When thinking of music artists in and out of the current charts it’s easy to think that music has always been their only pursuit, but these 4 artists show us that this is not always the case and that it is never too late to make it on the music scene.
1. Emeli Sande
We all know Glaswegian pop queen Emeli Sande for hits like Next to Me and Beneath Your Beautiful, but what you might not know is that she is also Emeli Sande – neuroscience graduate. Before studying medicine at the University of Glasgow, Sande’s musical talent had already been recognised at the age of 16 when she was offered a record deal with TelStar. Sande turned down the deal in order to pursue a career in medicine and says that she doesn’t regret the time spent gaining her degree as she uses ‘the discipline and the attention to detail required in medicine’ when she is writing her songs.
2. Jasper’s Riddle
Similar to Emeli Sande, Jasper’s Riddle also began his career focusing on success in the medical field. Known best for his sounds of rock, neo-soul and even flamenco, the Manchester-based acoustic singer-songwriter continues to make music of unique style whilst also maintaining his life in a medical career. Beginning his studies as a brain surgeon student and switching to his current vocation as a heart surgeon, Jasper’s Riddle further displays his multiple talents as a multi-instrumentalist and classic composer. So the next time you say you haven’t got time to do something, remember to remind yourself to give Jasper’s Riddle a listen and remind yourself that anything is possible!
3. Nicki Minaj
With Nicki Minaj’s undeniable attitude and striking image, it’s hard to imagine her in any career other than being the pop/rap queen that she is – especially that of an office manager. The artist is known for her daring lyrics and sassy songs like Anaconda and Beez in the Trap, but before the fame Minaj worked as the office manager for a phone service company. She spoke of her time there on an interview with Fuse where she explained ‘I was working for a telephone company, and everyday I had to deal with business’ phones that weren’t working and I’m like ‘I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry!’, before adding that ‘I was a bit snappy’.
4. Mark Shepherd
With music that isn’t shackled to just one genre, Mark Shepherd creates tracks with big guitar sounds and quality story-telling that contains elements of rock, blues folk and Americana genres. After starting off with a record company that went bust, Shepherd went into a career as a tech inventor/CEO/entrepreneur, however returning fully to music at the age of 56 Shepherd’s pure vocals and expressive guitar in tracks like Grand Scheme of Things and She Didn’t Answer, illustrates the true meaning of ‘age is just a number’ and that any time is a good time to showcase your talent on the music scene.