Does Your Celebrity Idol Notice You? Here's Why That Still Won't Make You Famous
I gotta talk about something.
This comes up over and over again in my experience as an artist, and I think it needs to be said plainly.
I've heard multiple artists talk about celebrities like their attention is the measuring stick for whether they're gonna make it.
Screenshots of Jelly Roll liking their post. Swearing that some other celebrity is "watching them." That kind of energy.
I get it. I've been there and done that. And I'm here to tell you — who cares?
Let's Be Real: What Can They Actually Do for You?
Think about it seriously for a second.
Besides an ego boost, what can these people really do for your career?
Does Jelly Roll have his own label? If he does, are you the right fit for it — and have you proven enough of a model for him to actually invest in you?
Even if Sabrina Carpenter noticed you tomorrow, she'd have to hand you her contacts, and then her team would still have to like you. That's two layers you don't control before anything even happens.
And here's the question nobody wants to ask out loud when they're posting that screenshot: how does that sell records?
A lot of artists act like their celebrity idol can single-handedly open doors for them. In reality, most of them probably can't — at least not in the way you're imagining.
The Energy You're Spending on Your Idol Should Be Going to Your Fans
Here's the real talk.
It doesn't matter if your idol likes you or not — at least not in the way most artists think.
You should be using that same energy you're directing at celebrities to attract fans. That's who actually moves the needle. That's who buys the music, comes to the shows, and spreads your name.
Personally? I'm not that impressed by celebrity culture in general. I look up to scientists and philosophers more than I look up to most artists. Their intelligence genuinely humbles me.
But what I do understand — as a social psychologist and an independent artist — is that the relationship between an artist and their community is where real careers are built.
What to Actually Do If Your Idol Does Notice You
Okay, so let's say your celebrity idol does engage with you. What then?
First — try to sell to them. Seriously. If they're in your orbit, they're a potential fan and a potential door-opener, so treat them that way.
Second — study what made them attracted to you. What did you do that caught their attention? That's intel. Learn it, refine it, repeat it at scale.
Because here's the truth: unless you just wanna play birthday parties and private corporate events — which is completely valid, by the way — you probably have bigger goals than impressing one famous person.
Like I broke down in The Independent Artist Blueprint, most artists feel a calling to be greater than themselves. To be in culture. To change culture. You're not gonna do that by getting a like from your favorite celebrity. You're gonna do that by connecting with your fans.
So I have nothing against Jelly Roll. He seems great and I enjoy some of his music. But if he's ever in a position to help you, the first thing he's gonna want to see is that you already have a handle on your community. Not how much you admire him.
My Cosmic Luves — And Why Even That Isn't About Validation
Here's where I get personal, and I think it'll reframe how you think about all of this.
I have what I call cosmic luves. As a social psychologist, my thinking was: if I can get them to fall in love with me, then I can understand how to get my entire demographic to fall in love with me and become fans.
If I can make that connection, I can understand the kind of people that celebrity represents. And that's actually how you should be thinking about celebrity attraction — as a vehicle for understanding your audience, not as a destination in itself.
But honestly? That's not even why I do it.
I want to cultivate a lifestyle that would facilitate a relationship with people I genuinely admire. I get genuinely excited thinking about it — like when I feel like a Taylor Swift song is about me, whether it is or not. She transfers a feeling to me that's becoming more and more rare in this world.
Am I ever gonna be on Taylor's label? No. The last time she did a song with a rapper was "End Game." Would I love to do a song with Taylor? Absolutely — that would be a career highlight. But my interest in my cosmic luves has always been about wanting a real relationship. The romance I felt was real. Now it's evolved into something more like a deep friendship and a professional admiration.
What Tate McRae and Olivia Rodrigo Understand That Most Artists Don't
There's a dynamic I think about sometimes between Tate McRae and Olivia Rodrigo.
From what I've heard, they're actually close friends — hanging out, building a real relationship outside of the public eye. The press doesn't necessarily know the depth of it. Their labels may not even fully know. But they know.
And maybe that's all that matters.
Two artists at their level, building a genuine mutual respect and connection that doesn't need public performance or validation. That kind of relationship has real utility — not because it's transactional, but because genuine love naturally makes you want to help each other succeed.
Love Is Rare. When You Find It, Reciprocate It.
Selena Gomez once said something about dating that stuck with me: the older you get, the smaller the dating pool gets and the fewer options you have.
That applies to real connections in general — not just romantic ones.
Love is rare. If you find it — in any of its forms, any of the Greek styles of love — you should reciprocate it. And eventually, that love will blossom into something with real utility because you'll naturally want to serve each other and help each other win.
Take Selena and Benny Blanco. Benny is arguably more successful than Selena by industry standards, even if he's less famous. And someone like Connor Price is a top-five independent rapper doing it the right way. People like that could help with production, funding, strategy, content, logistics — and they have the infrastructure.
Even though I genuinely believe Selena knows who I am, I don't want to be on her time. I want to make it myself. Not because I'm opposed to help — I could genuinely use it — but because I can't depend on someone else to make my dreams come true, even if they're my idol.
She can guide me to the door. I have to walk through it. She can't fight my battles or do my performances. She can only equip me for the fight, for the show.
Your Big Break Is Not Coming From a Celebrity's Twitter Notification
Let me say that plainly so it lands.
You should be on the path of making your dreams happen — and if someone helps you along the way, that's a bonus. But nothing should be able to stop you either way. It might take longer. But you'll own your destiny. You'll be the narrator of your own story instead of depending on hollow, external validation that only satisfies your ego and not your commitment.
So if your idol notices you? Great. Try to befriend them. Try to sell to them. Try to understand them. Make them like you, love you, and want to help you — even if they can't.
But don't be deluded into thinking their attention is a measure of your success.
You still have to get up every day and work on your craft, market your message, and make a return on your effort. If you can't do that, it won't matter who's watching.
Want to Go Deeper on This?
If this post connected with you, you'll want to read this one next over at Sociology of Love — it ties directly into what I'm talking about here around real connection, rare love, and why the people who choose you are more valuable than you realize:
👉 What Are the Chances of Finding a Soulmate? The Rare Truth About Real Love
Ready to Actually Build Your Music Career?
Everything I touched on in this post — the strategy, the mindset, the framework for building a sustainable independent music career on your own terms — is laid out in full in my book The Independent Artist Blueprint.
This isn't theory. It's the actual roadmap I've used and refined across 250+ tracks, ten albums, and years of building in the independent space.
If you're serious about owning your destiny as an artist, there's an offer waiting for you at CanAndWillDo.com.
Go get it. You've already got the mindset — now get the blueprint.
Comments
Post a Comment