Setting the Scene: We're in Melbourne, 11:30pm, bedside lamp on
Setting the Mood for your reading: The classic Chet Baker Album: Late Night Jazz (Deluxe Edition ooo)
It's currently the early hours of the morning—which is just a poetic way of saying it's ridiculously late. I'm sitting up in bed, AC humming, bedside lamp casting a warm but somewhat judgmental glow. The remnants of a Brunetti-made macchiato still valiantly doing its job as I come to the unfortunate realisation that I probably should have ordered decaf…
I've just been doom-scrolling on my phone.
No, not the endless Instagram cycle of world crises, kittens, or self-proclaimed lifestyle coaches ranting about avoidant attachment styles.
No, ladies and gentlemen, tonight’s doom-scroll is of a different variety: realestate.com.au.
"How is that doom-scrolling?" you might ask.
Well, when you're almost 31 and staring at apartments you can't afford? Trust me—it absolutely is.
Let’s rewind to a very different version of Zachary, just over three years ago.
Back then, I turned down a pretty spectacular promotion at the bank I was working at to accept a full-time chorus position at Landestheater Linz. A decision I made without a moment's hesitation—because, at last, I was stepping back onto a path that felt right.
Now, don’t get me wrong. My corporate job had a lot going for it: fantastic colleagues, geographical flexibility, a solid income, a great CBD apartment with a killer view, clear career progression, and a buzzing social life. But at 27, there was still one box I hadn’t checked—a goal I’d set for myself long ago. Like many aspiring singers, that goal was to work full-time in Europe.
At that stage, I had a post-COVID three-year plan:
Year One: Earn, save a little, but live a good life.
Year Two: Get serious about savings, buy an apartment, prep for Europe.
Year Three: Save, save, save, then move to Europe for Singing Career Attempt No. 2.
Instead, thanks to an unexpected and successful audition, all of this happened in one year.
…Minus the apartment. And minus the save, save, save.
When I was studying my Bachelor of Music as a bright-eyed, questionably-dressed 18-year-old at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music, we often had professional singers come in to talk to us. Naturally, we were all eager to hear about the glamorous lives of opera singers.
But instead of star-studded anecdotes, they spoke—often in an ominous tone—about the sacrifices we would have to make for this career. Sacrifices in family, relationships, finances, stability. I don’t recall anyone ever really breaking down what those sacrifices would look like in real life, or how seemingly small choices in your 20s could ripple into your future as an artist.
I remember sitting there in Melba Hall, wearing a poorly ironed shirt and exuding a misplaced sense of confidence, thinking:
“Pah! Sacrifice? Surely, with some hard work and smart planning, I can have it all!”
…Right?
"Right?" says the almost 31-year-old Zachary, staring at his real estate app.
Now, nearly three years into a full-time music career—not one of glamour or raging success, but one that's steadily building—I think about the choices I've made over the past decade.
And when I look at them, I realize: I was never truly willing to not pursue this career, no matter what challenges came my way.
And looking back, I can recognize the things I have sacrificed. Shall we make a list?
What Has Zachary Sacrificed?
Financial growth – Instead of savings and investments, my money has gone into voice lessons, coachings, language classes, international and domestic audition trips…not that I regret a cent.
A secure corporate career path – There was stability there. Predictability. Paid leave. A reliable paycheck. (Haha.)
Home ownership – Or achieving those "standard life milestones" society tells us we should hit.
Long-term relationships – Not for lack of trying, as many friends reading this will attest.
Being present for family and friends' big moments – The birthdays, the weddings, the Sunday brunches I wish I could teleport to.
Exploring other interests – Prioritizing singing meant shelving other creative or intellectual pursuits.
Are these the sacrifices our mentors warned us about?
I could sit here and panic about them. Or, I could recognise that many of these so-called sacrifices are just things that society conditions us to prioritise. And at the end of the day, without those sacrifices, I wouldn’t be doing what I love.
I feel like I should wrap this post up with some sort of profound lesson. But honestly? I’m still figuring out what that lesson is.
What I do know is that I absolutely cannot afford to buy back my old apartment in Carlton.
But I also know that, just around the corner, all these sacrifices could turn into gains. Because in this career, all it takes is one good contract, one competition win, one audition to change everything.
So…where to next?
Probably...to sleep...
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