For Rory, everything in his life revolves around a philosophy; he measures everything he does against it. That philosophy is: if you're going to do something, then do it well. This approach has brought him many benefits as a singer. He tends to perfect his songs to the utmost, in order to offer the best of himself. So, when others listen to him or find out that he's going to release something new, they know they'll be hearing quality. He has almost created a personal brand around himself with this.
Among the many benefits he has obtained are very successful songs, a large number of fans all over the world, and many, many, many awards. Yes, a lot of them. But this coin of success and what he represents has two sides. People only see the good side of this philosophy, but Rory knows that's not the whole story. Although he kept it a secret for years, he recently revealed everything he's gone through to maintain this philosophy. He did so in an interview.
According to him, the worst part is having to live with the constant stress of doing things well, almost perfectly. For him, this translates into constantly striving to exceed expectations, which are always getting higher. Furthermore, if something was good in the past, he has to do everything possible to surpass it and offer something new and better. This creates a lot of pressure and stress for him. It's success achieved through great effort, perhaps sometimes too much effort.
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But that's just the tip of the iceberg. When the interviewer asked him, "What sacrifices have you had to make to maintain that philosophy?" He replied that there were many, and that it was very costly on a family level, as it led to his separation from his wife and being away from his children for long periods. This was because spending many weeks, or even months, recording in studios far from home meant he had to be away from his family. And because he was a perfectionist, he had to re-record the songs several times until they were flawless.
Because of this, he lost his wife, who couldn't tolerate having a husband who was never present in the family's life. He added in his response to the journalist that he regrets it and wishes he had done something when he had the chance. "Are you currently trying to rebuild your relationship with your children?" Rory said yes, he's trying his best to reconnect with them, taking them out to eat and spending time together every weekend. But that doesn't erase the mistakes and the lost time; it's the cost of his work.
When he finished answering that question in the interview, a very important one followed: "Professionally, we know you've been successful, but has it affected you in any other way?" The answer surprised the journalist who was interviewing him and the viewers. He said yes, because he had often exceeded recording budgets by recording the same songs over and over again, even when they were already good. This annoyed his colleagues at the record labels, which ultimately led to the breakdown of his future working relationships with some of them.
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Furthermore, the mere fact of knowing how much of a perfectionist he was and how easily he went over budget sent shivers down the spines of record label owners when they considered partnering with him. Sometimes they even avoided him altogether to spare themselves the trouble. Professionally, he was also affected in another way: his collaborations with other singers. Most of them couldn't stand working with him because they knew the pressure they would be under if Rory was in charge of the project. This wasn't always easy, as they had to perform at the same level as him. For that reason, many avoided him or flat-out refused to collaborate.
The interview ended with a final question: "Is there anything you'd like to say to the singers watching us or to those who will be singers in the future?" "Yes, I do want to say something," he replied. "The truth is, perfectionism is a good philosophy because it constantly motivates you to be better and surpass what you've already done. But be careful, it's not a game. If it gets out of control, you can destroy your life, your family, and your career. Always find a balance before it's too late, just as it is for me in many ways." That was the interview with Rory.
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