That’s what I always hear from people whenever I tell them that I work for MTV. And cool job, indeed. It is, after all, the biggest and most influential media brand in the world. Plus, occasionally, I get to hobnob with some of the world’s biggest musical celebrities. As a matter of fact, I did just that over the weekend. I just got back from a four-day trip to Singapore where the recently concluded MTV Asia Awards was held. It’s by far the biggest musical event in Asia, with some of the world’s biggest names in the music world in attendance: Avril Lavigne, Robbie Williams, Missy Elliot, Shaggy, Linkin Park, Blue, Atomic Kitten, Coco Lee – together with the biggest musical acts in Asia. And I was there, shaking hands and rubbing more than just elbows with them. It’s every kid’s dream. And I am essentially a kid at heart so being there was truly a fantastic experience.
Of course, I would have preferred to be "one of the stars." Just like any kid, my childhood dream was to be a member of a world-famous rock n’ roll band. But then, I wasn’t gifted with a croaky screaming voice – nor a keen sense of trashy fashion – so I just ended up as an executive working for a music network. But that’s fine by me. It’s like dreaming to be an astronaut but ending up working as a ground technician in NASA instead.
Besides, with my job, I get to literally feel how it is to be a celebrity. You see, my usual role in the MTV Asia Awards is to be the moderator in the press room. The press room is where journalists around the world gather. After the celebrities perform or present awards, they are led to the press room so they can have a chance to talk to the media about their latest projects. Being the moderator, I naturally had to be in front, and whenever the stars would come in, they’d shake my hand and I’d lead them to the stage where they would face the press. I then would moderate the interview and basically decide who among the press people would get the chance to ask a question.
So, I was basically on the same stage with the stars! To a certain degree, I got to feel how it’s like being up there, being in front of the media and getting all the attention. Whenever I’m there, a dream sequence would usually ensue – and I would imagine that I’m the one being interviewed by the international press:
Press: So how does it like being a member of the greatest rock band in the world and being adored by millions of women?
Rod of the "Rod Hot Chili Peppers": Nothing like it, man. It’s like a dream and I don’t know wanna wake up. Rock on, dude!
All of a sudden, there’s a voice in my earpiece shouting: "Rod!!! Linkin Park is waiting!!! Call the next journalist to ask the question!!! Dream sequence ends. Shucks. Oh well, at least I had the chance to feel it – even for just a few seconds.
You know, it really amazes me how music could fuel this type of dreams and imagination – and how it could evoke such emotion from fans. Because if you really think about it, music is not something tangible. It’s just sound. I mean, what was music before? During the time of early man, music was virtually non-existent. Only the birds provided music and the cavemen just stared at each other. Then I guess a caveman just repeatedly tapped on some dead oak tree and started beating on it rhythmically. Then, another caveman thought that was cool and started accompanying the beat by saying "Aaeeehha aaeeeha…ooo waga waga…oowaga waga" and – boom – that was it. Music was born. Soon, that sound eventually evolved to what it is today. Imagine that. I wonder if that caveman who started beating on that dead oak tree ever thought that what he started would eventually become a multi-billion dollar industry? I think not.
These days, with the help of mass media, the people who come up with the best rhythmic sound become heroes – and to a certain extent, idols. Every move they make brings their worshippers to mass hysteria. And that’s why a lot of people, including myself, dream of being music icons. Everyone wants to be special. And these musicians – well, they ARE special.
What struck me at the MTV Asia Awards wasn’t the fan following. It wasn’t the adulation. It wasn’t the glamor of the artists. What struck me most was that these "idols," these "heroes" – are very much human. When you really come up close to them, you appreciate their humanity – not the image they project on magazines and in their music videos. And you get to really appreciate how hard they have worked to get to where they are.
It’s funny – you always imagine that being popular is the ultimate thrill in the world. And yet, there is one common denominator for all the renowned artists whom I had a chance to meet: They all work so hard to be good in their craft. And strangely, they don’t really care much about fame anymore. Whenever they have a chance, they would like to hide from the limelight and the press. While they do enjoy their status to some degree, you could really feel that if given a chance, they would much rather be appreciated for their work – rather than be treated like "products." Whenever the press would ask them questions about their personal life, they would really be irritated. They would much rather talk about their work.
All of us want to be them. We all want to be famous and popular. And yet, you could feel that they, the stars, want to be just one of us. They don’t want to be recognized as icons – but rather people who work day in, and day out. But they can’t. Because mass media made them popular, they have to deal with the wild crowds and screaming fans. Shania Twain, the popular singer was quoted as saying, "I’d rather clean my toilet than be in a show business party."
While there are a lot of artists who bask in the spotlight, there are also a lot who would rather stay anonymous but still get to do what they want to do, and that is create music. To them, the creation of the music, the work itself is the reward. The money and fame are simply by-products.
Because at the end of the day, it’s the work, and how much you put into it, that’s really important. While fame, wealth and recognition are nice and desirable, a person is normally not measured by simply being famous and wealthy. A person is normally measured on how much work he put in a particular endeavor – whether it is a professional endeavor, a socio-civic one, or simply making his family life work. That’s why it is so common for children of rich and famous people to try to get "out of the shadow" of their parents. While they can afford to simply live a glamorous and luxurious life, you see a lot of them striving to make something of themselves on their own. And usually, they get the world’s respect when they achieve something out of their own hard work, and not because they were born to a rich and famous family.
Being famous and rich should not be our goal. That’s only a by-product. Our goal should be to strive hard and do the best we can do in whatever activity we get into. And normally, when you get really good in what you do because of the hard work you put in, the "by-products" happen as a matter of course.
Next time I watch a music video of a male pop star, I will no longer think about how I want to be famous like him. Rather, I will think about the hard work he put in creating the video, as well as the fame he so deserves because of the work he put in. Because now I know – it’s the work that matters – not the fame.
And I don’t need to be a rock star to tell you that.