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I am still of the opinion that no one can know what someone is capable of unless and until that aspiring person does the work to discover their own capacity. Many people have been told by experts that they did not have what it takes to have a professional career.

For example, Sir Michael Caine was told as a young man he would never never have success as a film actor... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Caine

For example, Richard Margison was turned down by the university of victoria voice department... he was a folk singer and they said he didn't have an operatic voice and could never never have an operatic career http://www.richardmargison.com/

There was a 40-year-old guy in Vancouver who'd never taken any ballet lessons in his life, but decided he wanted to dance ballet. So he studied ballet for 10 years... no, he didn't have a professional career as a dancer... but he became a well respected choreographer.

There are thousands of stories of best-selling authors whose manuscripts were turned down by experts & then became best sellers, etc etc.

I myself would never never presume to tell anyone what they are and are not capable off (in fact, one mother called me and wanted to bring her daughter over and have me assess whether or not she could go anywhere. I said I couldn't do that). I think it's ethically wrong to make any kind of promise to anyone. However I also think it is ethically wrong to make judgements on someone's future capacity, because even the experts can be wrong.

What you think of as an absence of talent I think of as an absence of skill which comes through development & training. What I mean by that is, if someone has a true passion for music... then they will find a way to participate in the music... because that passion IS their talent, even if the "talent" isn't visible to the observer. It's the passion that makes me sing / compose / produce / study/practice / yearn for more. The passion makes you reach deep and develop your talent & keeps you motivated.

And I define passion as a true, deep in your soul, I have to do this, it's like breathing, I can't live without it passion. If you have that, and you are willing to grow and learn, then I believe you can accomplish the impossible.

So, if I was faced with that young woman... and she was willing to listen to me... I wouldn't tell her that singing was an impossibility - because it's not. I would tell her that it takes a whole lot of work to become a competent singer... and that it takes a whole lot of more work to be a professional singer, assuming the voice that is discovered during the exploration process is able to handle the demands of a professional career. I might discuss with her why she wants to sing like Mariah Carey. What's underneath that? And then I'd ask her... do you really have the passion to take voice lessons, and learn to play at least one instrument, and learn songwriting, and take dance lessons, and play out solo, duo, in band, tour, create a buzz, in short, do you have the passion to commit to the life of a performing artist and learn your craft and pay your dues? And keep your head straight while you're doing it? If she said, firmly and with conviction, 'yes I do', and she was able to keep her commitment to herself... perhaps she would find a way to be in the music. Maybe she wouldn't be the best singer in the world, but perhaps she would be known for her cool songs... etc etc Through her exploration of her own artistry she would develop her identity & persona and market herself as who she is... not as an imitation of someone else.