Billy Joel and John Mayer Don’t Love Their Own Voices: 'If I Only Had a Couple More Notes'

Both celebrated musicians Billy Joel and John Mayer, despite their enduring success, openly discuss areas of discontent with their own vocal performances, PEOPLE reported. This conversation unfolded during the premiere episode of Mayer's new SiriusXM series, "How's Life." Interviewing Joel, now 75, Mayer, a renowned guitarist himself, sought to understand if the legendary "Piano Man" artist felt there were any limitations in his creative expressions or iconic live acts that required adjustments.

Mayer posed the query if there were aspects of Joel’s artistry — perhaps particular songs or vocal techniques he aspired to but found unattainable, much like Mayer’s own unfulfilled wish to sing Sting's "If You Love Somebody Set Them Free" in falsetto. Mayer remarked on the inherent frustration felt when talented musicians, like themselves, still needed just a few more vocal notes to fully realize their ideas.

Joel revealed a long-standing dissatisfaction with his vocal work, expressing a desire to emulate other singers’ styles. He reflected on listening back to studio recordings and feeling dismayed, even when confident in his writing, due to dissatisfaction with his own voice. Mayer echoed similar sentiments.

Exploring further, Mayer questioned if Joel ever immersed himself into the personas of other artists during performances, akin to a young athlete losing themselves in sports’ role-play fantasies. Joel affirmed this, noting he occasionally channeled artists with remarkable vocal qualities like Ray Charles, Sting, or Elvis Costello during his acts.

They delved deeper into the dynamics of live performances, with Mayer commenting on mastering audience engagement to eliminate any lull. Considerations even extend to moments when concertgoers walk out during a show, something that Joel acknowledged used to ride heavily on his mind, admitting a fleeting wish to jokingly announce special guest appearances to keep audiences in their seats.

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