Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, and Johnny Depp share only one common trait: Perseverance. Any driven, ambitious individual, whether seeking success in business, the arts, sports, or any other endeavor, must be firm in her or his resolve – never give up. Determination is everything. Even Justin Bieber had to play arenas for a year before YouTube made him "dangerously famous".
With only one exception, these three current celebrities dropped out of high school to concentrate on becoming famous. With just one exception, they appear to bask in the fame and fortune they’ve earned from their single-minded dedication.
Katy Perry Began Early and Practiced Until Perfect
Katy Elizabeth Hudson, who now calls herself Katy Perry, was born and raised by Christian pastor parents in Santa Barbara, California. As a child, she was allowed to listen only to gospel music. From age 9 until she was 17, she sang in her parent’s evangelical church and at the Christian schools and camps her parents chose for her.
Ms. Perry dropped out of high school in her freshman year, earned a GED, and began her pursuit of a music career. At age 9, she began taking dance lessons from veteran, professionals, beginning with the Lindy Hop and swing. These disciplined, rigorous lessons continued until she was 16. She enrolled at the Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara, where she studied opera. At 15, her church singing caught the attention of Nashville musicians. Under their tutelage, she developed music composition skills. They also taught her to play guitar.
She released a self-titled Katy Hudson gospel album in 2001; but the record label closed that same year. Her album went nowhere. She persisted, recording with her own production team from 2004–2005. No albums were ever released. Finally, in 2008, she had a hit, “I Kissed a Girl”. Without connections, she may have had to go right on struggling. Screenwriter Eleanor Perry is her maternal aunt and film director Frank Perry is her uncle. Also, Ms. Perry is related to Bethlehem Steel founder Charles M. Schwab.
For Lady Gaga, a Bright, Popular Student, Music was Priority One
Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta is the Manhattan born daughter of hard-working parents. She learned to play piano at 4 and wrote her first piano ballad at 13. Not at all shy, she started open mike performances at at 14. At her private Upper East Side Manhattan Roman Catholic School, Ms. Germanotta was a dedicated, disciplined, popular student. She is remembered for her lead roles in Guys and Dolls and in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. Of the three stars profiled in this article, Lady Gaga is the one who did not drop out of high school.
In 2003 when she was 17, Ms. Germanotta gained early admission to NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. She lived in a dorm on 11th Street, studied music, and developed songwriting skills. She wrote essays and analytical papers about art, religion, social issues, and politics. Then, in the second semester of her sophomore year, the future star quit NYU to focus on her music. She claims that the Queen’s song "Radio Ga Ga" inspired her stage name, and she cites David Bowie, Freddie Mercury, and fashion as major influences.
Johnny Depp Dropped Out at 15 to Become a Rock Star
One of the world’s most versatile actors, John Christopher Depp was born in Owensboro, Kentucky, on June 9, 1963, and was raised in Florida. His first dream was to make himself into a rock star. One of his early garage bands, The Kids, opened for Iggy Pop. He twice recorded with Oasis, the famed British band. That stirring lead slide guitar on the track "Fade In-Out", from 1997’s “Be Here Now”, is played by the future movie idol
Unlike so many of his colleagues in show business, Johnny Depp survived an early life with drugs and alcohol and a later relapse. On a visit to Los Angeles, his former wife introduced him to Nicolas Cage, who persuaded him to create an acting career. Those prominent cheek bones have proved helpful to the development of a notable career.
Mr. Depp became versatile at his craft by basing his various characters on other famous icons. For example, Captain Jack Sparrow is based on Keith Richards as well as the cartoon idol Pepe Le Pew. Johnny Depp is the one pop superstar profiled here who claims to hate fame, once saying, “I'm shy, paranoid, whatever word you want to use. I hate fame. I've done everything I can to avoid it.”
Fans of Mr. Depp must be sure to see Jim Jarmusch's captivating, metaphorical, hallucinatory Western, "Dead Man." Many critics, including The New York Time's A.O. Scott, name it one of the best films of the 1990s, and the finest, most ambitious work yet produced by Jim Jarmusch and Johnny Depp.
Dream Big, Take Risks, and Put Everything You Have Into Your Talent
First, identity and focus on one talent. Master it. Be confident. Forget all about any personal flaws. Never compromise that big dream. Never play it safe. Develop a plan. Break it into manageable, step-by-step, measurable goals. Keep an eye on the trends. Where is the market going?
Stay out of the shadows. Make noise. Get noticed. Franks Sinatra broke into the business by standing on a table to sing when he was waiting tables. A major producer saw and heard him. And most important, never give up. Be ready to sacrifice everything that is not related to the dream. Lots of luck.
References:
Baylor, Kathy. FabJob Guide to Becoming a Pop Star. Calgary, Alberta, Canada: FabJob.com, Ltd., 2003.
Gordon, Steve. The Future of the Music Business: How to Succeed with the New Digital Technologies. San Francisco, CA: Backbeat Books, 2005.
John Anderson - John Anderson has worked as a journalist, editor, advertising executive, Internet pioneer, and he has authored four books.
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