Unsigned Wolverhampton signer Amy G in charity bash

But not all performers think this way. Some, who do possess talent, try to give back.

Amy G is one. The Wolverhampton singer has taken her life experience and love of singing and is trying to help out two causes close to her heart - Compton Hospice and Cancer Research UK.

"When I was 15 I sadly lost my grandad to lung cancer," says the 22-year-old former Coppice Performing Arts School pupil. "I decided to put my emotions into a song but I only wrote a verse and a chorus.

"Since then I have seen friends touched by cancer too, so I decided to revisit the song and build on it. I feel this song will help bring to light the rollercoaster of emotions these people feel when they lose someone to this illness. I wanted to turn a negative into a positive.

"I have built the song into a full production allowing it to be emotional, but with a modern twist to still interest a younger target audience and the radio stations."

Last month she gave her song to the public via a special performance at Nuffield Hospital in Wolverhampton. The site was opening a new oncology suite, and Amy offered to perform live so people could hear the song and, if they were impressed, donate to her cause online.

She gave an acoustic performance of the track and her other material, and the performance was well-received by those in attendance - including Wolves legend Steve Bull.

"It was a great night," says Amy, "and I raised £100. All donations will be split equally between Cancer Research UK and Compton Hospice, I will not take any of the funds."

The fundraising is still ongoing, so to help Amy hit her targets – and she has just surpassed the £350 mark – go to http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/SomeoneSpecial/PieceOfMeByAmyG

"Please support my single by donating and sharing," she adds. "Join me on this journey to cure cancer."

But as well as looking back at her life, Amy - real name Amy Goodall - wants to look ahead, too. When we speak to her she has just been filming an acoustic video for her single with Made In Birmingham TV and doing an interview with the channel about her plans.

Already a professional full-time singer, she hopes to expand this further. She has performed at festivals such as the Bass Festival in Manchester and holiday parks across the country. And she can count foyer performances for crowds entering arenas to see the likes of Drake, The Weeknd and Take That among her experiences.

Having studied at the Institute of Contemporary Music in London, other notable local performances include Christmas light switch-ons. Amy believes she has performed to upwards of 20,000 people in her career.

“I’m so proud to have headlined Wolverhampton’s Christmas lights and bonfire night which saw more than 15,000 people attend, and to do it in your hometown was so thrilling," she recalls.

She has been doing this since her teenage years, and has her sights set on the cruise ship tours as a next step.

"I've released a house and bassline-style single before and I am still finding my own style," she says. "I haven't really done a new release for a while. I have been doing a lot of live singing and trying to get shows and experience behind me."

Her boyfriend works in the music industry and has helped her with recording. But releasing albums and trying to find success via the record charts isn't on her radar currently.

"I want to keep releasing certain singles, changing my style and keeping fresh. The bookings are really taking off and the diary is looking full.

"I travel around a lot - Blackpool or the south coast. I have just performed at a holiday park in Bristol. But I do like to perform locally too. I sometimes perform in places like Willenhall which I like.

"I prefer to do my own stuff rather than doing lots of covers."

And she jokes about her roots, adding: "My accent gets mocked a lot. It's all banter but it's usually how bad it sounds. I prefer singing to talking anyway, the further I can get with this the better.

“My sound is soulful with influences from stars such as Whitney Houston, I take those powerful vocals and make them fit into a more modern setting, vocalising genres such as house."

And she has some advice for those who may wish to follow a similar career path to herself.

"It's all about the training at the end of the day, just throw yourself in at the deep end. You have to get out from your local area and find the better competition.

"I learned a lot from doing that, and also how to be on my own. Doing that helped me be mentally prepared and I think it was a bit of a confidence boost."

And with shows like at Nuffield Hospital, her more generous side will keep on winning her fans on her own doorstep as well as country-wide.

Amy G's music video for Piece Of Me is scheduled to go live at the end of this month which she hopes will help her raise even more for charity. The song can be heard now on Soundcloud at https://m.soundcloud.com/amygofficialxo

Amy also uses social media. You can search for her on Facebook, follow her on Twitter at @SingerAmyG or Instagram at @amygofficialxo