Anakin Skywalker wrote:
I rocked up at V festival last weekend.
Its amazing how many acts didn't need X-factor or the like to actually manage to forge a brilliant musical legacy.
...
Ella Fitzgerald first sang in public at Amateur Night at the Apollo, and then went through as many talent contests as she could find. It took her about 5 years from there to be famous.
Had she started out now, she would therefore very likely have entered stuff like the X-Factor.
I'm sure the talent contest route was taken by innumerable others, but if it's good enough for Ella Fitzgerald, it's good enough for me.