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8 Artists Who Almost Gave Up Before Their Careers Took Off

Keyword: almost.

By Alexa Tietjen and Christianna Wiggins.

When times get tough, giving up gets easy. Many fall prey to this when the journey gets long and the dream seems unattainable. Artist are no exception.

While the road to success weeds out the weak, it brings out the best in those who are willing to see it through. From Eminem to Cyndi Lauper, the following artists hit major road bumps on the way to fame. They stuck it out, but not before almost giving up on their dreams entirely. And we have great music as a result.

Bruno Mars

Bruno Mars relocated in order to pursue a music career. The Honolulu native picked up and moved to Los Angeles when he was 18. After a discouraging amount of time with no bites, Bruno almost gave up and moved back home. His uncle encouraged him to keep his head up and stay put, and eventually, things picked up for him.

Eminem

Eminem reportedly almost gave up on his rap career after getting booed off stage the first time he performed live. He raps in "White America" about how he almost gave up rap and how Dr. Dre became his saving grace.

Shania Twain

When Shania Twain's mother and stepfather were victims of a fatal car crash, she stepped in to help take care of her three teenaged siblings. Shania, 21 at the time, put her dreams of stardom on hold until her youngest brother graduated high school. Once she knew her siblings were taken care of, Shania picked up where she left off. The rest is history.

Elvis Presley

Now hailed as the King of Rock 'N' Roll, Elvis wasn’t always selling out shows. In fact, he was kicked out of his very first performance. When a young Elvis went to perform at the Grand Ole Opry theatre, the manager kicked him out and allegedly told him that he “ought to go back to driving a truck.” It’s a good thing the King didn’t heed that erroneous warning.

The Beatles

The Beatles made music so popular that it defined generations, but not everyone thought that the boys were talented from the start. While seeking their first record deal, a label allegedly told the Beatles boys that they wouldn’t excel because guitar music was on its way out. To add insult to injury, the label also made it known that they didn’t care for the band’s sound. Decades later, The Beatles' wealth of fans, money, and music awards would make record companies change their tune.

Cyndi Lauper

The spunky blonde who convinced all girls that they really just want to have fun couldn’t always count on singing as a career. Before her music took off, Cyndi was told by a doctor that her vocal cords were so badly damaged, she would never be able to sing. The Grammy award-winning artist beat the odds and went on to have a lucrative career.

Hillary Scott

Hillary is best known as one-third of the band Lady Antebellum and her strong vocals have helped the group skyrocket to fame within the last decade. But the American Idol crew didn’t think she was very talented. Hillary didn’t even make it past the preliminary rounds when she tried out for the show — not once, but twice. Apparently the producers and interns weren’t feeling her.

Colbie Caillat

Before this "Bubbly" artist reached stardom, she was getting turned away from American Idol auditions. Colbie sang for the judges twice and was rejected both times. She had the last laugh when, a couple of years later, contestants on the show sang her songs for their showcase.