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The Entertainers Reality
Words Annabel Gold
The entertainment industry is filled with so many talents who continuously give us a variety of content for music, movies, radio, magazines, books, media etc. we must appreciate and admire the hard work, tenacity, consistency, resilience and talent of musicians, actors/actresses, writers, TV personalities, models, dancers, influencers. Through the screens we see our favourite characters and entertainers at their best, in their element and some we get to see their reality...well the reality they present to us.
I believe there was a time where we may have been oblivious to the struggles and difficulties of being an entertainer, the strain and pressure it can have on the mind & wellbeing. The thought of living in the limelight, having little to no privacy and always having to please those that idolise you sounds quite intense. Over the years, there has been an increase in awareness of the mind and wellbeing of entertainers and how it is impacted by the demands of the industry.
In the limelight, are there room for mistakes, flaws or bad days?
It seems as though there is a stigma attached to showing our true self in the limelight, showing your true-self may mean, showing sides of you that fans aren’t used to and therefore criticise. It may mean that the human side is revealed, which some may hate and some may love. It takes serious courage to be true to who you are as a famous entertainer.
In an interview with 1Xtra, DJ Khalid expressed that at a point in his career he wasn’t happy but still had to keep up appearances. Justin Bieber expresses in his documentary that he struggles with anxiety. When we look at such a musician, we see that he experienced public exposure and fame from as early as 13 years and at that age the brain isn’t ready to handle such pressure that comes with being an entertainer.
In his seasons documentary, Justin himself reveals exactly how overwhelming and intense the industry is, when he started at 13 years, he became familiar and then dependent with smoking weed as well as other substances. It was his coping method at the time. Something that didn’t help Justin Bieber as a young child was the lack of stability, security and family growing up, which he mentioned as values that make an individual understand how the world works.
Paris Hilton aka the original influencer has recently given us insight into who she really is. Her YouTube original documentary shows not just how she got the place of fame and success but also the intense struggles she experienced on the way. From experiencing all manner of abuse to all aspects of her personal/intimate life being publicised, Paris explains that she feels like a robot, forced to be what she really isn’t, that the industry has practically forced her to form this influencer character that always has to pretend to have a perfect life fo the public. Paris revealed that she suffers from insomnia, anxiety and struggles to relax.
On the flip side, fashion models, glamour models, promotional models and various other types of models have been key in advertising products, latest trends in fashion and enhancing music videos. We see models in every media format, from magazines to films. As well as TV personalities and musicians, models have the power to influence not just what we wear but our image and appearance. There is an assumption that models are perfect especially because of their appearance. But they themselves have expressed differently. According to vogue models including Adut Akech, that side of the industry can mentally ruin them, it is said to be common for models to suffer from self-esteem issues, depression and anxiety. Contributing factors to such struggles include being seen and treated as ‘disposable objects’, that could be dropped at any time. There is also a huge pressure to keep up appearances in body image, in a sense they have to remain looking perfect, when they don’t their career as a model is over.
To all my entertainers...is it for you or for the public ?
It’s an honest question to think about because there is a very thin line between doing what you do for the public, all the fans and people that buy and embrace your content and doing what you do for your own personal fulfillment and purpose. There could be a much greater reason why you decided to become an entertainer, musician, actor/ress, dancer, model, producer etc in the first place, so my advice is don’t forget that reason.I always say that it can be so difficult being real in a fake world, you don't have to be famous to be superficial. But once you get to the stage of fame and have all eyes on your every move and decision, it would be more difficult to express your true-self.
In the midst of entertaining, rest is important. Not just sleeping but constant moments when you completely strip back on every activity, many entertainers and all manner of people are understanding this more and incorporating meditation relaxation strategies into their routine. DJ Khalid stayed at home for 2 months straight he didn't want to do any shows or music - he just wanted to chill out and clear his mind, so he did. He took time to sit back, spend time with family and meditate. After this time, he expressed how clearer he was mentally and he was able to be a better entertainer.
The Mindful Entertainer...
In such a hectic, fast-paced industry where there is constant noise about trends and seasons and how to keep up, it is important to practice moments where you can get silent on the inside and strengthen inner peace.
Mindfulness is the psychological process of purposely bringing one's attention to experiences occurring in the present moment without judgment. Theorized benefits of mindfulness include self-control, enhanced flexibility, equanimity, improved concentration and mental clarity, emotional intelligence and the ability to relate to others and one's self with kindness, acceptance and compassion. This type of meditation has been useful in managing Anxiety, stress and depression.
Mindful Practice
Take a seat. Find a place to sit that feels calm and quiet to you.
Set a time limit. If you're just beginning, it can help to choose a short time, such as 5 or 10 minutes.
Notice your body. ...
Feel your breath. ...
Notice when your mind has wandered. ...
Be kind to your wandering mind.