Mat Kearney Quotes

I just make music based on what I believe.

I didn't want to do the whole, get the hottest person thing. I wanted to make sure every record felt right.

I'm totally open to exploring different types of music. I just have to always remember to be true to who I am.

All I can do is focus on staying true to the style of music I write and sing because that is the only way it's going to come off as honest.

The whole process of music for me is something absolutely honest and really naked and bare, so I never forced myself to write in French.

Every script I've written and every series I've produced have expressed the things I most deeply believe.

Sometimes, being a feminist artist, there are times where I'm in a position where I just want to feel like I'm saying all the right things politically, or I feel like I have to mention my own project over other people's projects. But I don't do that anymore. I just want to be off the cuff and honest.

When I write a book... it's the same essential approach to music as with books. It has to be something I want to hear or read. Hopefully the audience comes along, since that's the only way you can write righteously. I have to ask, 'What do I want to hear?' not 'What do people want to hear?'

The responsibility of an artist is to be honest with themselves.

'Playing House' works because we're being supremely honest to what we think is funny and not what we think other people think is funny.

I play a certain style. I'm not willing to compromise that part of me.

I only make those films that I would love to watch.

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.

We didn't want to change who we are. We're not going to sit there and go, 'Let's be a rap band now.'

As an artist, what you do represents who you are. Coming from a genuine, honest place - that's what I'm trying to do.

It doesn't matter even if I am slow or fast as long as my films are honest and carries my integrity.

I was trying to find my way into the music business still, but I didn't want to portray something that I wasn't. I really wanted to be just me.

Everything I record, I just try to sound like me and come up with songs that suit what I do, and then just go for it.

I think every artist should follow their vision; their hearts is what they need to reveal, not something that society is looking out for. That said though, I think also artists have, continuously good artists, have been good for their times.

I've heard some people say that I'm selling out, but I'm not. If I hadn't done 'Black Radio', and just kept on doing just piano trio stuff, I wouldn't be honest with myself; I'd be doing it to please other people. That would be selling out.

I don't really look at the charts at all. If anything, I try to out-do what I've done before. I try to make music that I like and I trust my own judgement with what will work with a wider audience. If you compare yourself to the charts, you lose perspective on what you're doing and why you're doing it.

Whatever is about you that is translated into your art, that's gonna keep you completly original and fresh and I just think that, that's just the best advice I can give, to an artist creatively.

I'm not trying to become a pop artist, and I'm not trying to make sure I stay a country artist. I'm just trying to make sure I make the best music I can, according to my way.

I want people to listen to my music and everyone to feel included, and I think it's kind of working because all my audiences are always so colorful.

The records are black boxes for me. Like, if you want to know who I am, my views, my perspective, things I love, things I hate, my convictions, my anthems. I've never let people's opinions affect the way I write.