Billy Joel Reveals A Really Weird Fact About Himself

While plenty of fans love Billy Joel’s voice, the “Piano Man” himself isn’t one of them.

In a recent chat with John Mayer on How’s Life, Mayer’s new radio show, Joel opened up about his ongoing struggle with how he sounds. And he admitted he was never a fan of his own voice. Joel admitted:

“I always wanted to sing like somebody else — I never liked my own voice.
“I’d record something, listen back, and think, ‘Oh God, it’s that guy.’ No matter how good the song was, I’d always feel disappointed. I wanted to sound like someone else.”

Channeling His Vocal Heroes

Since he isn’t fond of his voice, Joel often takes inspiration from singers he admires. “I try to channel people with wonderful voices, like Ray Charles, Sting, or Elvis Costello,” he explained. Mimicking their styles helps him cope with what he perceives as vocal shortcomings.

This struggle isn’t new for Joel, but it recently came up again while recording “Turn the Lights Back On,” his first original single in nearly 20 years. He told WBLM-FM earlier this year, “Freddy [Wexler, the co-writer and producer] asked, ‘Are you thinking of someone else when you sing?’ I said, ‘Always.’ I’m always trying to sound like not Billy Joel because I don’t like my voice.”

A Songwriter at Heart

Joel has often emphasized that he identifies more as a songwriter than a singer. “I like thinking about other people singing my songs, not me,” he shared. Despite his doubts, his voice has become iconic to millions worldwide, proving that self-perception doesn’t always match reality.

For now, fans can catch Joel’s final scheduled concert of 2024 on December 31 in Belmont, New York. Whether he likes it or not, we all know that his voice has left a lasting impression on music history for decades and it still does.