Lena Waithe Quotes

My concepts are never bright ideas; they're never notions I think will sell or be trendy or attract new fans. I don't think that way. All I can do is sing from my life.

When you write a song, you don't ask if it's good or not, or if it's gonna sell. When you write a song, you ask whether you've reached deep inside your heart and whether it's honest.

I don't think songs have to be like these super-#1-smash-hit-sounding songs, because I think it's more important that it's like, 'Hey! This is coming out of me. This is something I connect with. This is something that I like to sing.'

I don't want ever to be guilty of what my critics claim: doing formula without original elements.

You have to write the story that's at the front of your head. There is no point in trying to write for the market; it won't ring true.

I always make music that is true to my spirit.

I think what you're always looking for as artists is to be honest and to continue to be honestly driven by that which you are passionately engaged with. It should need not be forced.

I would never agree to sing something I didn't feel was 100% me.

All of my music is honest.

I think that as long as you stay true to you when you're putting out music, somebody's going to like it.

The most important thing I can say is to make music that moves you. Don't try and chase what's on the radio or what you think people want to hear.

I wanted to create a body of work that I was proud of. It's come from honesty and integrity, without forcing anything from myself, the ideas had to come instinctively and organically. Whether that translates to people in that way, it's kind of out of my hands now.

We started making content because we wanted to see it, and so our content ended up being genuine.

I don't feel I have to be Jackson Browne. Still, I like to say something.

This goes for our songwriting as well as our success as a band - the minute we stopped chasing what we thought people wanted to hear and started writing things that moved us, that's when people started paying attention.

You can only really sing about what you know; at least, I can.

In my music, I'm never going to force anything to try to recreate a moment or something.

I've learnt that I've had the best results from just trying to be me, trying to make a movie or TV show I want to see or write a script I want to read, and that's really all I can offer - being authentic.

I prefer writing originals.

I am quite certain in my heart of hearts that modern music and modern art is not a conspiracy, but is a form of truth and integrity for those who practise it honestly, decently and with all their being.

My greatest achievement is being able to write records that are real snapshots of what's going on in my life. I won't repeat myself for the sake of commerce, or to please other people.

I want that every piece of art be honest, never mind what it is about.

I try to make my music interesting to me first, then hopefully other people will find it interesting, too.

I'm not trying to stay in the same place and I'm not trying to compete with what's currently in fashion. That would be dishonest. But, at the same time, I'm different and the music reflects that to some degree.

Be careful that you do not write or paint anything that is not your own, that you don't know in your own soul.