An Artist's Alter Ego: Is This Necessary To Be Successful In Music?

Many of the most successful musicians have crafted public personas that differ from their true selves. Whether driven by fear, anxiety, or a desire for protection of their personal lives, numerous artists have embraced fictional characters that align with their brand, aiding in propelling their careers to new heights. But the question remains, is this approach truly necessary?

Ariana Grande | ELLE Magazine | Alyssa Bailey | Kevin Mazur | Getty Images

In the early stages of a musician's career, as they explore the direction and work with a full-fledged team for their artistic development, some may gravitate toward presenting their most authentic self, a persona that fully aligns with who they are. Others, however, may choose to carve out a specific aspect of themselves to represent as their "performer" identity, placing this persona at the forefront while keeping the rest of who they are as secondary. This public-facing character often takes center stage, while the more private side of the artist remains behind closed doors.

To succeed, particularly in the Pop music industry, artists feel immense pressure to deliver captivating, large scale performances for their large fan base. This demand encourages them to embrace this extroverted, eccentric persona. Fans may even believe the performer on stage represents the artist's true identity, when in reality, it could be a completely separate entity or just a fragment of their full self.

For musicians who compartmentalize their public persona from their true identity, this disconnection can sometimes lead to feelings of imposter syndrome. Over time, they may struggle to reconcile the persona they've created with their authentic self, finding it difficult to return to their core identity once they've gone too deep into the role.

Ariana Grande | Youtube

This phenomenon has become more apparent in recent years, especially among some of the biggest artists today. Ariana Grande, for instance, has opened up about the challenges of distinguishing her true self from the pop star persona she’s publicly known for. The struggle to separate herself from this self-crafted character has been an ongoing and difficult journey. She has often found solace in this persona, using it as a crutch during challenging life events, and finding success through it in her career. During her most prominent moments, Grande seemed to escape into the safety of this secondary identity and has openly discussed the difficulty of letting go of the mask she had created.

Grande credits her role as Glinda in the live-action adaptation of "Wicked" for helping her reconnect with her beloved craft and finally say goodbye to the persona she once relied on. This public shift wasn’t without backlash. Fans and critics were quick to criticize her for forgoing this character that they had come to know & adore. Despite the disapproval, she's intent on embracing a version of herself that connects more closely with who she is now.

Creating an alter ego can also have positive effects, offering musicians a way to tap into their unique, artistic qualities that have famously captured an audience's attention. This newfound persona allows them to separate from their personal lives, boost their confidence, and grant them creative freedom. Through this newly formed portion of their personality, they can push past fears or insecurities they might have when performing live or even in the songwriting process.

Beyoncé | Youtube

In many cases, artists feel the need to create this alternate identity in order to succeed. Some have moved past this approach, such as the Pop icon, Beyoncé. Her famous alter ego, Sasha Fierce, was created to help her overcome crippling stage fright and empower her to step into the larger-than-life performer we see today. Beyoncé has described Sasha Fierce as the polar opposite of her true self, especially in the early stages of her solo career.

Although the singer no longer feels the need to step out of herself and into this alter ego, she has since integrated the strength and confidence of this character into her current identity. This fusion has given the queen B permission to retire the persona while still embracing the traits it provided.

Eminem | The Mane Street Mirror | Anna Jani | Flikr.com

Similarly, Eminem created the persona, "Slim Shady," a character that allowed him to craft music with an unfiltered mindset and greater creative freedom. The rapper believed his best work emerged from this alter ego, feeling as though it wasn’t him writing the lyrics, but rather the crafted person itself. This gave him a more artistic approach and resulted in some of the most impactful music to date.

Over time, Eminem began to shed the iconic personality and became more comfortable with his true self. His latest album, "The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grâce)", serves as a testament to over 30 years of the character's impact, marking a shift in his artistry that's more aligned with his stage name, Eminem, or his legal name, Marshall Mathers.

In many ways, this has played a key role in shaping some of the most influential artists in history, however, it can also become problematic theme later on. Fans may begin to equate the persona with the artist's true identity, leading to feelings of imposter syndrome. As a result, when musicians are ready to release this personality, their listeners struggle to grapple with this change.

In a recent interview about her new album "MAYHEM", Lady Gaga discussed the various facets of her personality that are reflected in this work, including her aloof, introverted side as well as her gregarious and animated alter ego. While her discography primarily showcases these eclectic aspects of herself, fans often mistakenly view them as her complete identity, when they only represent a part of who she is.

Her loyal fan base has become increasingly vocal in requesting more releases focused on the iconic character, known for pushing boundaries and achieving worldwide success. However, Gaga is eager to curate her art while embracing both her onstage persona and the person she is behind the scenes.

The venture of creating a public persona for the masses in line with furthering a successful music career may come with a cost. While many have relinquished their widely known name in favor of creating authentic work, others are still fighting the onslaught of fans who reject this change in their favorite musician. The double-edged sword that once became a taboo topic is something artists are feeling inclined to openly discuss as they continue to find their voice and further evolving their craft.