There’s a difference between folks who only listen to music and those who make it for a living. For those of us who only listen, we may only consider someone “successful” if they are on TV and selling millions of albums. While that’s definitely a metric, it’s not the only way to measure success. For millions of musicians who go out day after day, night after night, and perform for a living, doing what they are passionate about is “success.” Sure, just about everyone would love a big record contract and tour the world making music, but there is something to be said for making a living doing what you love.
For musicians who play for a living and barely make enough to live, making music isn’t about wealth. It’s about performing their art; they are in love with “the grind,” the process, the performance, everything most successful musicians need to get to the next level. Ed Sheeran is a perfect example of an artist who feels in love with the grind of making music long before he found success. He used to play gigs while sleeping on the streets of London. Now, most folks probably told him to give up his dream and get a “real job,” but for Sheeran and those like him, music is more than just a job; it’s life. The man in this video exemplifies this spirit. His name is Mike Yung, a “50-something” year-old NYC subway singer who had been practicing his craft for over 35 years.
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During his 2017 audition for America’s Got Talent, Mike stepped onto the stage wearing his gray knitted cap, not looking like your typical “star.” However, once he began singing “Unchained Melody” by the Righteous Brothers, everyone’s first impression went right out the window. However, after the song, judge Mel B (formerly of the Spice Girls) thought that Mike wasn’t quite “there” yet. However, judges Howie Mandel and Simon Cowell couldn’t disagree more with her assessment, with Cowell even taking a swipe at Mel B’s taste in music by suggesting that Mike was much better than some of the “auto-tune garbage” she listened to. Yikes!
After the show, Mike Yung toured the country on his “Never Give Up” tour, for his new album with the same title. You can watch Mikes’s full performance in the video below.
And watch the drama unfold as the judges react to his performance in this video.