Quotes About Artistry

My goal is really to continue to make music. I really don't make music to have platinum records and all that kind of stuff. I've been there. I do it because I love music, and I love uplifting people through my music. That's my real goal.

There is only one position for an artist anywhere; and that is upright.

When I was at Upright Citizens Brigade, I would pretend to be a sad, drunk rapper.

When I am back home, I have an upright piano and I play constantly.

There are always ups and down in every artiste's career.

It's my job to have ups and downs because it makes good music.

One of the things that upset me was some of the criticism leveled at Simon and Garfunkel. I always took exception to it, but actually I agree with a lot of it.

It's strange. No one ever really talked to me about my voice. People started writing about it, and I was like, 'What?' I'm really about my lyrics, but more people were talking about my voice. It's cool, but at first I got upset because I wanted people to focus on the content.

You start to become successful, and everybody starts to drive your money train to the bank, and they're not thinking anymore about what you want as an artist or if any of that even matters to you. It genuinely upsets people in my life that I don't care about money, and that's not my problem.

To all of the artists that attend the Grammys: Stop accepting the invitation to be the upset of the year and demand that this body upholds its mission for advocacy and support of artistry as culture evolves. Demand that they change this system and truly reflect and truly acknowledge your art.

With our fans, a lot of times, people get upset because maybe they didn't get what they wanted, whatever. But we always write the songs for us, number one.

If I want to do an orchestral record, if I want to do an acoustic record, if I want to do a death-metal record, if I want to do a jazz record - I can move in whichever direction I want, and no one is going to get upset about that. Except maybe my manager and my record company.

Everything I do is gauged under the shadow of 'Dil Chahta Hai.' Even 'Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara' and 'Rock On,' which are very urban films. So I am always seen through that lens.

I don't feel that electronic music has to stand on the back of urban artists or anyone else to be recognized. It's great music.

I'm a producer first, and I know music, so I can jump on any song, whether it's pop or urban, without changing me. Whatever I do, I'm gonna make it classic.

I want to do more urban R&B with a little bit of pop, but not much. I want to have that soulful kind of side of me come out.

When I do music I don't think about urban music, pop or country, I just think about a good song.

In the beginning said a Persian poet - Allah took a rose a lily a dove a serpent a little honey a Dead Sea apple and a handful of clay. When he looked at the amalgram - it was a woman.

Your best work is your expression of yourself. Now, you may not be the greatest at it, but when you do it, you're the only expert.

Your acting will not be good until it is only yours. That's true of music, acting, anything creative. You work until finally nobody is acting like you.

Your best work is your expression of yourself.

Create your world around your work. Create your work around your life. Let other people help you shape it.

It is the melody which is the charm of music, and it is that which is most difficult to produce. The invention of a fine melody is a work of genius.

no work of art is ever finished, nothing is ever static, no performance is for keeps.