as hard as it seems. If you lack directing skills, high-quality footage of your live performances will suffice. Once you post to YouTube, spread it across Facebook, Instagram, and X (Twitter). Even with just 5,000–10,000 dedicated fans, you can earn enough from YouTube ad revenue to quit your day job and dedicate yourself entirely to your craft.
Don’t limit yourself to the internet. Every year, numerous music festivals take place across the U.S. and Europe. You lose nothing by sending your live performance videos to organizers. You actually have a much better chance here than with record labels. Getting an invite to perform for a few thousand people is a massive step toward your dream. After that, it’s all about the music. If it doesn’t move millions, no festival can save it.
Option 2: The Funded Route
You have a “rich dad” or a patron interested in your career. This simplifies the process, but it’s still not a walk in the park. Again, it comes down to the content. If you or your producer lack songwriting talent, you’ll have to buy songs from professional composers.
There has long been an “underground” market for songs in the West. Many professional pop composers write hits for world-famous stars who then claim the credit. Rihanna, Miley Cyrus, Madonna, Avril Lavigne, Pink—the majority of their hits were written by people you’ve never heard of. These composers earn tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars, securing a comfortable life without the fame, while the artists make millions. Look up Max Martin for a prime example.
With a million-dollar budget, you can hire production agencies in NY or LA. They charge high commissions, but they will give you access to the right people and high-end music videos. However, beware of industry “sharks” who specialize in fleecing wealthy parents. You might lose a few million dollars only to end up with three professional videos of mediocre pop music and an album no one wants to hear. That’s usually where those careers end.
Option 3: The “Child Star” Foundation
The most reliable method: You were born near Los Angeles (ideally), and your parents took you to TV show castings from a young age. If you get lucky enough to land a spot on something like a Disney show, your chances of becoming a singer skyrocket. This is how Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Justin Timberlake, and Ryan Gosling became stars.
When major labels invest hundreds of thousands of dollars into an album (composers, engineers, vocal coaches, videos), they prefer to bet on a girl who is already a household name across America. Miley Cyrus is a perfect example of this trajectory.
Of course, even this isn’t foolproof. Many teenagers from shows like American Idol vanish back into normal life. While talent shows are a plus, the song remains the most important factor. If the music is mediocre, it won’t matter if all of America sees you—it won’t help.