Chalamet, Opera, and the Cost of Mistaking Popularity for Value

Timothée Chalamet, in a conversation with Matthew McConaughey, said he wouldn’t want to work in ballet or opera because, in his words, “no one cares about this anymore.”

The backlash was fast.

Opera houses, dancers, Misty Copeland, even the Oscars responded. “Security is extremely tight tonight,” host Conan O’Brien said in his monologue. “I’m told there are concerns about attacks from both the opera and ballet communities.”

(I especially loved what Nick Cannelakis had to say). Opera houses, dancers, Misty Copeland, even the Oscars got in on it last night. "Security is extremely tight tonight," host Conan O'Brien said in his monologue. "I'm told there's concerns about attacks from both the opera and ballet communities."

A lot of what came back in response was fair.

But what interests me isn’t the comment itself.

It’s the framework underneath it.

The idea that value is determined by how many people are watching.

That relevance equals popularity.

That if something doesn’t scale, it doesn’t matter.

Sound familiar?

Because this same framework shows up quietly in a lot of musicians.

It’s not always loud.

Sometimes it looks like softening your rate before anyone even reacts.

Or apologizing when you talk about your work.

Or feeling like you’re not “real yet” until you get the “right” job.

Chalamet’s mistake wasn’t cruelty.

It was mistaking popularity for proof.

And musicians do this too — just more quietly, and more often.

And it has a cost.

It shapes what you charge, what you offer, and what you believe your work is worth.

Here’s a simple exercise I use in 1:1 work. Not finance. Not spreadsheets. Just awareness.

1. Listen for the apology

When you tell someone what you do or what you charge, notice what you do right after. Do you soften it? Add a “but”? Reduce the number? Offer justification?

2. Write your real hourly rate

Not your fee. Your actual income divided by real hours — including prep, travel, admin, emotional energy.

Most musicians have never done this.

3. Name what you give away

Time. Extra prep. Advice. Invisible labor. Things that never get priced in.

4. Study one person who doesn’t apologize for their rate

Not to copy them — just to notice what clarity sounds like.

5. Say your rate out loud

Once. Alone. Full sentence. No softening. Notice what your body does.

This isn’t about charging more.

It’s about aligning what you already believe about your work with how you actually show up for it.

That’s the work.

If you want to sit with this more directly, I’m opening a few 30-minute calls in April.

No pitch. No cost. Just space.

Reply “I’m in” and we’ll set it up.

xo,
Ixi

The Practice with Purpose framework is $99 for 2 6-month planners! It includes:

• the complete framework ($37 system)
• your 2 physical planners included (a $80 value, shipped to your door)
• training modules and ongoing resources

A system built on alignment, connection and flow.