I want to make music but is it bad as a Catholic?

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I want to make music and become something big like Beyoncé or Red velvet stuff like that. But I don’t know if I’d be able to persue it because of my religion. Am I allowed to? I am scared that I might possibly be shunned if I become popular on the music industry
 
Well, first of all accept that while you can certainly have a career making music, the odds of becoming “big” like Beyonce are about on the same level as becoming an astronaut or Lebron James. Very few people are going to be big stars. That doesn’t mean you can’t pursue the goal, have fun doing it part time, or even perhaps have a full-time working career, although it’s difficult. (I have friends who have pursued music industry careers and I see firsthand that there are many ups and downs, mostly downs, it’s not a walk in the park, and “don’t quit your day job”.)

Second, the music itself is not generally a big problem unless you are going to make songs exhorting people to commit violence or glorifying graphic sex. To me, most music doesn’t reach that point, so it wouldn’t be a problem for a Catholic. More of a concern is the lifestyle you will be exposed to in the music industry, or any entertainment industry. There are a huge number of temptations and moral pitfalls. You will have to be very strong to resist all or even most of that.

Just as one example, Beyonce has been known to appear publicly in outfits that even I think are immodest, and I have a pretty high tolerance for fashions, but some of her dresses are basically transparent and show everything. Is that something you would do to get attention, or would you be strong enough to say, “No, that is not right and not how I want to present myself.” Will you also be able to turn down the temptations of drugs (they’re everywhere) and continue to pray, go to Mass etc. while you are working all kinds of hours as an entertainer? If someone promised to get you ahead in the business if you just did something immoral, like posed nude or fornicated with the person, would you be desperate enough to fall for that, because those sorts of sleazeballs are everywhere too.

These are things to think about. Be less concerned with “shunning” and more concerned with your own ability to resist temptation.
 
That’s true. I know myself that I wouldn’t get involved in those kinds of things so yea.
 
I think Fergie is Catholic and the lead singer from the Pussycat Dolls is Catholic.
Both Madonna and Lady Gaga were raised
Catholic.
There is an actor, singer and pianist from
Louisiana who is a practicing Catholic.
(I can’t remember his name!)
I am sure they have struggled with their fame and their faith.
 
There are many, many devout Catholics in the music industry.

Here is one testimony (and note that his conversion came because another person in the industry evangelized!) https://www.catholic.com/audio/caf/53

As has been said “making it big” as your only goal will most likely disappoint. If you have talent, if you work to perfect your craft (serious vocal training, stage presentation, music theory) and if you work hard and have a good attitude, making a living in the music industry is not a pipe dream.

Don’t ever compromise your morals. Be Christ’s light to everyone you meet.
 
OP! Nothing ventured, nothing gained! Even if you start out independently, like I said previously, nothing ventured, nothing gained. Use your talents for God’s glory! He gave it to you!
 
‘For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?’ Not that one can’t be successful and practice the Faith. It is just really, really hard.
 
I have to admit, I have watched " Sister Act " - a few times - and thought it was a fun movie.
Even " The Preacher’s Wife " (remake) with Whitney Houston. Good music.

But, no way. To be an actual entertainer ?
That’s - skirting dangerous ground, in my opinion.
I think the Book of Sirach - warns - about - female singers / musicians.
 
And a good example of a Catholic/class A famous singer would be? Someone who did not give up faith and is also very famous, in today’s pop universe.
 
You can try. Probably won’t succeed. Dreams exist and are chased. But it is when you give up on your dreams that you can see more clearly how to reach them. It will take a lot of hard work. And then you have to make sure to not get worldly.
 
Nothing is inherently immoral about singing and making music for a career, and nothing is inherently wrong, even, with being famous. However, much like being wealthy, I would caution against seeking fame for its own sake. You can have both wealth and fame as byproducts of your quest to do good work with the gifts God gave you, and I don’t think that’s wrong, but seeking to “become something big” for its own sake can lead down a dark path. If the “love of money is the root of many evils” I’d say the love of fame, at least in our culture, is very similar.

I say none of this in a preachy way: I love to sing and make music too, and often have a cyclic love/hate relationship with the idea of “hitting it big.” After all, we are artists, and the bigger your audience, the more people your art reaches, no? I have my own YouTube channel in the interests of that very thing. So it’s the strange tension for the Catholic artist, that we know that the love of fame for fame’s own sake is poison, but at the same time the desire to get our work out there to as many people as we can is simply a desire to live out our gifts in the most productive way possible.

So I’d say it’s mostly about your motive: Do you want to be famous mostly so that people will shower you with praise, or because being famous is just a “tool” to get your music heard, and thus reach the greatest number of people with the gifts God’s given you? The former is pride, but the latter is not immoral at all. It’s a hard line to walk though, and I’m sure I fail it ALL the time in my heart, although my strong love of privacy does ensure that at least I have days when I do legitimately see fame as scary, not desirable. Yet, since as I said, an artist by nature desires an audience, I find myself taking steps toward the very sorts of things that could in theory, in a one-in-a-million sort of way, lead to my becoming known on a wide scale.

As others have said here, it’s extremely unlikely to happen anyway, but if it does happen, try to keep your heart in the right place. Pray that I always do the same.
 
Hello.

Have you discussed this at length with the Lord? If you ask and look for the answer, you will find it. Ask Him what His will is for you. He will tell you. Will you accept it? We do certainly need good musicians in this world. There’s nothing like a beautiful song or instrumental skillfully performed.

I like to tell people using the old cliche “everything’s fine to do, just so it isn’t illegal or immoral.” (I usually leave out the fattening aspect.) St. Augustine said “Love God and do as you please.”

My two cents. Please take it or leave it. 😃
 
Maureen Tucker was drummer for the Velvet Underground in the 60s. She claimed in interviews years later never to have missed Sunday Mass while on tour (if she was so conscientious then, likely she has always been) and to have refused to type four-letter words in part-time jobs she took working for Andy Warhol. She is a mother of five, divorced since the 1980s, yet I find no mention of her remarrying. She is raising a young grandson in her old age.

The Velvet Underground was a loud group, with occasional songs mentioning sexual perversions and hard drugs. By the few appearances available, Tucker their drummer has been a good Catholic.

It depends on what your temptations and besetting sins are, but apparently it has been done.
 
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