How to Be a Rock Star Without Getting on Stage
You don’t need to be in the spotlight to be a rock star. You don’t need to have impressive singing skills or play jaw-dropping riffs. All you need to be is —you!
In the video Rise To Fame: Once Upon A Time*, Nicki Minaj shares her story about growing up in a country without her parents. As a teen, she moved to America where she was finally reunited with her parents. Then, she lost her father and later her home due to arson.
Through it all, she found a way to cope. She learned to deal by listening to music, writing song lyrics, and rapping in her free time.
Nicki’s interest in music took her life in an amazing direction. The work that she put into building her skills and developing her musical abilities paid off. She kept winning rap battles and became known locally for her talent. This led her to eventually join up with Lil Wayne. Nicki says in the video, “If you can imagine it, you can make it happen.”
““If you can imagine it, you can make it happen.” ”
Alice Cooper, a rock music legend, also came from humble beginnings. He grew up in a working-class neighborhood in Detroit where they barely had enough to make ends meet. Eventually, his family moved to Phoenix and Cooper became a star athlete in high school. Around the same time, he was inspired by Beatles fame and started his own small band with more of a rock 'n' roll lifestyle and long hair.
Over decades, the Alice Cooper group produced many hits but it was due to their unique stagecraft and amazing showmanship that a following grew. To honor their musical achievements, the original Alice Cooper band was inducted into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2011.
Music can have a powerful impact. It can connect people through anthems, it can calm, reduce fatigue, and relieve the feeling of pain. It can even make learning easier by stimulating your brain.
“We are fulfilling a vision we’ve had for several years…to provide teens with a central place to learn, have fun, and explore their creativity in a supportive and safe environment...”
Knowing the positive impact that music can have, Alice Cooper built a teen center focused on music in May of 2012. “We are fulfilling a vision we’ve had for several years…to provide teens with a central place to learn, have fun, and explore their creativity in a supportive and safe environment…”, said Cooper. Today, Alice Cooper's Teen Center is full of thriving students, ages 12-20, who are inspired by the arts. The center offers free dance, guitar, and drum lessons, provides recording opportunities, hosts open mic nights, and many more activities.
Grad Solutions students are often seen at their two locations —one in Phoenix and one in Mesa. “We try really hard to have a great relationship with them because they do so much in the community,” said Aften Wright, Senior Account Manager.
Grad Solutions student and frequent Phoenix HUB visitor Miesha joined the center in 2022 and recorded her own song. She shares her experience at the Alice Cooper Teen Center: "[It] has boosted my confidence and my self-esteem, and I know that I can do anything as long as I put my mind to it. It helps me build my brand and know what I want. It was a start for me to create something big… and helped me stay off the streets so I could accomplish my goals." Thanks to the help she received at the Alice Cooper Teen Center, recording her own album is the start of many exciting things for students like Miesha!
Wherever you are, or whatever you may be going through, music provides a great outlet to express your creativity and become confident in your abilities. However, you can become a rock star without a spotlight. A rock star can be a famous musician, but they can also be any highly accomplished and well-regarded person, someone respected or a role model. Wherever you are, you can be a rockstar for your family, friends, or community just by contributing your skills and talents to the world. You can do good and help others.
Don’t be afraid to dream! Whether you want to become a major artist, musician, famous singer, nurse, police officer, or teacher, you can be who you are and still be a rock star, without ever stepping on a stage.
Sources
The Benefits of Listening to Music
The Crazy Real-life Story of Alice Cooper
Rise To Fame: Once Upon A Time (Ep.1) *Note: this story contains potentially triggering content.