Top 10 Challenges of Being a Teen Artist Finding His Voice According to Cormac

As a young artist, Cormac is intent on paving his own way. There is no one way to be a musician, and it’s up to you to show everyone why you belong. That’s what Cormac has been doing since he began to emerge as an 11-year-old when he signed his first album deal. Based in the UK, he originally began to receive exposure for covers and classical crossover songs he was recording. Recently, he has shifted his focus more to original music, wanting to not let the work of others define him. He has been working hard to redefine his sound and his creative direction on his own terms.

Although Cormac has already played in significant venues such as the London Palladium and the Royal Albert Hall, it was a different time in his career. He is now solely focused on presenting himself as an original artist, and his goal is to perform at that calibre of venue based on the quality and popularity of his original music.

It wasn’t that Cormac was not finding success with his previous career path. It’s more that as he is growing up, he’s finding that his musical tastes and priorities are evolving. He remains fond of his previous work, but he is now focused on writing and performing original songs that are reflective of who he is today. His latest single, “Defenceless,” marks a significant shift away from the covers and classical songs he was doing. “Defenceless” is more of a contemporary pop song, written about the uncertainty of being a young person today. It’s very much a statement of where he is currently and the pursuit of the best version of himself.

Very much in conjunction with his current artistic path, Cormac joins us today to share with us his Top 10 challenges of being a teen artist trying to find his own voice.

1. The internet watched my voice change

“The first time I posted myself singing online, I was 11. It was 2020, COVID had just hit, and my voice was much higher back then. That kind of singing naturally attracts an older audience, and they’ve been incredibly supportive. But I just turned 17 in March, and my voice is completely different now, and the style of music I want to make has changed as well. One of my biggest challenges is getting the internet to help me find an audience with a wider age range when it has already decided my music should mainly be shared with people the same age as my grandparents. Even they don’t really like my music anymore. So here I am at 17, starting again for the second time already.”

2. The algorithm doesn’t like change

“Social media is amazing for sharing music, but it likes to keep artists in neat little boxes. The algorithm keeps pushing your music to the audience that has always listened to you, which makes changing style and reaching new listeners really difficult. When I release new songs, especially original music, the algorithm tests them with people who followed me when I sang completely different songs. It can be very frustrating because artistic growth doesn’t always happen in a straight line. I try not to let the initial numbers dishearten or demotivate me. I just have to trust that if I keep showing up, play more gigs, and keep writing songs, the right audience will eventually find me.”

3. Connecting with a new generation of listeners

“When you start sharing music when you’re 11, some people connect strongly with a younger you. I feel incredibly grateful for everyone who supported me early on, but I’ve learned that you can’t shape your music around expectations that belong to a different time in your life. My taste in music, my influences and how I write songs are very fluid right now, just as they should be. I just need to never lose sight of being the artist I want to be and not the one everyone expects me to be.”

Cormac “Defenceless” single artwork

4. Managing the risks of growing up online

“Most people who follow my music are kind, supportive and respectful, and I never take that for granted. But sharing music online since I was 11 also means I’ve had to learn to be vigilant because young performers can attract inappropriate or sexualised attention from adults. It’s not something people talk about much, but it doesn’t just disappear as you get older, either, so it can be a lot to navigate. I’ve learned that sometimes people can seem genuine at first, so it’s extra important to stay careful but try not to get suspicious of everyone. I try to focus on enjoying support that is positive and respectful, while being aware of boundaries and making sure they’re protected.”

5. Moving from singing other people’s songs to writing my own

“This was always going to be difficult. When you release a cover of a well-known song, people already know it, and the song does a lot of the heavy lifting for you. Switching from this to releasing songs no one’s heard before, when you’re not well known either, is probably one of the most daunting things. It’s exciting because it gives me the freedom to say what I actually want to say, but you feel much more vulnerable. So I have to learn to trust that my own experiences and emotions are worth writing about and have faith that if it is good enough, people will want to listen to my songs too.”

6. The uncertainty of not fully knowing your sound yet

“When what you listen to changes all the time, it affects the kind of music you want to make as well. A big challenge as a teenage artist is trying to work out your sound while people are already forming opinions about you. I listen to loads of different styles, so what I want to write can change quite quickly. There’s pressure to decide who you are as an artist sooner than you probably should. I’m learning that it’s ok not to have it all figured out yet, and that trying different things now is how I’ll eventually work out what feels right when I am older.”

7. When making music isn’t the only job anymore

“There’s a lot of pressure on artists to share big parts of their lives online, so fans always feel connected to them. It’s not just about what you post; it’s how often you’re expected to post as well. As an independent artist, you’re trying to make music and create content about the music at the same time, and that can be a lot to keep up with. It’s often said you’ve got very little chance of being signed now without already having a big social media following, which can feel like doing two jobs at once. Add in AI and the impact that might have, and it makes me think some brilliant musicians might never even try because those expectations are hard to sustain long-term.”

8. When image starts to matter as much as the music

“I’ve noticed, watching big music events like The Grammys, that conversation can end up being about what artists are wearing as well as the music itself. I love fashion and how it’s part of performance and identity, and it can be really creative and exciting, but sometimes it feels like the focus shifts too much to visual identity. As a young artist, that adds another layer of complexity because you’re still figuring out who you are musically, never mind visually. Image and music definitely go hand in hand, but it is just another balance to find.”

9. Filtering the “Experts’” opinions

“When you start working in music, lots of people suddenly have opinions about what you should do next. Most of it is meant to help, but it can still be confusing when everyone is saying different things. One of the challenges is learning to listen without feeling like you have to follow everything you’re told. I’m starting to realize that just because something sounds like a great opportunity doesn’t always mean it’s right for me. Finding my voice as an artist also means trusting my instincts and sometimes stepping back and deciding what actually feels right.”

10. Trying not to compare my timeline to everyone else’s

“I’ve been sharing music online for nearly six years, but because that’s been cover songs and since I was 11, releasing my first original song in 2026 is pretty much like starting again. I’m good with that. Social media makes it very easy to compare progress with other young artists, so it is important to always remind myself that everyone’s path is different. I’ve had some big moments already, mostly created for me by someone else, and right now my focus is building something new that I can look back on and know that I built it myself.”