Before starting their career, most musicians choose a stage name that allows them to protect their identity, build a persona, attract attention, and even replace an unattractive first or last name.
Sometimes, a stage name is simply a shortened version of the artist's real name. This is the case with the "Queen of Pop," Madonna Louise Ciccone, who chose to use only her first name. Miley Cyrus is actually Destiny Hope Cyrus. Her stage name comes from her childhood nickname: Smiley. Since she couldn't pronounce it correctly, she called herself Miley.
Something similar happened with a local celebrity. Mariana Espósito's older brother couldn't pronounce "Mari" correctly, and that's how she got the nickname that would accompany her throughout her career: Lali. In our music scene, there's another pseudonym that's frequently mentioned. Although the change was difficult, Martina Stoessel stopped being known as Violetta and became, once and for all, Tini.
Sometimes, a stage name is the result of a modification of the real name. Cher's stage name derives directly from Cherilyn Sarkisian. A similar case is that of Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson, known as Katy Perry; although the singer decided to change her name to avoid being confused with the famous actress Kate Hudson.
Sometimes the stage name has no connection to the musician's real name and is created to attract attention or project greater power. Lady Gaga was Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta's chosen stage name at the beginning of her career. Onika Tanya Maraj created a simpler version of her name and is now known simply as Nicki Minaj. Ramón Ayala sought a powerful alias: Daddy Yankee was the result. In Puerto Rico, the term "daddy" refers to a father figure, while "yankee" denotes greatness and strength.
Most of the time, a real name is considered unappealing in the music industry, so performers often change it. Juan Luis Londoño Arias, better known as Maluma, and José Álvaro Osorio Balvin, better known as J Balvin, are clear examples.
Did you think their pseudonyms were their real names?
