15 Music Artists Who Were Rejected Before They Became A Hit
Being a popular artist in music is not an easy thing; it takes effort, perseverance and, in many cases, a person or a company that provides enough support to excel. Before becoming famous, some musicians had to test their ability to not be defeated by adversity. In the end, time rewarded them with a charted path to success with their songs, and they were able to prove to those who did not believe in them from the beginning that they were wrong.
Bright Side wants to share with you some stories of performers who did not give up in the face of a professional stumbling block and now sing to thousands of people.
1. Justin Bieber
The Canadian looked for opportunities to be a star in his native country; one of them was at a youth pageant held in Stratford, the city where he grew up. In 2007, Justin entered the pageant and made it to the final round, but the winner was a 17-year-old teenager named Kristen Hawley. For 2009, he released his mini album My World, and in 2010 he released the single “Baby”, with which he began his rise to success, which, to this day, is maintained thanks to new songs and a solid fan base from all over the world. world.
2. Shakira
The Colombian interpreter did not have a good time in a musical choir. In an interview, she mentioned that her teacher did not want her to be part of the group; To make matters worse, her companions told her that she "sang like a goat." Thanks to the support of her family, Shakira was motivated enough to attend more auditions. In the 90s, the albums Pies descalzos and Where are the thieves? they made it known in Latin America. Now, she records millions of records sold and performances at major events, such as the Super Bowl LIV halftime show.
3. Coldplay
In the 90s, Alex James, Damien Hirst and Joe Strummer watched the British band and decided to let it go. The Blur bassist revealed to an English newspaper that they considered Coldplay an "ordinary" group and therefore decided not to associate them with the record label they had created. In 2000, Chris Martin and company released their first album, which became a commercial success. Since then, the group has toured the world with millionaire earnings and multiple nominations for major music awards.
4. The Smiths
In the 1980s, the Manchester band could have signed with Tony Wilson's Factory Records, but they didn't. According to the words of the businessman, the vocalist Morrisey expressed his desire to be a pop star, to which he responded with a laugh followed by the phrase: "Very interesting, Steven." Months later, Wilson was sorry for not taking the musician's aspirations seriously. The Smiths appeared on Top of The Pops and released four studio albums. At present, some of its members have a solo career.
5. Mon Laferte
In 2003, the Chilean singer tried her luck on a local talent show called Rojo, fame counter-fame under her real name, Monserrat Bustamante. Even though he had a stellar spot on the show, she recently confessed that his talents were not taken seriously, as he couldn't make any decisions and they never listened to him to perform her songs. He then he moved to Mexico and formed his own style. His departure from the comfort zone paid off thanks to singles like "Your lack of love." In 2017, Mon returned to Chile to perform and triumph at the Viña del Mar Festival.
6. Dave Grohl
At the age of 14, the American musician sent a letter to Dischord Records. Grohl himself recalled that this writing was addressed to the founder of the company, Ian Mackaye, and in it he asked for help to communicate and show the songs of his group. It is unknown if this message was answered at the time, what we do know is that he continued with his musical career until, in the 90s, he was part of Nirvana as a drummer until his disintegration. Since 1994, he has been the lead singer and guitarist for the band Foo Fighters, with which he continues to record albums and tour the world.
7. Missy Elliott
The American rapper knew how to get ahead and proved to be a great exponent of music. In her childhood, she sent recordings of hers to her idols Michael and Janet Jackson, without receiving a reply. When she began creating music with her friend, producer Timbaland, she Missy she related that several record companies told her that she "looked bad" singing her songs, despite having a talent for music . Because of this, she created her own record company and released her first record in 1997. It sold more than two million copies and that marked the beginning of a great career for her.
8. Linkin Park
This band was founded under the name Xero in 1996, but three years later Chester Bennington arrived and the group changed its name. At that time, they had in mind to create their first album, but they were rejected by several record companies, including Warner Bros, who disapproved them three times. However, this same company rectified their position and gave them the opportunity to produce their debut material. The Hybrid Theory album was released in 2000, sold more than 20 million copies and received a Grammy Award for best hard rock performance for the song "Crawling."
9. Rosalia
In 2008, the Spanish singer had one of her first television opportunities when she participated in the program Tú si que vales. Despite the applause from the audience, the members of the jury expressed discontent with phrases such as: “You have a lot of potential, but you don't know how to get it out” and “You have gone out of tune a lot”. Rosalía humbly accepted the comments and continued working to get her revenge. Ten years after her, her song “Malamente”, followed by her album El mal querida de ella, made her an artist of stature and allowed her to win seven Latin Grammy Awards.
10. Joan Jett
She is one of the most prominent female exponents of rock and did everything she could to get ahead. After the separation of the band The Runaways, Joan looked for an opportunity to realize the first album of her like soloist, but no record house offered him the support of her. With the help of Kenny Laguna, in 1980 she created her own recording company, Blackheart Records, and with it she released the song “Bad Reputation” and an eponymous album that opened up the opportunity for her to be heard on stage. To date, Joan remains active in music as a performer and producer.
11. Ed Sheeran
In the late 2000s, the young redhead auditioned for the cast of the musical television series Britannia High. During the dance test, luck did not accompany Sheeran and the teacher mentioned that he "has no idea what he is doing, but he tries". That was probably the reason that led to the elimination. However, his talent as a singer promised him a great future, which was crystallized in 2011 with the song "The A Team" and his debut album "+" (Plus). Since then, his presence in music is constant, and he has even participated as an actor in productions such as Yesterday.
12. Queen
Although they were already popular in 1975, the band had to deal with doubts about their song "Bohemian Rhapsody." In the film and in the biography written by Lesley Ann Jones on the life of Freddie Mercury, it is said that the subject did not convince the executives to make it a commercial single, mainly due to its almost six minutes in length. In October of that year, announcer Kenny Everett played the musical piece for the first time for the public and, finally, they managed to produce it as an official single. Since its release, the track has sold more than 10 million copies.
13. Britney Spears
At 10 years old, the singer made her appearance on television in 1992 during the Star Search singing contest. In the competition, she faced 12-year-old Marty Thomas, and she was eliminated because she received a lower grade from the jury. In the following years, Britney was part of the cast of the program The Mickey Mouse Club and since 1998, she ventured into singing with the albums ... Baby One More Time and Oops! ... I Did It Again !, with which his popularity grew suddenly. Today, "the princess of pop" accumulates more than 20 years of experience in music.
14. Dua Lipa
The British singer wanted to join the elementary school choir, but couldn't. Dua explained that the music teacher did not accept her because her voice could not reach the high notes; Furthermore, she predicted that she would have no chance. In 2015 she signed with a record company and began to accumulate popularity from her first singles to the release of her self-titled debut album two years later. In 2020, this woman continues to promote her music through the album called Future Nostalgia, which has a presence on several popularity charts on the planet.
15. Alejandro Sanz
One of the greatest exponents of music in Spain revealed in his authorized biographical book, #VIVE, that the Hispavox company rejected the songs that he presented on a cassette for a new album, pointing out that their lyrics were not commercial and that they would not succeed. After ending his contract, Warner Music approached Alejandro and offered to record the same songs that had been rejected. Those songs are part of his 1991 album Living Quickly, which sold a million copies. From that moment on, he made several albums and has received various recognitions.
Are you a fan of a well-known musical artist in your country who has overcome adversity in the beginning and is now enjoying success? Share your preferences in the comments!
