Today, I was going through the newspaper when I noticed an advertisement for an upcoming performance by the touring group of Grease. Besides being shocked that Grease still has a touring group, I was also somewhat astonished to see Taylor Hicks, a former American Idol winner receive top billing. Not as one of the leads or one of the secondary characters, but as Teen Angel, who Wikipedia notes is a “one-scene character.” Instead of having hits on the Billboard Hot 100, he’s travelling the country to sing “Beauty School Drop-Out.”
But Taylor Hicks isn’t alone in this phenomenon. Past winners Ruben Studdard and Fantasia Barrino have also been pushed back into the hall closet in the house of Idol history. And their stories can give us one vital lesson that should be remembered at all times:
Success is something that must be maintained.
Whether you’re determining how to market yourself to potential employers, starting out at a new job, or coming off the high of a new promotion, make sure that you have a quantifiable list of consistent achievements. Whereas former Idol contestants might fall off the pop charts, you might fall of the path of an upwards career trajectory. In a workplace environment, you should always make sure that your successes and achievements are not only measured, but are noticed.
If you are looking for work, you might have to find alternate ways to show success – through starting your own business, volunteering, blogging or refining your portfolio. If you can show that you are continuously developing your skills and are not resting on your past laurels despite your employment situation, you will become a more attractive candidate to employers.
And hopefully you’ll avoid being buried on page seven of the “Arts and Leisure” section.
“If you are looking for work, you might have to find alternate ways to show success – through starting your own business, volunteering, blogging or refining your portfolio.”
That is exactly what Taylor Hicks did….He started his own record label “Modern Whomp Records” last year. He put out his new album on March 10, 2009 with several cowritten songs. He has his own music publishing company, Modern Whomp Music..Modern Whomp Inc is his touring and merchandising corporation..He had been on Broadway in NY the summer of 2008 and officially started the Grease Tour Dec 2, 2008 and will end June 2010..In that time period will have made the upper end of 6 figures for that “one scene character” all the while promoting his album ‘The Distance’ in the encore, after show cd signings and being on all the radio and tv media for each city. He has done a Taylor concert in select cities at some clubs later in the evening AFTER the Grease show flying in his band for this…
“If you can show that you are continuously developing your skills and are not resting on your past laurels despite your employment situation, you will become a more attractive candidate to employers.”
Oh yea, I don’t think Taylor is resting on his past laurels.
I for the life of me can not understand why being on Broadway and touring the nation bringing joy to those who are blessed to see Taylor Hicks LIVE is not being a success. Before there was Hollywood, there was Broadway. Before their was Motown, Nashville,Hollywood or even radio…there was Broadway. Broadway was where is all started. Last year Taylor had a HUGE billboard on Time Square! THAT is beyond mere record sales and trophies.
Cochem and Barbieflausa – The issue that I made is based on the fact that Taylor Hicks won a reality TV contest viewed by millions, yet was not able to leverage the entire fan base into sustainable record sales like other winners, including Kelly Clarkson, Jordin Sparks, Carrie Underwood, and more recently, David Cook.
While devout fans may know his more recent activities (and I am in no way disparaging him for them or in any way trying to paint him in a negative light), casual fans and occasional listeners will most likely know only two things about him: his “Idol” victory and his poor debut record sales. For me, the newspaper article became the third.
He has been overshadowed by non-winners like Chris Daughtry, Jennifer Hudson, and Clay Aiken. Regardless of the circumstances of his career, the momentum created by his initial success should have propelled him forward at a different trajectory than what occurred. But Mr. Hicks is not even the issue.
The point of this post was to serve as a reminder that in show business or the workplace, you’re only as good as your most recent effort. And when compared with your peers (in this case, past “Idol” winners), you need to stand out with achievements that are not only quantifiable, but get you noticed (in the example’s case, by the general record-buying public, in business, with one’s superiors) and serve as a way for you to leverage further advancement and success.
I understand that as a fan of his music, you may feel upset by the comparison. But please note that it was made in service to a point about furthering peoples’ own careers and personal development, not as a jab at the artist himself.
I understand where you are coming from. Yet, know that there are times when longevity counts too. Taylor in the long run and is his own boss now. He may have not achieved global Idol domination…but I bet he takes home some nice change and is managing his own career.
Taylor is not resting on his laurels. It would be great if radio stations would play his great music. I believe radio stations are purposely NOT playing his songs.
It is a shame that Taylor Hicks has become synonymous with not living up to career expectations, and that so many people buy into that notion without knowing the real story behind it. Without going into too much detail, Taylor Hicks was basically abandoned by all his support systems within the industry and left to his own devices. While American Idol may provide a fair playing field for musical talent, the music business does not.
The irony here is that Taylor Hicks should actually be held up as an example of maintaining a career in the face of great adversity. He has leveraged what started as a cameo role in Grease on Broadway into a million dollar plus payday and in the process, created a unique marketing opportunity for his own music, of which he has 100% ownership and control.
One piece of advice he might take from you is to start touting his own achievements more: a #1 single, platinum album, top grossing idol tour, 2 successful solo tours, Forbes top 10 idol earner as well as his current popular and financial success in Grease.
The music business is smoke and mirrors, it sometimes pays to take a closer look.
I have to weigh in on this as well…not only because I am a devout fan and know how hard Taylor has been working since AI…but because I have experienced “going unnoticed” regardless of my efforts.
My career has been primarily spent working for two companies…one for 9 years and one for 20. In both companies…I made quick strides and was regularly promoted. Though I had proven myself and had earned respect, management changes in each of the companies drug me down from my pedestal. I suddenly found myself working for management who resented my success and nearly destroyed my reputation by degrading me at every opportunity. It affected my raises, bonuses, promotions, and of course my self esteem. But fortunately, these managers were short timers and I now have management who once again appreciate and support me.
So…what is the comparison between Taylor and I? We are both; talented in our careers of choice, have firm ideas and opinions regarding how the job should be done, are not shy about voicing those opinions, and will go to battle (choosing them well) for what we believe in and stand for. Those “qualities” are not always well received. And if you run up against someone in a position of power who does not appreciate those attributes….they will try and bury you. I’m not sure if it’s more to do with their insecurity, whether they are intimidated, or in my case, maybe simply chauvinistic. Anyway….I’m very sure that is what happened to Taylor. And he is doing just what I had to do…holding his head high, depending on his skills and talents, and working hard to resurface to the top of the “haystack”.