---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The best career advice was to sing with…"
description: "\"The best career advice was to sing with an understanding and internalise the music - that was my mother's advice. Sing with intention, believe what it ..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bee/gregory-porter-10292_advice_the-best-career-advice-was-to-sing-with_1199526.jpg"
---

#  The best career advice was to sing with an understanding…

![“The best career advice was to sing with an understanding and internalise the music - that was my mother's advice. Sing with intention, believe what it is you're saying, and think about it, before you sing it.” quote by Gregory Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bee/gregory-porter-10292_advice_the-best-career-advice-was-to-sing-with_1199526.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bee/gregory-porter-10292_advice_the-best-career-advice-was-to-sing-with_1199526.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bee/gregory-porter-10292_advice_the-best-career-advice-was-to-sing-with_1199526.jpg)

> “The best career advice was to sing with an understanding and internalise the music - that was my mother's advice. Sing with intention, believe what it is you're saying, and think about it, before you sing it.”

[Gregory Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-porter/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Advocating purposeful singing, urging artists to internalize meaning and convey authenticity through intention.

**In simple terms:** Sing with purpose and belief.

Key Takeaway

Sing authentically with intention.

Themes

music authenticity intentionality creativity self‑reflection

Mood

inspirational thoughtful

Type

artistic educational

When to use this quote

- concerts
- recording sessions
- teaching music

Key Concepts

artistic integrity mindful performance emotional expression

Questions to Reflect On

- How does intention affect audience connection?
- What practices sustain authentic expression?

A Different Perspective

Performance pressure may dilute intention.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Advice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advice/) [Advice Sing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advice-sing-3592369/) [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Best](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best/) [Career advice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/career-advice/) [Learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning/) [Mother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mother/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Sing Intention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sing-intention-3592370/) [Sing Understanding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sing-understanding-3592371/) [Think Sing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/think-sing-517833/)

## Related quotes

> [Ask any woman who has gone through a divorce and had her standard of living decline substantially. Ask any woman who's been fired or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sallie-krawcheck/ask-any-woman-who-has-gone-through-a-divorce-and-had-her-standard-of/)

[Sallie Krawcheck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sallie-krawcheck/)

> [If you think you can sing, you can sing; that's all that matters. So I'm always singing around my guys, around the team, during…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-butler/if-you-think-you-can-sing-you-can-sing-that-s-all-that-matters-so-i-m/)

[Jimmy Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-butler/)

> [I think I could sing and shear a few sheep at the same time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-plant/i-think-i-could-sing-and-shear-a-few-sheep-at-the-same-time/)

[Robert Plant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-plant/)

> [There are times when I think I can sing it better, but usually I find that I can't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-cave/there-are-times-when-i-think-i-can-sing-it-better-but-usually-i-find/)

[Nick Cave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-cave/)

> [I think if you're going to cover a song, you should definitely take it apart and put it back together as if you wrote…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melanie-martinez/i-think-if-you-re-going-to-cover-a-song-you-should-definitely-take-it/)

[Melanie Martinez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melanie-martinez/)

> [But Opera Man, I go, 'Oh, crap! Why didn't I think of that?' Because I could sing fake opera pretty good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-lovitz/but-opera-man-i-go-oh-crap-why-didn-t-i-think-of-that-because-i-could/)

[Jon Lovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-lovitz/)

> [WARNING: The consumption of alcohol may cause you to think you can sing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/warning-the-consumption-of-alcohol-may-cause-you-to-think-you-can-sing/)

[Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/)

> [I don't think you can sing about certain things when you're a teen-ager or in your early 20s, because you haven't lived long enough.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-jones/i-don-t-think-you-can-sing-about-certain-things-when-you-re-a-teen/)

[Tom Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-jones/)

> [I think if you sing a song for the first time to your mom and dad, or your friends, and they go, 'That's pretty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dierks-bentley/i-think-if-you-sing-a-song-for-the-first-time-to-your-mom-and-dad-or/)

[Dierks Bentley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dierks-bentley/)

> [I think I can sing, and if you ask Bob Mortimer he will tell you, 'Will you shut up,' and my children they'll say,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-whitehouse/i-think-i-can-sing-and-if-you-ask-bob-mortimer-he-will-tell-you-will/)

[Paul Whitehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-whitehouse/)

> [I was too shy, I think, to sing publicly. It takes a particular kind of person. And when I was young, I was not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-laurie/i-was-too-shy-i-think-to-sing-publicly-it-takes-a-particular-kind-of/)

[Hugh Laurie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-laurie/)

> [I think some sing-songwriter music can just be very serious - after an hour and a half of it, you are exhausted - so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/passenger/i-think-some-sing-songwriter-music-can-just-be-very-serious-after-an/)

[Passenger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/passenger/)

> [I'd like to think that when I sing a song, I can let you know all about the heartbreak, struggle, lies and kicks in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-charles/i-d-like-to-think-that-when-i-sing-a-song-i-can-let-you-know-all/)

[Ray Charles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-charles/)

> [Music tells you about the artist and what they were thinking about at the time, because the person has to think about it to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-paul/music-tells-you-about-the-artist-and-what-they-were-thinking-about-at/)

[Sean Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-paul/)

> [Love; We think about it, sing about it, dream about it, and lose sleep worrying about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-we-think-about-it-sing-about-it-dream-about-it-and-lose-sleep/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

## More by Gregory Porter

> [Sometimes I'll be in circles, and I'll say I'm a jazz singer, and they have no idea what that means.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-porter/sometimes-i-ll-be-in-circles-and-i-ll-say-i-m-a-jazz-singer-and-they/)

[Gregory Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-porter/)

> [Because I am away so much, I try to establish home in people, rather than places. For example, wherever I get together with my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-porter/because-i-am-away-so-much-i-try-to-establish-home-in-people-rather/)

[Gregory Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-porter/)

> [Nat King Cole's lyrics were speaking to me, almost like fatherly advice, when I was listening to him alongside the console stereo player. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-porter/nat-king-cole-s-lyrics-were-speaking-to-me-almost-like-fatherly/)

[Gregory Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-porter/)

> [The songs I write and the way I see the world have been affected a certain amount since I became a father.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-porter/the-songs-i-write-and-the-way-i-see-the-world-have-been-affected-a/)

[Gregory Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-porter/)

> [My mother gave me the courage to pursue music as a career on her deathbed. She became very ill when I was 21. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-porter/my-mother-gave-me-the-courage-to-pursue-music-as-a-career-on-her/)

[Gregory Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-porter/)

> [I like to absorb the atmosphere and explore wherever I'm working or visiting, so I can't say there's any type of place I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-porter/i-like-to-absorb-the-atmosphere-and-explore-wherever-i-m-working-or/)

[Gregory Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-porter/)

> [It's been some surreal moments, you know from performing at Buckingham Palace to having dinner with Stevie Wonder, it's been an amazing ride.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-porter/it-s-been-some-surreal-moments-you-know-from-performing-at-buckingham/)

[Gregory Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-porter/)

> [You know Bakersfield was full of workers from the south, from Texas and Arkansas, and they brought their gospel and blues with them. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-porter/you-know-bakersfield-was-full-of-workers-from-the-south-from-texas/)

[Gregory Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-porter/)

> [Writing from a personal experience can bring about this emotion and power of emotion that can be instantly connected to the instrument, my voice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-porter/writing-from-a-personal-experience-can-bring-about-this-emotion-and/)

[Gregory Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-porter/)

> [How can you sing a line like, 'I've fallen out of love' when you're 18? You need to experience something of life before you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-porter/how-can-you-sing-a-line-like-i-ve-fallen-out-of-love-when-you-re-18/)

[Gregory Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-porter/)

> [When there's an imbalance in terms of what people get to hear, then that's negative. Then blues, jazz, it will die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-porter/when-there-s-an-imbalance-in-terms-of-what-people-get-to-hear-then/)

[Gregory Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-porter/)

> [My part of Brooklyn has always been a very warm neighbourhood, even before I had anything going on in the music industry. When I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-porter/my-part-of-brooklyn-has-always-been-a-very-warm-neighbourhood-even/)

[Gregory Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-porter/)

> ['Take Me to the Alley' is about trying to uplift the lives of people who have been afflicted, maybe the homeless or somebody with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-porter/take-me-to-the-alley-is-about-trying-to-uplift-the-lives-of-people/)

[Gregory Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-porter/)

> [I can sing the blues and I have sung the blues. I feel it internally when I'm singing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-porter/i-can-sing-the-blues-and-i-have-sung-the-blues-i-feel-it-internally/)

[Gregory Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-porter/)

> [I was quite shy as a child. My sisters were the gang leaders, my brothers were the enforcers and I was a tag-a-long.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-porter/i-was-quite-shy-as-a-child-my-sisters-were-the-gang-leaders-my/)

[Gregory Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-porter/)

[Explore all 66 Gregory Porter quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-porter/)

## More Advice quotes

> [The sensible person is always serious about sensible advice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/the-sensible-person-is-always-serious-about-sensible-advice/)

[Mak\_786](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mak-786/)

> [I ask for tips, for advice. What I have also learnt is that I need to do things that are good for me. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthijs-de-ligt/i-ask-for-tips-for-advice-what-i-have-also-learnt-is-that-i-need-to/)

[Matthijs de Ligt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthijs-de-ligt/)

> [Don't get too attached to someone you know you can't be together with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/don-t-get-too-attached-to-someone-you-know-you-can-t-be-together-with/)

[Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/)

> [A low-minded person should not be given good advice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chanakya/a-low-minded-person-should-not-be-given-good-advice/)

[Chanakya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chanakya/)

> [The worst advice? 'Don't listen to the critics.' I think that you really ought to listen to the critics, because sometimes they're telling you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-worst-advice-don-t-listen-to-the-critics-i-think-that-you-really/)

[Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

> [When I was in my twenties and just so sexually prolific, the first time I went to Machu Picchu, this guy, a spiritual teacher,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-harrelson/when-i-was-in-my-twenties-and-just-so-sexually-prolific-the-first/)

[Woody Harrelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-harrelson/)

> [The best way to succeed in this world is to act on the advice you give to others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/the-best-way-to-succeed-in-this-world-is-to-act-on-the-advice-you/)

[Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/)

> [Time is priceless. You have it, but you don't own it. You spend it, but you can't keep it. And once it's gone, there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/time-is-priceless-you-have-it-but-you-don-t-own-it-you-spend-it-but/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [You don't need to take a persons advice to make him feel good, just ask him for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/you-don-t-need-to-take-a-persons-advice-to-make-him-feel-good-just/)

[Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/)

> [Some of the things that we hold onto the most, are the things that we need to let go of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryaj-ablando-catayas/some-of-the-things-that-we-hold-onto-the-most-are-the-things-that-we/)

[Ryaj Ablando Catayas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryaj-ablando-catayas/)

> [“If your clothes are enough to drive would-be friends away, they're not the kind of friends you want." Typical mother advice. Sweet, honest, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aprilynne-pike/if-your-clothes-are-enough-to-drive-would-be-friends-away-they-re-not/)

[Aprilynne Pike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aprilynne-pike/)

> [“My kingdom not for a horse, but for a good piece of advice!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/my-kingdom-not-for-a-horse-but-for-a-good-piece-of-advice/)

[Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/)

> [I always advise people not to act upon the advice that I give them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/i-always-advise-people-not-to-act-upon-the-advice-that-i-give-them/)

[Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/)

> [ \[A\]s you partake of the world's bill of fare, that's darned good advice to follow. Do a lot of spitting out the hot air.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-seuss/a-s-you-partake-of-the-world-s-bill-of-fare-that-s-darned-good-advice/)

[Dr. Seuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-seuss/)

> [My relationship with Ibrahimovic was completely neutral. He is not the type of player to approach the younger players and give them advice. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsley-coman/my-relationship-with-ibrahimovic-was-completely-neutral-he-is-not-the/)

[Kingsley Coman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingsley-coman/)

[Browse all 8,535 Advice quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advice/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "The best career advice was to sing with an understanding and internalise the music - that was my mother's advice. Sing with intention, believe what it is you're saying, and think about it, before you sing it.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Gregory Porter"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-porter/the-best-career-advice-was-to-sing-with-an-understanding-and/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Advice"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-porter/the-best-career-advice-was-to-sing-with-an-understanding-and/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bee/gregory-porter-10292_advice_the-best-career-advice-was-to-sing-with_1199526.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bee/gregory-porter-10292_advice_the-best-career-advice-was-to-sing-with_1199526.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bee/gregory-porter-10292_advice_the-best-career-advice-was-to-sing-with_1199526.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“The best career advice was to sing with an understanding and internalise the music - that was my mother's…” — Gregory Porter",
                "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": "Gregory Porter",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-porter/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "The best career advice was to...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-porter/the-best-career-advice-was-to-sing-with-an-understanding-and/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-porter/the-best-career-advice-was-to-sing-with-an-understanding-and/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
