The X Factor; Is Fame & Success Sustainable?
It would appear that due to the many reality television shows & talent competition shows that fame is easily attainable. However, is it sustainable? Popular singing contests such as the X Factor provide a platform for aspiring musicians to attain a record deal and singing career; yet can these be sustained?
Again I find myself quoting the great anthropologist Edmund Carpenter; “Artists do not address audiences, they create them”. It is a quote that rings true concerning my own performances as a magician. I indeed write about subjects that interest me, if other people enjoy my narrative on which ever subject I choose to write about then it is indeed a very humbling feeling, however I do not go out of my way to write about a specific subject if I feel it has no relevance to myself nor if it holds no interest.
Edmund Carpenter goes on to say, and I quote; “If you address yourself to an audience, you accept at the outset the basic premises that unite the audiences. You put on the audience, repeating cliche’s familiar to it. But artist’s don’t address audiences; they create audiences. The artist talks to himself out loud. If what he has to say is significant, others hear and are affected”.
James Arthur was this years UK X Factor winner, a very talented singer with a lovely voice however I personally fear for his future career. Why? Because I fear that the talent James Arthur possess has already become part of a wider message as opposed to message he originally wanted to make. If I may further quote the works of Mr Carpenter;
“Photographers once thought that by getting their photographs published in Life magazine, they would thereby reach large audiences. Gradually they discovered that the only message that came through was Life magazine itself and that their pictures had become but bits & pieces of that message. Unwittingly they contributed to a message far removed from the one they originally intended.”
I fear that this might be the case with James Arthur, again whom I must stress is indeed talented, however may be part of a larger message than himself. Many people are already voicing their opinions about Mr Arthur’s potential career, stating that he will only have a shelf life of 1-2 months.
Personally, I do not wish to see that happen however if that is the game you wish to play then you must be prepared for the consequences as it would appear that fame & success attained via the X Factor is not sustainable; you are part of a larger message and business ethic.
Again, I do not wish to slate the X factor, can fame be achieved via these types of shows? Of course! Can they be sustained?
I fear not.
