A collaborative study with an eminent singer-songwriter from the Philippines reveals alternative pathways to talent development that diverge from Bloom’s model. It appears that early exposure to the area of talent in the context of daily living, the absence of any formal mentors, using art as commodity, and eventual perception of art as a conduit to promote social change may resonate more with the reality of an artist coming from a disadvantaged background. The session is especially useful to creativity researchers and arts educators, since it highlights a different model of creativity that has implications in actual classroom practices.