Quincy Jones Quotes

I never really sang for anyone, apart from in the shower or with my best friend. I was shy. I didn't want to take voice lessons. I knew I could sing, but I just didn't tell anyone.

On the first recording, I wasn't singing out that much; I was shy with my singing.

I find I like the spotlight for a very brief period of time... and I sort of need it. But then, the minute that it's done, I have to sort of go hide. So I was never really meant, I think, to be a performer for a living.

I'm actually pretty shy in real life. But I guess in front of the camera, I focus.

You hear some people saying, 'I'm alive on stage; it's where I feel most complete...' I don't understand that at all; I find that weird and depressing. I don't dislike the audience; it's just when I'm up there, they're in the darkness. There's just a sound of laughing or not. They're not 'people,' they're this big organism.

I think a lot of singers are shy people. I suppose singing on stage is not like talking; you are not as exposed.

I was a shy kid with a broom handle that I pretended was a microphone.

Some people love being onstage and really open up, and I'm sort of the opposite of that. I don't crave the spotlight. I'm still not comfortable even talking onstage.

I am honestly very intimidated when I meet new people and they expect me to be the onscreen Vir. On stage, I say a lot of things I might never say in real life; I am never the life of the party. People are quite surprised to see that I am more of a quiet artiste off stage.

And I was very shy as a kid; if you sang me 'Happy Birthday,' I would cry. Quite shy. So the idea of being an actor, much less a model, was just out of this world.

I don't crave applause. I'm not one of those guys who comes alive on stage. I'm much more alive at home, I think.

I decided to always sing in the back with the chorus and never went up front because I had trouble performing.

I don't perform well in private. Socially, I mean. And I didn't as a child. Actors aren't necessarily outgoing, are they?

In acting class, I used to hide in the corner and pray the teacher wouldn't call on me.

I'm a terrible singer, but I'm not shy about it. I'm shy about dancing.

I don't like getting up in front of people and being the loud one when everybody's out quiet and you're the only one talking. I'm not a fan of that. I'm fine when I get in front of a camera, I don't care. You'll never see me on stage. Not at all.

I'm actually not an exhibitionist at all. When you get onstage and you get under the lights playing music, I feel more hidden and more alone than anywhere else. You hide behind your music and let your emotions come out through the music.

Every actor-performer says this, and it sounds so irritating, but I'm not the most outgoing person.

Being an actress, I find myself people-watching and I can be quite shy.

I never really wanted to be a singer, because I was a super-shy kid. Singing made me feel awkward, and I was really insecure.

I can deal with people who watch me on stage but I am not good in communicating with people any other way than through my work.

I do not speak at panels, because I'm a real shy actress. And to put me in that position, I'm going to fail you because that's not where my strengths lie.

I've always said that I don't want to be in front of the camera.

I think it's hard for quieter, more introverted people to get into acting.

Even as a kid I wasn't, like, a natural entertainer, where I would gather everyone around me and then sing or something at family parties.