The famous Ukrainian singer SOWA frankly shared her childhood experience, which was entirely dedicated to the stage, and admitted: behind victories and cups often lies a whole set of internal complexes that artists carry into adulthood. SOWA told UNN about this.
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The singer calls herself a "child of competitions" and says that this path left her not only with strength but also with deep internal doubts.
I am a child of competitions, and here is my surprise package that I brought with me into adulthood. The first is a constant feeling of inadequacy. Competitions are a constant comparison with others. You are always either competing with someone or trying to surpass yourself. And it's never enough.
According to the singer, even numerous victories do not guarantee inner confidence. On the contrary, sometimes they only reinforce doubts.
The second is imposter syndrome. For a very long time, I couldn't believe that I could actually sing. Imagine: I go to competitions, win prizes, take Grand Prix - but inside there is a feeling that it's somehow accidental. That I'm not ready yet, that I still need to learn and learn.
Even when SOWA started her solo career, these feelings did not disappear. She continued to doubt her right to be an artist.
I felt like an impostor even when I was already performing as a solo artist. There was a feeling that I had no right to start because I wasn't good enough yet. And this constant feeling - that I had to meet someone's expectations.
Separately, she mentions the pressure of responsibility that accompanied every performance since childhood.
In childhood, it was about living up to the expectations of parents, teachers. Not to let them down. Because if you forget the words or something goes wrong - you seem to let down not only yourself, but everyone who invested in you. And that's a huge tension. Plus, there's also responsibility for the result, for what prize you bring home.
At the same time, the singer adds that despite all the difficult moments, it was the competitions that gave her a strong impetus to creativity and provided a foundation without which she cannot imagine her start in the profession.
Despite all these internal moments, for me, competitions became a strong impetus for creativity and provided a very solid foundation for a start. This is an experience that a large number of artists who are starting their journey now really don't have - stage, endurance, discipline, self-understanding. That's why I believe it's important to talk about both sides. Yes, competitions can form complexes, that's true, but at the same time, they can provide a very strong base that later becomes your advantage. And here a lot depends on the child themselves, their character, and how they experience this experience, as well as on the support that is nearby.
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