As a young artist, when I start talking to new people they think it is really interesting that I am young artist. However, one of the things I always get asked and told is "what is your backup? You must have a backup". I'm not the only one though that has been asked and told this. I can almost guarantee that almost, if not all artists have been asked and told this at some point in their lives. To them I say:
Growing up as a kid I always had a love for the arts. For acting, music, dancing, and so much more. I was one of those kids that struggled a lot academically and found myself in the arts. The arts let me be who I am and showed me who I really am as a person. I discovered myself and found what I excel at the most. It's the way I express myself and want to live life. I am able to meet people through the thing I love, whereas I feel very uncomfortable and awkward talking about other types of things at first.
For me, my so called "backup" is the arts. I say that because I know now matter what, I will be an artist. Hopefully I will be doing all that I love. Acting, singing, dancing, songwriting, music production, photography, filmmaking, directing, DJ, and so much more! I know that no matter what I will be an artist. It's my way of life and I could not see it any other way.
There came a point where I had to stop listening to what people thought and said and stop making myself miserable. I had to take ownership of my life and make myself happy by doing the things I love. And what better way to live life by your job being something where you can lose track of time and you are excited to wake up everyday to work. I wouldn't even call it "work".
So, to sum it all up... my job is the arts and my "back up" is the arts. Let people pursue and live their dreams. And understand... there might not be a "back up" for many of us. We know this is what we are destined to do and we will pursue it and live it.