DEALING WITH CRITICISM

Criticism is something every artiste will have to deal with. It doesn’t matter if you’re upcoming or not, you will still be critiqued. One thing you need to know is that not all criticism is justified or valid.  Some people are just the know-it-all type who will have something to “teach” you, no matter how good you are, and regardless of if they actually know something about music or not. Some will criticise you out of envy or just to cut you down, so you need to learn to recognize if the critique is valid or not, and whether it will do you any good to pay attention to it. So how can you learn to handle criticism confidently and calmly? Here are some ways to make criticism constructive, rather than destructive.

v          Try not to take criticism personally, especially when it relates directly to your style or voice. Getting negative feedback doesn’t mean you aren’t talented—even professionals get criticized. Just identify areas that need improvement and work on it

v          Don’t ignore the critique just because you don’t like it. Criticism is important for your progress, so if you become the kind of person who never listens to what anyone has to say and just does what he/she wants anyway, you are will not improve.

v         Taking a break to solve a problem isn’t the same as giving up. Sometimes criticism opens your eyes to areas you need to work on, so if it means going back to the drawing board, getting a voice coach, taking dance and stage lessons..Whatever you need to do to get better, don’t be ashamed of taking a break to work on your act.

v         Handling criticism with maturity and positivity requires inner strength. You have to try to love yourself as you are and forgive yourself when something isn’t progressing as fast as you’d hoped. Be kind to yourself, because excessive self-criticism can lead to depression and less productivity.

LAST WORD: As you move up in your career, remember that you are your most important critic. Stay humble, but know that what you think of yourself is the thing that matters most, develop a thick skin throughout your career and realize that people have different tastes, and there will always be someone with something negative to say. Bottom, line work hard at being the best you can be!