--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I do have a big problem with the idea of…" description: "\"I do have a big problem with the idea of music as a form of communication unless it's political - and that's where it's tricky because a lot of music i..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/932/julia-holter-7627_big_i-do-have-a-big-problem-with-the-idea-of_2273706.jpg" --- # I do have a big problem with the idea of music as a form… ![“I do have a big problem with the idea of music as a form of communication unless it's political - and that's where it's tricky because a lot of music is political, even if it's not overtly so. But my music isn't that; it's about a feeling.” quote by Julia Holter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/932/julia-holter-7627_big_i-do-have-a-big-problem-with-the-idea-of_2273706.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/932/julia-holter-7627_big_i-do-have-a-big-problem-with-the-idea-of_2273706.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/932/julia-holter-7627_big_i-do-have-a-big-problem-with-the-idea-of_2273706.jpg) > “I do have a big problem with the idea of music as a form of communication unless it's political - and that's where it's tricky because a lot of music is political, even if it's not overtly so. But my music isn't that; it's about a feeling.” [Julia Holter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-holter/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Music often serves as political communication, but the speaker values emotional expression over overt messaging. **In simple terms:** Music can convey feelings without political intent. Key Takeaway Prioritize emotional authenticity in art. Themes art emotion politics communication Mood reflective introspective Type artistic philosophical When to use this quote - songwriting - personal expression - audience connection Key Concepts subjectivity expressive intent cultural critique Questions to Reflect On - How can artists balance personal feeling with societal expectations? - What role should politics play in music? A Different Perspective Political expectations may limit artistic freedom. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Big](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big/) [Big problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/big-problem/) [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Idea Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idea-music-535812/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Music Isn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music-isn/) [Music Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music-political-283263/) [Overtly Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/overtly-music-5279234/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Political Overtly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political-overtly-3395180/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) ## Related quotes > [I've always been interested in socially political, or overtly political, comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-oliver/i-ve-always-been-interested-in-socially-political-or-overtly-2/) [John Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-oliver/) > [I was in school for four years writing music to please my teachers. That was not music I liked. And when I make music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-holter/i-was-in-school-for-four-years-writing-music-to-please-my-teachers/) [Julia Holter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-holter/) > [You shouldn't listen to my music for political messages.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-paisley/you-shouldn-t-listen-to-my-music-for-political-messages/) [Brad Paisley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-paisley/) > [I think that if everybody changed and tried to make their music political, it'd be kind of a bummer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-johnson/i-think-that-if-everybody-changed-and-tried-to-make-their-music/) [Jack Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-johnson/) > [In America, there's more of the question, should music be political or should it just be for entertainment purposes, whereas around the world that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serj-tankian/in-america-there-s-more-of-the-question-should-music-be-political-or/) [Serj Tankian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/serj-tankian/) > [There were so many great music and political scenes going on in the late '60s in Cambridge. The ratio of guys to girls at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonnie-raitt/there-were-so-many-great-music-and-political-scenes-going-on-in-the/) [Bonnie Raitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonnie-raitt/) > [If music's a political place, I'm out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-i-a/if-music-s-a-political-place-i-m-out/) [M.I.A](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-i-a/) > [All music has political dimensions because it suggests a way of being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-eno/all-music-has-political-dimensions-because-it-suggests-a-way-of-being/) [Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/) > [If my music is political in a way, and it might be, it's in the way of generating a sensitivity in people, a deeper…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-elvrum/if-my-music-is-political-in-a-way-and-it-might-be-it-s-in-the-way-of/) [Phil Elvrum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-elvrum/) > [I don't write political music. Political music is immediately obsolete.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krzysztof-penderecki/i-don-t-write-political-music-political-music-is-immediately-obsolete/) [Krzysztof Penderecki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krzysztof-penderecki/) > [I'm an entertainer. I get up on stage and I try to make people enjoy my music, and that political arena - I'm going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donny-osmond/i-m-an-entertainer-i-get-up-on-stage-and-i-try-to-make-people-enjoy/) [Donny Osmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donny-osmond/) > [In Germany there's something about rock music much more political than it really is - like everything you were doing was an indictment of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flansburgh/in-germany-there-s-something-about-rock-music-much-more-political/) [John Flansburgh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flansburgh/) > [It was my dad’s idea that music is supposed to be more than simply about entertainment and making a living, but about being of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ziggy-marley/it-was-my-dad-s-idea-that-music-is-supposed-to-be-more-than-simply/) [Ziggy Marley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ziggy-marley/) > [The idea was I'd never amount to anything in music, The theme there was that I was talented, but I wouldn't work hard enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mose-allison/the-idea-was-i-d-never-amount-to-anything-in-music-the-theme-there/) [Mose Allison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mose-allison/) > [I couldn't find a way to write music with numbers and rules and schedules. So I tried to forget the academic idea of music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludovico-einaudi/i-couldn-t-find-a-way-to-write-music-with-numbers-and-rules-and/) [Ludovico Einaudi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludovico-einaudi/) ## More by Julia Holter > [There's definitely been a focus on the literary aspects of my music, and I always get a little cringey because I don't feel like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-holter/there-s-definitely-been-a-focus-on-the-literary-aspects-of-my-music/) [Julia Holter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-holter/) > [I prefer to work with mystery, but that doesn't work well in an academic environment. They want you to analyze what you're doing, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-holter/i-prefer-to-work-with-mystery-but-that-doesn-t-work-well-in-an/) [Julia Holter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-holter/) > [I really like being home. I like being comfortable, and I'm not a very dramatic person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-holter/i-really-like-being-home-i-like-being-comfortable-and-i-m-not-a-very/) [Julia Holter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-holter/) > [I really love working with Ramona from Nite Jewel. We've kind of grown up together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-holter/i-really-love-working-with-ramona-from-nite-jewel-we-ve-kind-of-grown/) [Julia Holter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-holter/) > [One thing I do like about L.A. is the fact that you can be - whether you're famous or it's just a matter of,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-holter/one-thing-i-do-like-about-l-a-is-the-fact-that-you-can-be-whether-you/) [Julia Holter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-holter/) > [No one recognises me on the street, ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-holter/no-one-recognises-me-on-the-street-ever/) [Julia Holter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-holter/) > [I played cello on my early recordings, but that doesn't mean I'm a cellist, you know?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-holter/i-played-cello-on-my-early-recordings-but-that-doesn-t-mean-i-m-a/) [Julia Holter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-holter/) > [I don't use the harpsichord because it evokes a past time period: I use it because I like the sound.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-holter/i-don-t-use-the-harpsichord-because-it-evokes-a-past-time-period-i/) [Julia Holter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-holter/) > [I don't thrive in a school or academic environment, I found out. I thrive better in the world outside the small academy because I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-holter/i-don-t-thrive-in-a-school-or-academic-environment-i-found-out-i/) [Julia Holter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-holter/) > [I try to not think too much about how people are receiving my music. And I'm not really famous enough that it's a problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-holter/i-try-to-not-think-too-much-about-how-people-are-receiving-my-music/) [Julia Holter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-holter/) > [If I feel like I'm myself, then I'm very uncomfortable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-holter/if-i-feel-like-i-m-myself-then-i-m-very-uncomfortable/) [Julia Holter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-holter/) > [I see myself as a songwriter and a poet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-holter/i-see-myself-as-a-songwriter-and-a-poet/) [Julia Holter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-holter/) > [I think what's interesting in L.A. is that there's a lot of variety because L.A. is very spread out. I think there is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-holter/i-think-what-s-interesting-in-l-a-is-that-there-s-a-lot-of-variety/) [Julia Holter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-holter/) > [I say most of my music is very trial-and-error.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-holter/i-say-most-of-my-music-is-very-trial-and-error/) [Julia Holter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-holter/) > [You can have an Internet presence, but it doesn't mean anyone has any idea who you are or what you look like. Which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-holter/you-can-have-an-internet-presence-but-it-doesn-t-mean-anyone-has-any/) [Julia Holter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-holter/) [Explore all 89 Julia Holter quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-holter/) ## More Big quotes > [I'm a true believer in prayer, a big believer in prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-jackson/i-m-a-true-believer-in-prayer-a-big-believer-in-prayer/) [Janet Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-jackson/) > [Many early-stage entrepreneurs make one simple mistake: Describing this 'big picture' in vague concepts and words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunil-nagaraj/many-early-stage-entrepreneurs-make-one-simple-mistake-describing/) [Sunil Nagaraj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunil-nagaraj/) > [I always say if you put someone from a small town into a big city for ten years, then when they go back, they'll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/i-always-say-if-you-put-someone-from-a-small-town-into-a-big-city-for/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [My mom had very low expectations for me, and she really had a point. I was a big problem at seventeen. If I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/my-mom-had-very-low-expectations-for-me-and-she-really-had-a-point-i/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [I have always been a big meta guy because I think the way journalism is practiced in Washington, and the way everyone sort of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-leibovich/i-have-always-been-a-big-meta-guy-because-i-think-the-way-journalism/) [Mark Leibovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-leibovich/) > [It's going to be used in the last days to get people to come against Christ, and that's the issue: they come against the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-lahaye/it-s-going-to-be-used-in-the-last-days-to-get-people-to-come-against/) [Tim LaHaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-lahaye/) > [My parents are divorced, and seeing that was really painful for me. Really painful for me. But that's also a big part of why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/banks/my-parents-are-divorced-and-seeing-that-was-really-painful-for-me/) [Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/banks/) > [I always want to do a big finale.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-yuh-nelson/i-always-want-to-do-a-big-finale/) [Jennifer Yuh Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-yuh-nelson/) > [I turn a lot of stuff down - big, big movies, the kind I wouldn't want to go to the cinema to see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-fox/i-turn-a-lot-of-stuff-down-big-big-movies-the-kind-i-wouldn-t-want-to/) [Matthew Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-fox/) > [So I concentrated on the rhythmic side of things, and therefore left a lot of holes. I didn't want to use big pad chords…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/midge-ure/so-i-concentrated-on-the-rhythmic-side-of-things-and-therefore-left-a/) [Midge Ure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/midge-ure/) > [I think a big part of success in football is mental, not physical. How you are inside your head matters more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iker-casillas/i-think-a-big-part-of-success-in-football-is-mental-not-physical-how/) [Iker Casillas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iker-casillas/) > [I was always attracted most to joining City, and I am pleased to be at such a good club with such a big ambition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edin-dzeko/i-was-always-attracted-most-to-joining-city-and-i-am-pleased-to-be-at/) [Edin Dzeko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edin-dzeko/) > [Making sure that people have access to preventive medicine for the first time ever as a nation? 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