--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I wanted to make music that spoke to me…" description: "\"I wanted to make music that spoke to me, without having the expectation of success that comes with Lady Antebellum.\" — Charles Kelley" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f20/charles-kelley-13806_antebellum_i-wanted-to-make-music-that-spoke-to-me_2882988.png" --- # I wanted to make music that spoke to me, without having… ![“I wanted to make music that spoke to me, without having the expectation of success that comes with Lady Antebellum.” quote by Charles Kelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f20/charles-kelley-13806_antebellum_i-wanted-to-make-music-that-spoke-to-me_2882988.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f20/charles-kelley-13806_antebellum_i-wanted-to-make-music-that-spoke-to-me_2882988.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f20/charles-kelley-13806_antebellum_i-wanted-to-make-music-that-spoke-to-me_2882988.png) > “I wanted to make music that spoke to me, without having the expectation of success that comes with Lady Antebellum.” [Charles Kelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kelley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Creating music for personal fulfillment, not commercial success, preserves authenticity. **In simple terms:** Make music that speaks to you, not for fame. Key Takeaway Prioritize artistic integrity over market pressure. Themes authenticity creativity music Mood reflective inspired Type artistic personal When to use this quote - songwriting - indie production - personal playlists Key Concepts artistic expression self‑fulfillment Questions to Reflect On - How do you stay true to your voice? - What does success mean to you? A Different Perspective Industry expectations can pressure compromise. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Antebellum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/antebellum/) [Expectation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expectation/) [Lady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lady/) [Lady antebellum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lady-antebellum/) [Make](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make/) [Make Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-music/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Music Spoke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music-spoke-1117018/) [Success](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/success/) ## Related quotes > [With Lady Antebellum, there's always pressure. It's hard for commerce not to rear its ugly head when you're making decisions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kelley/with-lady-antebellum-there-s-always-pressure-it-s-hard-for-commerce/) [Charles Kelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kelley/) > [One of Lady Antebellum's first big tours was opening up for Kenny Chesney.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kelley/one-of-lady-antebellum-s-first-big-tours-was-opening-up-for-kenny/) [Charles Kelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kelley/) > [If I am going to do something outside of Lady Antebellum, it's got to make a statement. Otherwise, why do it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kelley/if-i-am-going-to-do-something-outside-of-lady-antebellum-it-s-got-to/) [Charles Kelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kelley/) > [Lady Antebellum will always be my focus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kelley/lady-antebellum-will-always-be-my-focus/) [Charles Kelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kelley/) > [The very first day that Hillary came over, we were working on a song called 'All We'd Ever Need.' But we never even thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-haywood/the-very-first-day-that-hillary-came-over-we-were-working-on-a-song/) [Dave Haywood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-haywood/) > [When I went to my first CMA Fest, I wanted to be an artist, but I was such a fan girl - I still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelsea-ballerini/when-i-went-to-my-first-cma-fest-i-wanted-to-be-an-artist-but-i-was/) [Kelsea Ballerini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelsea-ballerini/) > [Hillary Scott from Lady Antebellum is like my big sister.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelsea-ballerini/hillary-scott-from-lady-antebellum-is-like-my-big-sister/) [Kelsea Ballerini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelsea-ballerini/) > [There's always expectation with a Lady A single.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kelley/there-s-always-expectation-with-a-lady-a-single/) [Charles Kelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kelley/) > [I love a little more driving rock and roll vibe and that kind of music has always spoke to me. I guess it just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caleb-shomo/i-love-a-little-more-driving-rock-and-roll-vibe-and-that-kind-of/) [Caleb Shomo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caleb-shomo/) > [Music spoke to me when I was young in such an intimate, empowering, magical way, and I think that music is already doing that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-tranter/music-spoke-to-me-when-i-was-young-in-such-an-intimate-empowering/) [Justin Tranter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-tranter/) > [Music springs from and is replenished by a hidden source which lies outside the world or reality. Music ever spoke to me of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruno-walter/music-springs-from-and-is-replenished-by-a-hidden-source-which-lies/) [Bruno Walter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruno-walter/) > [“Her ballad did nothing to make the serpants lovely. Her ballad hid nothing of their dread. But the music itself spoke of faith and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-wangerin-jr/her-ballad-did-nothing-to-make-the-serpants-lovely-her-ballad-hid/) [Walter Wangerin Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-wangerin-jr/) > [I see dancehall reggae and hip-hop as fused together, When I was a kid, they were the two kinds of music that spoke to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-paul/i-see-dancehall-reggae-and-hip-hop-as-fused-together-when-i-was-a-kid/) [Sean Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-paul/) > [I'm a big hip-hop fan since being a kid. It was the first music that spoke to me and made me feel like, 'Yeah.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-paul/i-m-a-big-hip-hop-fan-since-being-a-kid-it-was-the-first-music-that/) [Sean Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-paul/) > [“Delicate, hauntingly uncertain music floated out of the house. Vane heard it as he walked up from the stables. The lilting strains reached him,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-laurens/delicate-hauntingly-uncertain-music-floated-out-of-the-house-vane/) [Stephanie Laurens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-laurens/) ## More by Charles Kelley > [I never want to cut music ever again that I'm just kind of into, because we definitely didn't do that in the beginning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kelley/i-never-want-to-cut-music-ever-again-that-i-m-just-kind-of-into/) [Charles Kelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kelley/) > [I've always thought 'Southern Accents' would make an amazing country song. It's always spoken to me. I've always loved it. Every time I hear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kelley/i-ve-always-thought-southern-accents-would-make-an-amazing-country/) [Charles Kelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kelley/) > [One of my most memorable Thanksgiving memories was probably the first year that me and my two brothers decided to start our annual eating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kelley/one-of-my-most-memorable-thanksgiving-memories-was-probably-the-first/) [Charles Kelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kelley/) > [There's definitely been some songs in the past that we've put out, and it was purely us going, 'Okay, we think radio will play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kelley/there-s-definitely-been-some-songs-in-the-past-that-we-ve-put-out-and/) [Charles Kelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kelley/) > [If we were to use the success of 'Need You Now' as the barometer for every other song, then we'll probably be highly disappointed.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kelley/if-we-were-to-use-the-success-of-need-you-now-as-the-barometer-for/) [Charles Kelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kelley/) > [We're putting a lot of pressure on ourselves for this second album and so we want to make it as great as we possibly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kelley/we-re-putting-a-lot-of-pressure-on-ourselves-for-this-second-album/) [Charles Kelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kelley/) > [Growing up I played in garage bands and cover bands with my older brother, and he got us a gig opening up for some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kelley/growing-up-i-played-in-garage-bands-and-cover-bands-with-my-older/) [Charles Kelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kelley/) > [We love all kinds of music: We love pop music, we love rock music, we love R & B and country, and we just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kelley/we-love-all-kinds-of-music-we-love-pop-music-we-love-rock-music-we/) [Charles Kelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kelley/) > [When you do anything for eight or nine years, you start getting a little comfortable; you start taking things for granted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kelley/when-you-do-anything-for-eight-or-nine-years-you-start-getting-a/) [Charles Kelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kelley/) > [To me, the best music always comes when - it sounds cliche, but you just try to block out the noise and try to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kelley/to-me-the-best-music-always-comes-when-it-sounds-cliche-but-you-just/) [Charles Kelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kelley/) > [The perfect winter's night for me would be with all the family together. As you get a little older and everybody has their jobs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kelley/the-perfect-winter-s-night-for-me-would-be-with-all-the-family/) [Charles Kelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kelley/) > [That's kind of the theme of Own the Night. It's about those nights that are so memorable you could live them forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kelley/that-s-kind-of-the-theme-of-own-the-night-it-s-about-those-nights/) [Charles Kelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kelley/) > ['The Driver' kind of set the tone for what I wanted to say, and lyrically, it especially did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kelley/the-driver-kind-of-set-the-tone-for-what-i-wanted-to-say-and/) [Charles Kelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kelley/) > [When you're making a record - and I've never said this to anybody, but it's true - when you're making a record, and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kelley/when-you-re-making-a-record-and-i-ve-never-said-this-to-anybody-but/) [Charles Kelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kelley/) > [It's always cool to go back home to Augusta, especially during The Masters week.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kelley/it-s-always-cool-to-go-back-home-to-augusta-especially-during-the/) [Charles Kelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kelley/) [Explore all 49 Charles Kelley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kelley/) ## More Antebellum quotes > [“But do you imagine there’s a certain type of person in the world who conforms to the idea of a ‘bad person'? You’ll never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natsume-s-seki/but-do-you-imagine-there-s-a-certain-type-of-person-in-the-world-who/) [Natsume Sōseki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natsume-s-seki/) > [The idea that the country should be led by white men goes back to antebellum slaveholders, who argued that the world was naturally divided…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-cox-richardson/the-idea-that-the-country-should-be-led-by-white-men-goes-back-to/) [Heather Cox Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-cox-richardson/) > [“Forced partings were common in the antebellum South. A slave in some parts of the region stood a 30 percent chance of being sold…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/forced-partings-were-common-in-the-antebellum-south-a-slave-in-some/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I totally have no love for that whole romance for that Antebellum time period.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-tarantino/i-totally-have-no-love-for-that-whole-romance-for-that-antebellum/) [Quentin Tarantino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-tarantino/) > [When I went to my first CMA Fest, I wanted to be an artist, but I was such a fan girl - I still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelsea-ballerini/when-i-went-to-my-first-cma-fest-i-wanted-to-be-an-artist-but-i-was/) [Kelsea Ballerini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelsea-ballerini/) > [Lady Antebellum will always be my focus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kelley/lady-antebellum-will-always-be-my-focus/) [Charles Kelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kelley/) > [If I am going to do something outside of Lady Antebellum, it's got to make a statement. Otherwise, why do it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kelley/if-i-am-going-to-do-something-outside-of-lady-antebellum-it-s-got-to/) [Charles Kelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kelley/) > [“I couldn’t let her come back whole and that, I think, really symbolizes her not coming back whole. Antebellum slavery didn’t leave people quite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-e-butler/i-couldn-t-let-her-come-back-whole-and-that-i-think-really-symbolizes/) [Octavia E. Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-e-butler/) > [The developments in the North were those loosely embraced in the term modernization and included urbanization, industrialization,and mechanization. While those changes went forward apace,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-vann-woodward/the-developments-in-the-north-were-those-loosely-embraced-in-the-term-2/) [C. Vann Woodward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-vann-woodward/) > [A thing when I was writing the movie 'The hateful eight' was, I hate The Confederate cause. I've always felt that they are our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-tarantino/a-thing-when-i-was-writing-the-movie-the-hateful-eight-was-i-hate-the/) [Quentin Tarantino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-tarantino/) > [One of Lady Antebellum's first big tours was opening up for Kenny Chesney.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kelley/one-of-lady-antebellum-s-first-big-tours-was-opening-up-for-kenny/) [Charles Kelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kelley/) > [With Lady Antebellum, there's always pressure. It's hard for commerce not to rear its ugly head when you're making decisions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kelley/with-lady-antebellum-there-s-always-pressure-it-s-hard-for-commerce/) [Charles Kelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kelley/) > [I hate The Confederate cause. I've always felt that they are our Nazis and the rebel flag was our swastika.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-tarantino/i-hate-the-confederate-cause-i-ve-always-felt-that-they-are-our-nazis/) [Quentin Tarantino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-tarantino/) > [The very first day that Hillary came over, we were working on a song called 'All We'd Ever Need.' But we never even thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-haywood/the-very-first-day-that-hillary-came-over-we-were-working-on-a-song/) [Dave Haywood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-haywood/) > [“In 2001, the Associated Press published a three-part investigation into the theft of black-owned land stretching back to the antebellum period. The series documented…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ta-nehisi-coates/in-2001-the-associated-press-published-a-three-part-investigation/) [Ta-Nehisi Coates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ta-nehisi-coates/) [Browse all 18 Antebellum quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/antebellum/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I wanted to make music that spoke to me, without having the expectation of success that comes with Lady Antebellum.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Charles Kelley" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kelley/i-wanted-to-make-music-that-spoke-to-me-without-having-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Antebellum" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kelley/i-wanted-to-make-music-that-spoke-to-me-without-having-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f20/charles-kelley-13806_antebellum_i-wanted-to-make-music-that-spoke-to-me_2882988.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f20/charles-kelley-13806_antebellum_i-wanted-to-make-music-that-spoke-to-me_2882988.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f20/charles-kelley-13806_antebellum_i-wanted-to-make-music-that-spoke-to-me_2882988.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I wanted to make music that spoke to me, without having the expectation of success that comes with Lady…” — Charles Kelley", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Charles Kelley", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-kelley/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I wanted to make music that...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kelley/i-wanted-to-make-music-that-spoke-to-me-without-having-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-kelley/i-wanted-to-make-music-that-spoke-to-me-without-having-the/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```