Neko Case Quotes

The more I got into presenting things to the world, the further it was taking me away from what I was, which was someone who just used to sit quietly at a piano and sing and play. It became very important to me not to lose sight of that.

To make music that means something, you kind of have to drop the cool. You have to be prepared and willing to be uncool.

Please understand that I make music to express myself, and if you know anything about me, you know that I'm nothing but honest.

All the things that are negative in me as a person - the incompetence and despair and weakness and pain - are like a gift from God in a performer. If you don't hide them and if you stop lying to yourself about what you are and are not, there is a ring or a tent or a stage where you can take them and use them to make something beautiful.

I take making music seriously, but you have to have a sense of humor about yourself. I invite people into my life. That's how I do it.

If you remember one thing from talking to me, remember this: I am just a girl who makes noises - and I'm incredibly lucky that people happen to like those noises.

Music to me is about being honest, and it's what I've always pictured music as. I don't see the point of expressing yourself if you are going to be cryptic about it.

Music is not simply an orchestration of something, but it's also not something as trivial as honesty.

I'm always amazed that people take what I say seriously. I don't even take what I am seriously.

I think I have great responsibility, and when I do my music, when I try to relate to my audience, I just try to do it in an honest fashion, you know, just try to be as earnest as possible and sometime it may be self-effacing. Sometimes it may be finger-pointing. Sometimes it may be beautiful, and sometime it may be ugly.

Somehow you can tell the difference when a song is written just to get on the radio and when what someone does is their whole life. That comes through in Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, Willie Nelson. There is no separating their life from their music.

When I'm onstage they know I'm honest, and I try to be as humble as I can.

Most of my songs make fun of myself.

It's a bit embarrassing watching myself, but I couldn't get someone else to play me, that would've been stupid.

I hope they see the genuine side of me, of my music, of my voice. I hope that they feel me. I hope that what I sing and what I say really gets across to the viewer because everything that comes out is true.

To be honest with my music... for me to expect anyone to connect it has to come from a place of honesty.

I've always had a sick sense of humor, and I've always wanted that to permeate the music because I don't take myself seriously. I take the music seriously, but I know I'm not God's gift to anyone except my mom.

If it doesn't come from your heart, music just doesn't work.

Sing the song or keep it inside.

If I've influenced people, so be it, but I don't dwell on those kinds of things. I just put out my music. If I influence someone without knowing it, I'm happy about it. I try not to think about those things because it's not about me.

I hope people will find sincerity and authenticity in my music.

If I can't be honest with music, forget it.

From a place of truth, I think artists or actors have to be real with what they're doing.

The great thing about acting is you don't have to worry about yourself at all. I tend to just get out of the way of me and let something come through.

I don't want to give a false impression of confidence where I don't have it.