Confessions of a Young Singer-Actress

Budding young talent Bethany Hare will be singing for us at Glampfest 2019.  She has been doing amazing work fundraising from an early age and is founder of Bethany's Smile, helping children with life limiting illnesses.  We will be working hard to add lots more money to that pot this Glampfest. Today she gives us the inside track on what it's really like trying to make it as a singer and actress...

"Okay, well I’ve been asked by numerous people to write a blog……so here goes! My name is Bethany and I am 19 years old. For those that know me, you will also know that my lifelong dream since I was young was to be a singer/actress! So I am at a stage in my life where I have left school and I am now ‘trying hard to make it.’

Whilst in Sixth Form at school, I was unsure whether to go to university to study an academic subject so I had a backup plan! Or, to go to a stage school.  My dream has always been to work in the music industry and to become an artist in my own right.  Many students from Conservatoires told me ‘if you want to be a pop singer, performing arts school isn’t the route for you as there is the risk that any individuality in your voice will be taken away’ or ‘you don’t need university to become a singer’. I was so lost and unsure what to do and I still pretty much am!

So, I am technically having a ‘gap year’ trying to make it as a singer/actress and fortunately so far I have been lucky enough to have been given some incredible opportunities! I am currently working with some very talented, established, award winning producers, Robin- Taylor Firth and Steve Edwards. It is my first time ever working in a studio environment with incredible producers so I have to say I have learnt so very much about myself that I never knew! I can’t wait to show my songs to everyone because I am absolutely in love with them!! I am very excited and very nervous at the same time!

In between studio sessions, I have been going to a few auditions for TV series’ and films etc. The one thing that is my bug bear with auditions that I need to learn to deal with instead of staring at my phone days on end, is not hearing either way if you have been successful or not and also not receiving any feedback.  Personally I believe that for me to improve as an actress, a crucial part of the process would be feedback and to be told why I was not successful – what could I do better?

I am constantly wondering where I will be in 10 years’ time, will I have a job? Will I be lucky enough to be enjoying my dream career of singing to live audiences and recording my own music? Will I be doing something I don’t like? But, I guess that is the beauty of life, you never know what’s going to happen. Many people think that your life is planned out but all I know is, if I don’t put every effort I can into pursuing my dream, It will be a regret I will hold onto my whole entire life! This is why I don’t like calling this year a ‘gap year’ because it it isn’t a gap at all – it is a year when I am taking every opportunity I can and working hard to achieve my dream!  I will focus on Plan B when Plan A doesn’t work out. But to anyone in the same position as me reading this, not knowing how to make your dream a reality and wondering whether you need a backup, all I can say is “how will plan A ever work out if you’re already working on your Plan B!?” Put every ounce of energy in to making yourself better in every way you can so that if the opportunity comes your way, in the shape of an audition or a performance in front of the right people, you know 100% that you could not possibly have performed any better!  Dreams can come true J"

Beth <3 xxx