--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Usually, there's a story I've told that…" description: "\"Usually, there's a story I've told that leads up to why I'm singing the song. The whole concept of the show was about being authentic and connecting wi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a54/alan-cumming-9179_audience_usually-there-s-a-story-i-ve-told-that-l_661034.jpg" --- # Usually, there's a story I've told that leads up to why… ![“Usually, there's a story I've told that leads up to why I'm singing the song. The whole concept of the show was about being authentic and connecting with these songs. The best way to do that was in a room with an audience and for people to listen to that.” quote by Alan Cumming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a54/alan-cumming-9179_audience_usually-there-s-a-story-i-ve-told-that-l_661034.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a54/alan-cumming-9179_audience_usually-there-s-a-story-i-ve-told-that-l_661034.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a54/alan-cumming-9179_audience_usually-there-s-a-story-i-ve-told-that-l_661034.jpg) > “Usually, there's a story I've told that leads up to why I'm singing the song. The whole concept of the show was about being authentic and connecting with these songs. The best way to do that was in a room with an audience and for people to listen to that.” [Alan Cumming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cumming/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The artist emphasizes authenticity and direct audience connection as essential for meaningful performance. **In simple terms:** Being genuine and engaging with listeners creates powerful art. Key Takeaway Prioritize authenticity in creative work. Themes authenticity connection performance audience Mood inspirational practical Type advice motivational When to use this quote - live concerts - theater rehearsals - storytelling workshops Key Concepts artistic integrity communication Questions to Reflect On - How do you stay authentic under pressure? - What methods help you connect with an audience? A Different Perspective Audience may not always respond as expected. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) [Being authentic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-authentic/) [Best way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-way/) [Concepts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concepts/) [Connecting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/connecting/) [Connecting Songs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/connecting-songs-5267560/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Room Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/room-audience-1054180/) [Rooms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rooms/) [Shows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shows/) [Singing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/singing/) [Singing Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/singing-song/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Song Concept](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song-concept-1735314/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Whole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whole/) ## Related quotes > ['Kamariya' is a wonderfully composed song. The concept for the video is so fresh, and it's unlike anything I have done before.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-fatehi/kamariya-is-a-wonderfully-composed-song-the-concept-for-the-video-is/) [Nora Fatehi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-fatehi/) > [One of the things that I try to be conscious about in crafting a song is the concept of bringing it home. I like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carole-king/one-of-the-things-that-i-try-to-be-conscious-about-in-crafting-a-song/) [Carole King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carole-king/) > [When you don't have to say 'I love you,' when you don't have to prove your love by singing a song, or express it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjay-leela-bhansali/when-you-don-t-have-to-say-i-love-you-when-you-don-t-have-to-prove/) [Sanjay Leela Bhansali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjay-leela-bhansali/) > [I go to 'SNL' with Alec. I literally watch on a feed from his room. I'm not in the audience. I watch in his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilaria-baldwin/i-go-to-snl-with-alec-i-literally-watch-on-a-feed-from-his-room-i-m/) [Hilaria Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilaria-baldwin/) > [Acting is suggesting, the art lies in leaving room for the audience to identify.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-moorehead/acting-is-suggesting-the-art-lies-in-leaving-room-for-the-audience-to/) [Agnes Moorehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-moorehead/) > [I love being in a room in front of an audience who cares about the music, who knows the music, and who has lived…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-eazy/i-love-being-in-a-room-in-front-of-an-audience-who-cares-about-the/) [G-Eazy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-eazy/) > [Standup is more me talking the entire time. There's definitely an exchange of energy because that room, that audience, is giving back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/standup-is-more-me-talking-the-entire-time-there-s-definitely-an/) [Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/) > [When I started in television, it was brand new. It was the miracle over in the corner of your room. Now the audience has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betty-white/when-i-started-in-television-it-was-brand-new-it-was-the-miracle-over/) [Betty White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betty-white/) > [Hearing your voice and your instrument kind of breathe in the room, it affects the way you perform the songs. For instance, if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denison-witmer/hearing-your-voice-and-your-instrument-kind-of-breathe-in-the-room-it/) [Denison Witmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denison-witmer/) > [Don’t be afraid of being unique. It’s like being afraid of your best self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/don-t-be-afraid-of-being-unique-it-s-like-being-afraid-of-your-best/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [The practice of assertiveness: being authentic in our dealings with others; treating our values and persons with decent respect in social contexts; refusing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-branden/the-practice-of-assertiveness-being-authentic-in-our-dealings-with/) [Nathaniel Branden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-branden/) > [Be present in your work because kids live in the moment, so as soon as you're not in the present, you're not being authentic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kadir-nelson/be-present-in-your-work-because-kids-live-in-the-moment-so-as-soon-as/) [Kadir Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kadir-nelson/) > [Those who avoid the tough choices of life, live a life they never chose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-breault/those-who-avoid-the-tough-choices-of-life-live-a-life-they-never-chose/) [Robert Breault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-breault/) > [Success in TV-showmaking is just a matter of being authentic and doing the best you can, and you hope that people watch it and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walton-goggins/success-in-tv-showmaking-is-just-a-matter-of-being-authentic-and/) [Walton Goggins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walton-goggins/) > [Give up being perfect for being authentic. Be who you are. Love who you are. Others will too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-elrod/give-up-being-perfect-for-being-authentic-be-who-you-are-love-who-you/) [Hal Elrod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-elrod/) ## More by Alan Cumming > [Finally, the scariest thing about abuse of any shape or form, is, in my opinion, not the abuse itself, but that if it continues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cumming/finally-the-scariest-thing-about-abuse-of-any-shape-or-form-is-in-my/) [Alan Cumming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cumming/) > [Sometimes with people I know, they're playing the hunky action guy and there's resistance to them coming out because it's so connected to straight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cumming/sometimes-with-people-i-know-they-re-playing-the-hunky-action-guy-and/) [Alan Cumming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cumming/) > [I'm not a fan of Twitter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cumming/i-m-not-a-fan-of-twitter/) [Alan Cumming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cumming/) > [I don't feel I'm a compulsive person. I multitask. I'm really well-organised, and I have lots of people to help me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cumming/i-don-t-feel-i-m-a-compulsive-person-i-multitask-i-m-really-well/) [Alan Cumming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cumming/) > [For example, Americans seem reluctant to take on Shakespeare because you don't think you're very good at it - which is rubbish. You're missing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cumming/for-example-americans-seem-reluctant-to-take-on-shakespeare-because/) [Alan Cumming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cumming/) > [It's exciting to be with really, really good people. Some people make you feel like you've got to up your game. Working with good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cumming/it-s-exciting-to-be-with-really-really-good-people-some-people-make/) [Alan Cumming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cumming/) > [“I really wanted to show that it wasn’t all bad in my family. I tried so hard to think of happy times we all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cumming/i-really-wanted-to-show-that-it-wasn-t-all-bad-in-my-family-i-tried/) [Alan Cumming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cumming/) > [My feeling about work is it's much more about the experience of doing it than the end product. Sometimes things that are really great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cumming/my-feeling-about-work-is-it-s-much-more-about-the-experience-of-doing/) [Alan Cumming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cumming/) > [It's interesting, for me sappy means sentimental and something that gets you in your heart, gets you emotional. That's what I mean. Also, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cumming/it-s-interesting-for-me-sappy-means-sentimental-and-something-that/) [Alan Cumming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cumming/) > [If you are a cabaret artist and you are mostly singing other people's songs, you're asking them to rethink a song, listen to it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cumming/if-you-are-a-cabaret-artist-and-you-are-mostly-singing-other-people-s/) [Alan Cumming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cumming/) > [“You know what I hate most of all in the whole wide world?...More than people who think that if you're bisexual it means you'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cumming/you-know-what-i-hate-most-of-all-in-the-whole-wide-world-more-than/) [Alan Cumming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cumming/) > [I usually can find a way to do a character to make it real and work. But sometimes it's a struggle sustaining that, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cumming/i-usually-can-find-a-way-to-do-a-character-to-make-it-real-and-work/) [Alan Cumming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cumming/) > [A sweaty Macbeth with blood on his arms coming in fresh from the battle doesn't interest me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cumming/a-sweaty-macbeth-with-blood-on-his-arms-coming-in-fresh-from-the/) [Alan Cumming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cumming/) > ['Macbeth' was the first play I ever read. In fact, I remember my brother Tom, who is six years older than me, coming home…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cumming/macbeth-was-the-first-play-i-ever-read-in-fact-i-remember-my-brother/) [Alan Cumming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cumming/) > [I like the tragedies way more than the comedies because they're so universal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cumming/i-like-the-tragedies-way-more-than-the-comedies-because-they-re-so/) [Alan Cumming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cumming/) [Explore all 73 Alan Cumming quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cumming/) ## More Audience quotes > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/) [Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/) > [It's those moments, those odd moments that you look for and sometimes by creating this kind of loose atmosphere you find those little moments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-levinson/it-s-those-moments-those-odd-moments-that-you-look-for-and-sometimes/) [Barry Levinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-levinson/) > [I can skate beautifully. While performing on ice I always try to please the audience and to win as well. Being artistic is very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeni-plushenko/i-can-skate-beautifully-while-performing-on-ice-i-always-try-to/) [Evgeni Plushenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeni-plushenko/) > [One of the best moments of any Liars show is hearing the crowd squawk 'We're doomed! We're doomed!' on cue during 'We Fenced Other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-sheffield/one-of-the-best-moments-of-any-liars-show-is-hearing-the-crowd-squawk/) [Rob Sheffield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-sheffield/) > [It's the adrenaline rush you only get from being in front of an audience. It's addictive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raphael-saadiq/it-s-the-adrenaline-rush-you-only-get-from-being-in-front-of-an/) [Raphael Saadiq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raphael-saadiq/) > [If I had to speak in front of a Korean audience, I would be hard pressed to sound other than a little girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/an-na/if-i-had-to-speak-in-front-of-a-korean-audience-i-would-be-hard/) [An Na](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/an-na/) > [The liveness of theater, and the excitement of experiencing it alongside an audience, is something you can't get at home. That makes the theater…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-blaemire/the-liveness-of-theater-and-the-excitement-of-experiencing-it/) [Nick Blaemire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-blaemire/) > [One of the things that touches me most when I play for an audience is that although we may be unable to communicate in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hough/one-of-the-things-that-touches-me-most-when-i-play-for-an-audience-is/) [Stephen Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hough/) > [I have to feel the audience. I enjoy that feeling of community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-gahan/i-have-to-feel-the-audience-i-enjoy-that-feeling-of-community/) [Dave Gahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-gahan/) > [When you lived it for years and years and years and seen different characters just get pummeled and squashed because 'I said so,' it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arn-anderson/when-you-lived-it-for-years-and-years-and-years-and-seen-different/) [Arn Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arn-anderson/) > [“During the first few minutes of your presentation, your job is to assure the audience members that you are not going to waste their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-ludwig-and-greg-owen-boger/during-the-first-few-minutes-of-your-presentation-your-job-is-to/) [Dale Ludwig and Greg Owen-Boger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-ludwig-and-greg-owen-boger/) > [Donald Trump is a different ball of wax. I've been trying to say for I don't know how many months now that the traditional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/donald-trump-is-a-different-ball-of-wax-i-ve-been-trying-to-say-for-i/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [I don't think about who the audience is for my books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling-2/i-don-t-think-about-who-the-audience-is-for-my-books/) [J. K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling-2/) > [I feel I have been playing all primary characters. And if your character forms a connect with the audience, it doesn't matter if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angad-bedi/i-feel-i-have-been-playing-all-primary-characters-and-if-your/) [Angad Bedi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angad-bedi/) > [When I was playing piano, it was like, 'I'm going to write a song using all the white keys.' My music director, who knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tesh/when-i-was-playing-piano-it-was-like-i-m-going-to-write-a-song-using/) [John Tesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tesh/) [Browse all 9,118 Audience quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Usually, there's a story I've told that leads up to why I'm singing the song. The whole concept of the show was about being authentic and connecting with these songs. 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