--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I did get signed and I was going…" description: "\"When I did get signed and I was going around letting people know what I was about, that's exactly how I did it: me on the piano, playing a couple of so..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ff/alicia-keys-1094_couple_when-i-did-get-signed-and-i-was-going-ar_3093889.jpg" --- # When I did get signed and I was going around letting… ![“When I did get signed and I was going around letting people know what I was about, that's exactly how I did it: me on the piano, playing a couple of songs I'd written and talking to the people in between. That's how I got my performance chops up.” quote by Alicia Keys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ff/alicia-keys-1094_couple_when-i-did-get-signed-and-i-was-going-ar_3093889.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ff/alicia-keys-1094_couple_when-i-did-get-signed-and-i-was-going-ar_3093889.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ff/alicia-keys-1094_couple_when-i-did-get-signed-and-i-was-going-ar_3093889.jpg) > “When I did get signed and I was going around letting people know what I was about, that's exactly how I did it: me on the piano, playing a couple of songs I'd written and talking to the people in between. That's how I got my performance chops up.” [Alicia Keys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alicia-keys/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She built her reputation by performing live, showcasing both her songwriting and her ability to connect with audiences through conversation. **In simple terms:** Live performance helped her grow as an artist. Key Takeaway Practice publicly to improve confidence. Themes music career self‑promotion performance Mood inspired determined Type career motivational When to use this quote - concerts - open mic nights - social media live streams - networking events Key Concepts marketing personal branding musicianship Questions to Reflect On - What’s your best live performance memory? - How can you blend talk and music effectively? A Different Perspective Relying solely on live shows may limit reach without recorded material. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Couple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/couple/) [Did Piano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/did-piano-2773613/) [Did Signed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/did-signed-5332657/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Performance Chops](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/performance-chops-5332656/) [Performances](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/performances/) [Piano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/piano/) [Piano playing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/piano-playing/) [Signed Going](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/signed-going-826105/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Talking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talking/) [Written](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/written/) ## Related quotes > [I did my part. I signed it for UFC 205 in New York. I signed my part, and Julianna turned it down. She didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valentina-shevchenko/i-did-my-part-i-signed-it-for-ufc-205-in-new-york-i-signed-my-part/) [Valentina Shevchenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valentina-shevchenko/) > [I learned to read music when I was 10 and did piano and took lessons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-cornell/i-learned-to-read-music-when-i-was-10-and-did-piano-and-took-lessons/) [Chris Cornell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-cornell/) > [At school there were some programs in music. I did take piano lessons, and we had a piano at home. I got very interested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-smith/at-school-there-were-some-programs-in-music-i-did-take-piano-lessons/) [Paul Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-smith/) > [At one point I had dreams of being in the school band, but I didn't play an instrument that qualified me, and that was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-smith/at-one-point-i-had-dreams-of-being-in-the-school-band-but-i-didn-t/) [Paul Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-smith/) > [Going to Comic-Con for me is always hard and weird, so it just makes me feel guilty. There's always a hundre thousand people out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/going-to-comic-con-for-me-is-always-hard-and-weird-so-it-just-makes/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [This is what I signed up for. I’m not here going ‘Oh, they’re so mean to me, and it’s so hard for me.’ What…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-larter/this-is-what-i-signed-up-for-i-m-not-here-going-oh-they-re-so-mean-to/) [Ali Larter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-larter/) > [When I was taking my canoeing lessons I was given this oar to practice with, and I decided to have everyone sign it. All…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-gilman/when-i-was-taking-my-canoeing-lessons-i-was-given-this-oar-to/) [Jared Gilman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-gilman/) > [This world is not a platform where you will hear Thalberg-piano-playing. It is a piano manufactory, where are dust and shavings and boards, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/this-world-is-not-a-platform-where-you-will-hear-thalberg-piano/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [I just love to play music. I enjoy it more than anything. 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He is doing his best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/please-do-not-shoot-the-pianist-he-is-doing-his-best/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [I became really creative around the time I started understanding that people could be creative with music and that that was allowed. I stated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-angelakos/i-became-really-creative-around-the-time-i-started-understanding-that/) [Michael Angelakos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-angelakos/) > [There were a few singers at home, one or two aunties. We did have a piano but I think that got put on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-fraser/there-were-a-few-singers-at-home-one-or-two-aunties-we-did-have-a/) [Elizabeth Fraser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-fraser/) > [My brother and I played music together, and we all liked to show off. But I wasn't a particularly musical kid. I did piano…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-minchin/my-brother-and-i-played-music-together-and-we-all-liked-to-show-off/) [Tim Minchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-minchin/) ## More by Alicia Keys > [I want to continue to produce film, television, and theater, and to make the most amazing music that I've made in my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alicia-keys/i-want-to-continue-to-produce-film-television-and-theater-and-to-make/) [Alicia Keys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alicia-keys/) > [I like to incorporate classical songs that people know and throw a beat and some guitars on it to make it real crazy. 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I'm a cool-ass nerd, but I am definitely a nerd.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alicia-keys/i-m-definitely-a-nerd-i-m-a-cool-ass-nerd-but-i-am-definitely-a-nerd/) [Alicia Keys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alicia-keys/) > [I've learned that while I'd be a fool not to stay open to the advice and experiences of the smart, amazing people in my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alicia-keys/i-ve-learned-that-while-i-d-be-a-fool-not-to-stay-open-to-the-advice/) [Alicia Keys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alicia-keys/) > [He broke my heart, and now it's raining, just to rub it in...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alicia-keys/he-broke-my-heart-and-now-it-s-raining-just-to-rub-it-in/) [Alicia Keys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alicia-keys/) > [My mom always said, 'Don't date a guy who thinks he's prettier than you.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alicia-keys/my-mom-always-said-don-t-date-a-guy-who-thinks-he-s-prettier-than-you/) [Alicia Keys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alicia-keys/) > [All of us are different. 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