At face value, professional musicians seem to be walking in the park – everything seems to work for them. However, that may not be the case. The following are some of the challenges they have to deal with:
Financial Risks
Musicians are self-employed, in most cases. This means that they cater for their own costs like income tax and insurance. This is certainly expensive for them. In 2017, the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics found out that professional singers and musicians took home a wage of $35.86 per hour. This wage sounds promising but just a handful of them are capable of reaching this mark.
Tours and Travels
At some poi
nt in a musicians’ career, they are forced to hit the road for several days, or even months, attending concerts and shows. Securing venues in one city is barely enough for a professional musician to earn an income. Because of these, one has to tour different cities and in some cases different countries in order to succeed in their music career.
Being the Responsible Boss
Musicians are often their own boss. They account for everything besides being a musician. They bill their taxes and insurance covers and manage other professional liabilities on their own. This can be overwhelming.