"I don't want to be famous or recognizable. I don't want to be critiqued about the way that I look on the Internet."View Entire Post ›
I know I have dreamed about being a pop star before, as I'm sure everyone has. For me, the videos of adoring fans, or of the stars on tour goofing around with friends and band members, are when I had the biggest fame FOMO.
It's easy to be drawn in by all the glitz and glimmer of stardom and forget how truly taxing it can be. For many pop stars, life isn't always smiles and rainbows. In fact, many have even said heartbreaking things about what life in the spotlight is truly like.
Ariana Grande has arguably been one of the biggest pop stars of the 2010s and 2020s, with no signs of stopping. Despite all her fame and fortune, it is not unknown to many how difficult her life has been. From losing a good friend and partner, Mac Miller, to an overdose in 2018, to the bombing at her Manchester concert in 2017, the star has had many public hardships.
Through all of her lowest moments, Grande was still in the spotlight and expected to carry on. She spoke on being in the spotlight in an interview with Vanity Fair, stating, "Honestly, it’s taken me a lot of hard work to be able to last this long and to heal certain parts of my relationship to fame and to what I do because of these tabloids that have been trying to destroy me since I was 19 years old." The idea that every moment of your life is broadcast for the world to see and judge, even from the time you were a teenager, would be too much for many.
Lady Gaga is known for her out-there personality and looks. While on the outside, she may look confident and cool walking down the red carpet in a meat dress, deep down, she is still a person with regular emotions. Lady Gaga became so big that at times the character of Gaga and Stefani didn't feel like the same person. Gaga told Vanity Fair, "I used to wake up in the morning, and I would realize I was 'Lady Gaga.' And then I became very depressed and sad, and I didn't want to be myself."
The former One Direction band member has been vocal about taking time for himself. He even took at 22 moth hiatus after his Love On Tour ended. He talked about how he wanted to take time to slow himself down. He said he wanted to focus on being himself and prioritizing himself, taking the time to travel and wind down. He has struggled with his sense of self a fair amount, talking about how hard it can be in the limelight. He has stated that it can be difficult when fans know only stage Harry, and not the true Harry that his friends and family know. In a press conference, he told Bustle, "When people label people as 'famous,' they take away a lot of substance that they have as a person."
4.
Liam Payne
After his tragic passing in October of 2024, this quote from Payne hits even harder. Payne told Bustle, "There's times where that level of loneliness... that's almost nearly killed me a couple of times," when talking about stardom. Payne had drugs in his system at the time of his death, which are thought to be the cause of the fall from the balcony that ultimately killed him. Payne was open when speaking about his drug use to help cope with the isolation and loneliness brought about by his stardom.
5.
Olivia Dean
The 2026 BET Best New Artist Award winner is a little bit newer to fame. She has already said that she can feel the drain on herself that has come since her stardom skyrocketed. She told Glamour UK, "I really liked anonymity. I don't really have a desire to be famous. I don't really have a desire to walk down the street, and everyone's like, 'Oh, my God!' I think that is a byproduct of doing what you love and doing it well. So I'm learning to navigate it, truthfully." She has been candid about how she is adjusting to the new loss of her anonymity and being recognized in public spaces when out and about.
6.
Zayn Malik
Another former member of One Direction, Malik was the first to leave the group, which ultimately broke up in 2016. Malik has since had a successful solo career with chart-toppers like "Pillow Talk" and "I Don't Wanna Live Forever." Malik left the band abruptly in 2015 after struggling mentally. He said he had to leave the band as his mental health deteriorated to an unhealthy level. In post One Direction interviews, including one with Fader, he stated that, "I (Malik) wasn't able to contribute anything because I wasn't happy." He said his career and contribution to the group were severely limited due to his worsening mental health.
7.
Justin Bieber
Discovered in 2007, at the age of 13, on YouTube, Bieber became famous almost overnight. He instantly had fans around the world obsessed with him. This came with a lot of hardships for Bieber as he adjusted to the fame. He has talked about how he often felt used as an object or objectified by people (including many older than him).
In a NME interview, Bieber tried to reach out to fans and remind them that he too was just a person, saying, "I just want people to know I'm human. I'm struggling just to get through the days." Bieber has been open about using drugs, like cocaine, since he was 23. He says that his stardom, growing up in the public eye, and the experiences he has had due to that are part of why he has struggled with drug use and addiction. After Justin announced the Toronto Maple Leafs' pick in this year's NHL Draft, many fans said it was one of the few times recently that Bieber has seemed like just a young man enjoying his passions, and not a struggling superstar.
8.
Katy Perry
Perry is another star who often takes on an over-the-top persona. She is known for hit songs like "California Girls," which had her dancing in a cupcake bra and neon blue wig, and "E.T.," which had her made up as an alien in the music video. While this may be her brand, she has stated that what she loves is just making music. She told Teen Vogue, "I'm tired of being famous already... Fame is... just a disgusting by-product of what I do." While the fame is what allows her to make music to share with others, as she longed to do since she was young, the added baggage of stardom can take away much of the joy she had when she was just making music and performing for smaller audiences.
9.
Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift is the it girl pop princess and has been for a long time. She is probably one of the most recognizable faces in the world, and her record-breaking Eras Tour took the world by storm. Even now, she is gearing up for a wedding so high profile, many are speculating it could be held at Madison Square Garden (known as the world's most famous arena). This level of worldwide renown must have its perks, but it also strips you of any freedoms that everyday people have. She spoke on that fact with Esquire, saying, "I fought the idea of having security for a very long time... I like to be able to take a drive by myself. Haven't done that in six years." Swift is now always accompanied by security when in public, and everywhere she goes becomes a public event for fans and paparazzi alike.
10.
Billie Eilish
While Eilish has said she loves performing and connecting with fans, she has also been very open about her struggles with fame. She has said many times how she has struggled with her image, her body, and creating a public persona that feels authentic. She, at many times, has said she has struggled an extreme amount with fame. She spoke about the unfortunate consequences of fame with the media, telling the Los Angeles Times, "I didn't want to be famous. I didn't want to be going on tour and missing all my friends and not be able to go to the store. I wanted to be a kid," and iHeart Radio, "I lost all my friends."
11.
Lizzo
Lizzo was well known early in her career for her body positivity and inclusive ideals. She would often talk about living in a bigger body and what came along with that. She held the belief that all bodies are beautiful and worthy, and she made sure to include plus-size models and dancers in all her work. Despite her self-love and body positivity, however, the internet can be a cruel place, and people on the internet didn't hold back her commenting on Lizzo's body.
Lizzo has talked about the trolls online and the hate that she has gotten over the years. This is something she talks about openly on stage during her tours, on TV, and on social media. She told BET, "Don't be famous... If you're an artist, do your art, but don't just be famous. You can't leave. It never ends." It is clear she loves the artistry in her work, but she can struggle with many aspects of fame.
12.
Sia
Pop star Sia is famous for hiding her face behind large wigs when making public appearances and on stage. She has stated that she likes making music but has no interest in fame, telling Nightline, "I don't want to be famous or recognizable. I don't want to be critiqued about the way that I look on the Internet." Sia says that keeping her face, and therefore her identity, concealed was a conscious choice made by her at the start of her career. She said that it gives her the freedom to walk amongst the people and go undetected. She says it allows her a break from the never-ending public scrutiny and allows her to just be herself and be normal.
In the same interview, she said, people aren't honest about the horrors of fame. She told Nightline, “I don’t want to be famous or recognizable... I don’t want to be critiqued about the way that I look on the Internet.… I’ve been writing pop songs for pop stars for a couple of years and see what their lives are like, and that’s just not something I want.” She says that she wants people to think deeply about the idea of celebrity and challenges the notion that it is desirable. She says that celebrity is a strain on mental health and not a positive thing, as many believe.
13.
Stevie Nicks
The pressures of fame are not new. Fleetwood Mac lead singer Stevie Nicks has voiced her gripes with fame and stardom many times. She says that, while grateful for the opportunities, fame has taken so much from her. Things most people take for granted, Nicks never got to experience, at least not in a traditional way. Her fame also led her to drug use. So much so, that she cites doing so much cocaine that she had a hole in her nose too large and severe to be surgically repaired. In an interview in 2011 with The Guardian, Nicks reflected on what life without fame would have been like. She said, "Had Fleetwood Mac, fame, and drugs not entered the picture, we (Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham) would have married and had children... We didn't really mess up till we moved to Los Angeles. And that was when the whole world just ripped us apart."
14.
Rosé
Blackpink member Rosé has talked about what it is like rising to fame and being in a girl group. She has often talked about how things felt when the group first started, and how the experience has changed through the years and with increased stardom. In an interview with Rolling Stone in 2022, she said, "When I recorded something for the first time, I was so excited. I didn't know any better, so it was fun. I envy that now. Now, no matter how hard I try, a part of me is never satisfied." She has stated that the success, while great, has turned her relationship with music and the whole process into something that, at times, is very toxic. She said she struggles with perfectionism and the weight of expectations now when making music, rather than enjoying and being all in on everything she puts out like when she first began.
15.
Jisoo
Another member of Blackpink, Jisoo, has also spoken on the toll fame has taken on her. She shares Rosé's sentiment about how fame has changed music and performing for her. She also says that she struggles with perfectionism and external pressures throughout all stages of the musical process now. When discussing those pressures with Rolling Stone, she said, "When I'm onstage, I think about not making mistakes. Performing sometimes feels more like a test than something genuinely fun." This echoes her bandmate's loss of joy from what was once what drove her happiness.
16.
Sophia Laforteza
The struggles with stardom are affecting other K-Pop stars, with KATSEYE member Sophia Laforteza talking about the burdens of fame and creating art for so many people. Laforteza has been vocal about what is like to have so many eyes on her. She talks about the feedback loop and how it can feel like a never-ending cycle of hate and negativity. When talking to BBC, she said: "No human is supposed to receive that much feedback on something that they've created." She talked about how it can be hard to quiet the voices.
17.
Lara Raj
Sharing fellow KATSEYE member Laforteza's feelings is Lara Raj. She has talked about the changing environment they've been expected to write and perform in as their stardom has grown bigger and bigger. She told BBC, "I think as time goes on and on, the stakes just get higher and higher, and the pressure from 360 all sides becomes more heavy and intense." Late adding, "I try to tell myself... 'It doesn't matter what people say,' but we're humans... If 1,000 people are sending you death threats, it's jarring... It's heavy."
She cites some of the struggles to cope with how rapidly the band has risen in popularity and the online world that is often so negative. Nothing goes uncommented on the internet these days, and everything said is amplified, liked, and shared so many times that it can be hard to escape. For Raj and her bandmates, they have even gone so far as to threaten her life and her safety several times. These threats are unfortunately not uncommon for many stars.
18.
Selena Gomez
Selena Gomez is another star who has been in the public eye since she was young. She started her career on Disney Channel and then continued to have a strong singing and acting career after her Disney tenure ended. Gomez has spoken about her struggles in stardom and has faced hate for her changing body. The star struggles with the autoimmune disease, Lupus, which has altered the way she has lived her life, and has left her with chunks of time where she felt extremely unwell. In her book, Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me, she spoke on all of that and more, saying, "I had everything, and I was absolutely broken inside." Referencing how even at the height of her success, she felt empty and struggled with her mental health and emotional well-being. She also discussed how she was forced to perform and was marketed, saying, "I became a product."
19.
Miley Cyrus
Another former Disney darling, Miley Cyrus, the daughter of country star Billy Ray Cyrus, grew up in the starlight and felt the extreme heat from it. After her Disney era, her transition away from the company was more turbulent than that of Gomez. Cyrus tried to radically change her image, going viral after her song "Wrecking Ball" (and its subsequent music video) went viral. Cyrus spoke on fame with British Cosmopolitan, saying, "The biggest misconception about me is that I like the media attention. I wish I could be who I am without the fame. If everyone would still buy my records and if everything would go to No. 1… that'd be great."
She said that if she could lose the celebrity and keep the success, she would gladly do it. She has also talked about the new challenges that fame has brought her and others in recent times. She told Harper's Bazaar, "It's probably really hard coming into this business with phones and Instagram. That wasn't always a part of my life, and I'm not a part of it now. I don't even have my Instagram password." That quote makes light of how manufactured many celebrities' social media personas truly are. It also shows how social media makes all parts of celebrities' lives, like Cyrus ' life, public. Everything from relationship troubles, broken friendships, and family issues is out there for the world to see and judge.
20.
Nick Jonas
It wasn't just the women of Disney who were burned by fame. The Jonas Brothers were also impacted by the dark side of fame. They said that as time went on, they felt less attached to and proud of what they were putting out and the music they were making. This was part of what led the band of brothers to ultimately break up in 2013 (although the boys have since reunited).
Nick Jonas told PAPER Magazine, "We lost touch with what we wanted to say. We understood that our level of success and fame had reached a point where our musicianship and writing and performing abilities needed time to grow and catch up to it." Nick also said the fame was a huge stressor on the relationship between him and his brothers. He told CBS Sunday Morning, "I feared that they (his brothers) would never speak to me again," after the band broke up.
21.
Elton John
An all-time pop star, Elton John, has not been left untouched by the wrath of fame. While fame provided many things for John, he would not have otherwise had access to it, which also led him to some dark places, including poor mental health and drug use. John told the Daily Star, "Fame is a curse. It kills. Princess Diana, Gianni Versace, John Lennon, Michael Jackson—all dead... None of this would have happened if they hadn't been famous. Fame attracts lunatics. I don't like celebrities anymore." He talks about how fame gives a lot, but it takes even more. In his autobiography, Me, He said: "I had everything, but I had absolutely nothing." He also references how fake friends and people trying to use you are something that often accompanies fame.
22.
Chappell Roan
Chappell Roan is another star who had a rapid rise to fame. While Roan has been making music for a long time, even opening shows for big artists like Oliva Rodrigo, it wasn't until her album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, that she rocketed to superstardom. She has been criticized online for how she handles public interactions, with many claiming that she needs media training or to be more kind and grateful to the fans who allow he to live the life she does.
Roan has spoken about this criticism, saying that she is struggling to adjust to all the attention, but is grateful for her fans. She told The Face, "I feel like fame is just abusive. The vibe of this—stalking, talking shit online, [people who] won't leave you alone, yelling at you in public—is the vibe of an abusive ex-husband. That's what it feels like. I didn't know it would feel this bad."
23.
Jon Bon Jovi
While fame has provided Bon Jovi with global fame, it has also taken a toll on the aging star's life. After being discovered by a radio contest in 1983, the singer rose to global superstardom. Bon Jovi has been in the public eye for 43 years and has spoken about the toll it has taken on him. He told the Financial Times, "Fame is a liar and a thief." While fame has allowed Bon Jovi to see the world and do things many have only dreamed of, it has also taken away the quiet life of a New Jersey native who just liked to make music for the love of the art form.
While I still don't know that all my superstar day dreams won't cease entirely, these quotes have certainly made me rethink wether or not I'd ask a genie for fame and fortune if I found a magic lamp.
Would you still want to be a famous pop star one day? Let me know in the comments and let me know which one of these quotes hit you the hardest.
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