--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We started very slow in America. It was…" description: "\"We started very slow in America. It was small acoustic shows. We played places like Los Angeles, New York and Chicago and everywhere there has been a g..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/564/emeli-sande-16575_acoustic_we-started-very-slow-in-america-it-was-s_3123370.jpg" --- # We started very slow in America. It was small acoustic… ![“We started very slow in America. It was small acoustic shows. We played places like Los Angeles, New York and Chicago and everywhere there has been a great reaction. It has been really lovely. They listen to the lyrics and the melody over there and the reaction has been fantastic.” quote by Emeli Sande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/564/emeli-sande-16575_acoustic_we-started-very-slow-in-america-it-was-s_3123370.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/564/emeli-sande-16575_acoustic_we-started-very-slow-in-america-it-was-s_3123370.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/564/emeli-sande-16575_acoustic_we-started-very-slow-in-america-it-was-s_3123370.jpg) > “We started very slow in America. It was small acoustic shows. We played places like Los Angeles, New York and Chicago and everywhere there has been a great reaction. It has been really lovely. They listen to the lyrics and the melody over there and the reaction has been fantastic.” [Emeli Sande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emeli-sande/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Early US performances were modest acoustic shows that unexpectedly resonated with audiences across major cities, generating strong positive feedback. **In simple terms:** Small shows got big reactions. Key Takeaway Leverage early success to build momentum. Themes music career audience reaction growth humility Mood optimistic grateful Type inspirational reflective When to use this quote - tour planning - marketing - fan engagement - media strategy Key Concepts artist development public reception cultural exchange Questions to Reflect On - How can early positive feedback shape future artistic direction? - What strategies maintain authenticity while scaling? A Different Perspective Limited data on long‑term impact of early reception. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acoustic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acoustic/) [Acoustic Shows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acoustic-shows-395714/) [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Angeles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/angeles/) [Been](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/been/) [Chicago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chicago/) [Everywhere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/everywhere/) [Fantastic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fantastic/) [Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great/) [Great Reaction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-reaction-1417894/) [Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like/) [Listen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/listen/) [Los](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/los/) [Los angeles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/los-angeles/) [Lovely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lovely/) [Lyrics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lyrics/) [Melody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/melody/) [Melody Reaction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/melody-reaction-5493477/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [New](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new/) [New york](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-york/) [Over](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/over/) [Places](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/places/) [Played](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/played/) [Reaction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reaction/) [Really](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/really/) [Shows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shows/) [Shows Played](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shows-played-2918456/) [Slow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slow/) [Slow America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slow-america-5493476/) [Small](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/small/) [Started](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/started/) [Very](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/very/) [York](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/york/) ## Related quotes > [How do I explain Neil Young? Great question! I explain Neil Young as, I would kill to see his acoustic shows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-mould/how-do-i-explain-neil-young-great-question-i-explain-neil-young-as-i/) [Bob Mould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-mould/) > [If I could do acoustic shows for the rest of my life, that's fine with me. They require the right venues, small theaters or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorrie-morgan/if-i-could-do-acoustic-shows-for-the-rest-of-my-life-that-s-fine-with/) [Lorrie Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorrie-morgan/) > [When you do acoustic shows, there's always a more intimate vibe. I go into them with lowered expectations and assume that people don't want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/verite/when-you-do-acoustic-shows-there-s-always-a-more-intimate-vibe-i-go/) [Verite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/verite/) > [The history of all big jazz bands shows was, first they played for dancing, and then they played for singing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-granz/the-history-of-all-big-jazz-bands-shows-was-first-they-played-for/) [Norman Granz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-granz/) > [I think one of the reasons I'm successful as a musician is that the first like 30 shows I played, I played with no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grimes/i-think-one-of-the-reasons-i-m-successful-as-a-musician-is-that-the/) [Grimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grimes/) > [When I started doing the acoustic shows, people would be yelling for 'Hooligan's Holiday' and 'Smoke The Sky,' and I had no idea of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-corabi/when-i-started-doing-the-acoustic-shows-people-would-be-yelling-for/) [John Corabi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-corabi/) > [Ive also just come off a year and a half playing acoustic shows which is fantastic for the hands, and changes your head a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-summers/ive-also-just-come-off-a-year-and-a-half-playing-acoustic-shows-which/) [Andy Summers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-summers/) > [And more importantly what we found with those people is that a lot of them said, "Hey it's not what I thought it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-burk/and-more-importantly-what-we-found-with-those-people-is-that-a-lot-of/) [Bryan Burk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-burk/) > [A crazy action only works if there's a great reaction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brett-gelman/a-crazy-action-only-works-if-there-s-a-great-reaction/) [Brett Gelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brett-gelman/) > [“I turn and gaze at him midway. Chin up Steele, I chide myself. “Oh... by the way, I’m wearing your underwear.” I gave him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-l-james/i-turn-and-gaze-at-him-midway-chin-up-steele-i-chide-myself-oh-by-the/) [E.L. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-james/) > [Depend upon it; from every condition of distress or evil, there is a great reaction, and the greater the distress or evil, the greater…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-dreiser/depend-upon-it-from-every-condition-of-distress-or-evil-there-is-a/) [Theodore Dreiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-dreiser/) > [When I came out for the 25th anniversary of Raw, I got a great reaction, and it made me feel very good, but as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bischoff/when-i-came-out-for-the-25th-anniversary-of-raw-i-got-a-great/) [Eric Bischoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bischoff/) > [Depend on it, that from every condition of distress or evil there is a great reaction, and the greater the evil or distress, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-dreiser/depend-on-it-that-from-every-condition-of-distress-or-evil-there-is-a/) [Theodore Dreiser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-dreiser/) > [I never, like, once I got to the WWE and then, I kind of started to realize that we have something special with that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-undertaker/i-never-like-once-i-got-to-the-wwe-and-then-i-kind-of-started-to/) [The Undertaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-undertaker/) > [I've never been one of those musicians to differentiate between acoustic and electronic sounds. I just see it all as sound sources to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonobo/i-ve-never-been-one-of-those-musicians-to-differentiate-between/) [Bonobo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonobo/) ## More by Emeli Sande > [I'd be smiling if I wasn't so desperate. I'd be patient if I had the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emeli-sande/i-d-be-smiling-if-i-wasn-t-so-desperate-i-d-be-patient-if-i-had-the/) [Emeli Sande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emeli-sande/) > [I always knew I wanted to be a musician, and I always knew I wanted to write, 'cause the people I was listening to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emeli-sande/i-always-knew-i-wanted-to-be-a-musician-and-i-always-knew-i-wanted-to/) [Emeli Sande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emeli-sande/) > [I mean, there'll always be room for big productions and everything but it's good to see the other side.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emeli-sande/i-mean-there-ll-always-be-room-for-big-productions-and-everything-but/) [Emeli Sande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emeli-sande/) > [From when I was a kid I wanted to write. It was so important to me that I was writing my own material.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emeli-sande/from-when-i-was-a-kid-i-wanted-to-write-it-was-so-important-to-me/) [Emeli Sande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emeli-sande/) > [I was so shy and so quiet, and the only time I had my own voice and I could really connect with people was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emeli-sande/i-was-so-shy-and-so-quiet-and-the-only-time-i-had-my-own-voice-and-i/) [Emeli Sande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emeli-sande/) > [I couldn't help but feel very different from everybody, so I think that's why I found such a big world in music, and that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emeli-sande/i-couldn-t-help-but-feel-very-different-from-everybody-so-i-think/) [Emeli Sande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emeli-sande/) > [I think on the first album, my aim was to write a good song and have a good melody, and I wanted lyrics that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emeli-sande/i-think-on-the-first-album-my-aim-was-to-write-a-good-song-and-have-a/) [Emeli Sande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emeli-sande/) > [Clown' was written when I couldn't find anyone who believed in me as an artist. Maybe those labels will think twice next time a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emeli-sande/clown-was-written-when-i-couldn-t-find-anyone-who-believed-in-me-as/) [Emeli Sande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emeli-sande/) > [I don't know if I was as ambitious as to change the world, but I do feel like - the reason why I called…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emeli-sande/i-don-t-know-if-i-was-as-ambitious-as-to-change-the-world-but-i-do/) [Emeli Sande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emeli-sande/) > [Any song I have to work on longer than a day, I just leave it. It's not gonna work. Everything that's good is really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emeli-sande/any-song-i-have-to-work-on-longer-than-a-day-i-just-leave-it-it-s-not/) [Emeli Sande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emeli-sande/) > [“you've got the words to change a nation but your biting your tongue, you've spent a lifetime in silence afraid that you'll say something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emeli-sande/you-ve-got-the-words-to-change-a-nation-but-your-biting-your-tongue/) [Emeli Sande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emeli-sande/) > [I want to speak for people that may not feel like they're being spoken for at the moment. And I want to make a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emeli-sande/i-want-to-speak-for-people-that-may-not-feel-like-they-re-being/) [Emeli Sande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emeli-sande/) > [Just thinking of all the things I'd done getting there and everything I've sacrificed to do so. But what's happening now makes it worth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emeli-sande/just-thinking-of-all-the-things-i-d-done-getting-there-and-everything/) [Emeli Sande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emeli-sande/) > [I feel like 'Next To Me' is a great introduction because it's a simple song that has a simple message for me. I wanted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emeli-sande/i-feel-like-next-to-me-is-a-great-introduction-because-it-s-a-simple/) [Emeli Sande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emeli-sande/) > [I'm not too bothered about what category my music goes in and there's no point in limiting in who you can reach, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emeli-sande/i-m-not-too-bothered-about-what-category-my-music-goes-in-and-there-s/) [Emeli Sande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emeli-sande/) [Explore all 39 Emeli Sande quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emeli-sande/) ## More Acoustic quotes > [I've never been one of those musicians to differentiate between acoustic and electronic sounds. I just see it all as sound sources to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonobo/i-ve-never-been-one-of-those-musicians-to-differentiate-between/) [Bonobo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonobo/) > [How do I explain Neil Young? Great question! I explain Neil Young as, I would kill to see his acoustic shows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-mould/how-do-i-explain-neil-young-great-question-i-explain-neil-young-as-i/) [Bob Mould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-mould/) > [Oftentimes the most produced and synth-tastic songs are the ones that end up sounding the best acoustic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-haines/oftentimes-the-most-produced-and-synth-tastic-songs-are-the-ones-that/) [Emily Haines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-haines/) > [I practice on the acoustic guitar a little bit, but I think I have reached the peak of my talent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-hudson/i-practice-on-the-acoustic-guitar-a-little-bit-but-i-think-i-have/) [Tim Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-hudson/) > [I write alternative, folkie pop. It's very acoustic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chord-overstreet/i-write-alternative-folkie-pop-it-s-very-acoustic/) [Chord Overstreet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chord-overstreet/) > [I never thought I would do an all-acoustic tour or an all-acoustic album.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-frampton/i-never-thought-i-would-do-an-all-acoustic-tour-or-an-all-acoustic/) [Peter Frampton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-frampton/) > [I gave a Collings dreadnought to a young guitar player in the Valley where I live because he didn't have a good acoustic, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-crosby/i-gave-a-collings-dreadnought-to-a-young-guitar-player-in-the-valley/) [David Crosby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-crosby/) > [One of the signature things about Heart was the acoustic guitar in a rock format, which you didn't hear that often.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-wilson/one-of-the-signature-things-about-heart-was-the-acoustic-guitar-in-a/) [Nancy Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-wilson/) > [My stuff was more of a folk coffeehouse thing, with more acoustic guitar, just me doing a single, and then adding on instruments and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-hicks/my-stuff-was-more-of-a-folk-coffeehouse-thing-with-more-acoustic/) [Dan Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-hicks/) > [Technology was something I avoided when I started out - I didn't even have electric guitars. Only played acoustic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beck/technology-was-something-i-avoided-when-i-started-out-i-didn-t-even/) [Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beck/) > [There were bars that began to have acoustic musicians play, it was 1970: Joni Mitchell, Jackson Browne, America, The Eagles, all that kind of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shawn-colvin/there-were-bars-that-began-to-have-acoustic-musicians-play-it-was/) [Shawn Colvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shawn-colvin/) > [When I started performing, I played acoustic music, partly because that way you don't have to worry about interacting too much with other people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patty-griffin/when-i-started-performing-i-played-acoustic-music-partly-because-that/) [Patty Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patty-griffin/) > [I did a smaller gig with an acoustic guitar and a drum machine. In one song, something wrong happened with the drum machine. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/violante-placido/i-did-a-smaller-gig-with-an-acoustic-guitar-and-a-drum-machine-in-one/) [Violante Placido](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/violante-placido/) > [I love the subtlety and tonal range of the acoustic guitar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-fogelberg/i-love-the-subtlety-and-tonal-range-of-the-acoustic-guitar/) [Dan Fogelberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-fogelberg/) > [I tried playing electric for awhile and it just didn't work out. My reflexes are centered on the six string acoustic. I just played…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-rush/i-tried-playing-electric-for-awhile-and-it-just-didn-t-work-out-my/) [Tom Rush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-rush/) [Browse all 151 Acoustic quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acoustic/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We started very slow in America. It was small acoustic shows. We played places like Los Angeles, New York and Chicago and everywhere there has been a great reaction. It has been really lovely. They listen to the lyrics and the melody over there and the reaction has been fantastic.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Emeli Sande" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emeli-sande/we-started-very-slow-in-america-it-was-small-acoustic-shows-we-played/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Acoustic" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emeli-sande/we-started-very-slow-in-america-it-was-small-acoustic-shows-we-played/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/564/emeli-sande-16575_acoustic_we-started-very-slow-in-america-it-was-s_3123370.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/564/emeli-sande-16575_acoustic_we-started-very-slow-in-america-it-was-s_3123370.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/564/emeli-sande-16575_acoustic_we-started-very-slow-in-america-it-was-s_3123370.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We started very slow in America. It was small acoustic shows. We played places like Los Angeles, New York…” — Emeli Sande", "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": "Emeli Sande", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emeli-sande/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We started very slow in America....", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emeli-sande/we-started-very-slow-in-america-it-was-small-acoustic-shows-we-played/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emeli-sande/we-started-very-slow-in-america-it-was-small-acoustic-shows-we-played/#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 } } ] } ```