--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As much as we like to pretend we're just…" description: "\"As much as we like to pretend we're just getting on stage and whatever, it's like, no, I practiced in front of the mirror my whole life.\" — Kelela" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7c/kelela-5546_front_as-much-as-we-like-to-pretend-we-re-just_1374513.jpg" --- # As much as we like to pretend we're just getting on stage… ![“As much as we like to pretend we're just getting on stage and whatever, it's like, no, I practiced in front of the mirror my whole life.” quote by Kelela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7c/kelela-5546_front_as-much-as-we-like-to-pretend-we-re-just_1374513.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7c/kelela-5546_front_as-much-as-we-like-to-pretend-we-re-just_1374513.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7c/kelela-5546_front_as-much-as-we-like-to-pretend-we-re-just_1374513.jpg) > “As much as we like to pretend we're just getting on stage and whatever, it's like, no, I practiced in front of the mirror my whole life.” [Kelela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelela/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote highlights the hidden preparation behind public performance, emphasizing lifelong practice. **In simple terms:** Behind the scenes, we rehearse constantly. Key Takeaway Acknowledge unseen effort. Themes performance preparation authenticity Mood reflective motivational Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - public speaking - stage acting - musical performance - personal branding Key Concepts self‑discipline confidence image management Questions to Reflect On - How much of your success is unseen? - What practices keep you ready? A Different Perspective Public perception may overlook the work, leading to undervaluation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Mirror](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mirror/) [Stage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stage/) ## Related quotes > [Don't be ashamed if you don't like what others pretend to love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-watson/don-t-be-ashamed-if-you-don-t-like-what-others-pretend-to-love/) [Emma Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-watson/) > [Like I have to pretend like I'm a male rapper, that I got stacks and we're in the club, and what do I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pj-harvey/like-i-have-to-pretend-like-i-m-a-male-rapper-that-i-got-stacks-and/) [PJ Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pj-harvey/) > [I like to pretend everything's alright, because when everybody else thinks you're fine, sometimes you forget for a while that you're not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-like-to-pretend-everything-s-alright-because-when-everybody-else/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A true friend will like you for who you are, not who you pretend to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-true-friend-will-like-you-for-who-you-are-not-who-you-pretend-to-be/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I like to pretend that I'm okay because I don't want to annoy people with my problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-like-to-pretend-that-i-m-okay-because-i-don-t-want-to-annoy-people/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Dreams are like mirrors that reveals our present realities and also foretell our future possibilities. So look into the mirror of your life and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-kelvin-clive/dreams-are-like-mirrors-that-reveals-our-present-realities-and-also/) [Bernard Kelvin Clive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-kelvin-clive/) > [“I hold up a mirror to life and what I see in it, I freely report; the good, the bad, and the ugly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-parlee/i-hold-up-a-mirror-to-life-and-what-i-see-in-it-i-freely-report-the/) Michael Parlee > [“Universe is an empty mirror. Life is just the reflection of your deep thoughts.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-ray/universe-is-an-empty-mirror-life-is-just-the-reflection-of-your-deep/) [Amit Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-ray/) > [I never intended for my singles to completely mirror my life, but they really have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carly-pearce/i-never-intended-for-my-singles-to-completely-mirror-my-life-but-they/) [Carly Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carly-pearce/) > [Live to discover, as long as discovery leads to a love that comes from the Creator... writing was the mirror to life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-dekker/live-to-discover-as-long-as-discovery-leads-to-a-love-that-comes-from/) [Ted Dekker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-dekker/) > [This is Art holding a Mirror up to Life. That’s why everything is exactly the wrong way around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/this-is-art-holding-a-mirror-up-to-life-that-s-why-everything-is/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [Relationship is the mirror in which we see ourselves as we are. All life is a movement in relationship. There is no living thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/relationship-is-the-mirror-in-which-we-see-ourselves-as-we-are-all/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [...you find your genius by looking in the mirror of your life. Your visible image shows your inner truth, so when you're estimating others,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-hillman/you-find-your-genius-by-looking-in-the-mirror-of-your-life-your/) [James Hillman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-hillman/) > [A broken mirror in your life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hawthorne-heights/a-broken-mirror-in-your-life/) [Hawthorne Heights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hawthorne-heights/) > [“Your own actions are a better mirror of your life than the actions of all your enemies put together.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ng-g-wa-thiong-o/your-own-actions-are-a-better-mirror-of-your-life-than-the-actions-of/) [Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ng-g-wa-thiong-o/) ## More by Kelela > [Even on my most angry song, I'm also still saying, 'Thank you for helping me to learn.' I've always wanted to give voice to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelela/even-on-my-most-angry-song-i-m-also-still-saying-thank-you-for/) [Kelela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelela/) > [It's such a challenging time, and in my small way, I will make it so that other younger women, and maybe older women, will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelela/it-s-such-a-challenging-time-and-in-my-small-way-i-will-make-it-so/) [Kelela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelela/) > [I'm definitely seeking to challenge tropes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelela/i-m-definitely-seeking-to-challenge-tropes/) [Kelela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelela/) > [Self-care is a requirement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelela/self-care-is-a-requirement/) [Kelela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelela/) > [For those of us who make music together, I think it's important to realize that generosity on both sides is actually going to produce…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelela/for-those-of-us-who-make-music-together-i-think-it-s-important-to/) [Kelela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelela/) > [A lot of white men in the music industry are promoting and participating in black culture in a way that is pretty careless. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelela/a-lot-of-white-men-in-the-music-industry-are-promoting-and/) [Kelela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelela/) > [There are no black women geniuses that are being named in canons. I could name a bunch, but it's not part of common knowledge.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelela/there-are-no-black-women-geniuses-that-are-being-named-in-canons-i/) [Kelela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelela/) > [I think my worst enemy was myself. It's like I've been in my own way more than anybody else has been.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelela/i-think-my-worst-enemy-was-myself-it-s-like-i-ve-been-in-my-own-way/) [Kelela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelela/) > [I've always had this commitment to not being in one thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelela/i-ve-always-had-this-commitment-to-not-being-in-one-thing/) [Kelela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelela/) > [I am your homegirl, at the end of the day, but I also feel very... outside. So if you're finding solace in feeling outside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelela/i-am-your-homegirl-at-the-end-of-the-day-but-i-also-feel-very-outside/) [Kelela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelela/) > ['Take Me Apart' doesn't feel cohesive in a singular way but in a varied way. You can fixate on individual songs, and there are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelela/take-me-apart-doesn-t-feel-cohesive-in-a-singular-way-but-in-a-varied/) [Kelela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelela/) > ['Seat at the Table' has expressed real adversity, struggle, and also triumph and joy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelela/seat-at-the-table-has-expressed-real-adversity-struggle-and-also/) [Kelela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelela/) > [Before I collaborate, it's important that I have a conversation about what I care about before we make anything, so that it's very clear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelela/before-i-collaborate-it-s-important-that-i-have-a-conversation-about/) [Kelela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelela/) > [I'm quite scrutinous when it comes to who I put myself in the room with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelela/i-m-quite-scrutinous-when-it-comes-to-who-i-put-myself-in-the-room/) [Kelela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelela/) > [Sometimes I learn by someone giving me warnings and giving me advice about what to do next. And other times, a lot of times,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelela/sometimes-i-learn-by-someone-giving-me-warnings-and-giving-me-advice/) [Kelela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelela/) [Explore all 100 Kelela quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelela/) ## More Front quotes > [If I had to speak in front of a Korean audience, I would be hard pressed to sound other than a little girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/an-na/if-i-had-to-speak-in-front-of-a-korean-audience-i-would-be-hard/) [An Na](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/an-na/) > [It's something he used to say when he was happy. It could be a very, very simple day. We might be sitting out on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-grant/it-s-something-he-used-to-say-when-he-was-happy-it-could-be-a-very/) [Jennifer Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-grant/) > [When I made my debut as an actor in 'Rock On!' I was confident to get in front of the camera.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/farhan-akhtar/when-i-made-my-debut-as-an-actor-in-rock-on-i-was-confident-to-get-in/) [Farhan Akhtar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/farhan-akhtar/) > [Take the main event of WrestleMania and put it in front of 75 people, and it will dramatically affect the way everyone watching feels…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-bischoff/take-the-main-event-of-wrestlemania-and-put-it-in-front-of-75-people/) [Eric Bischoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-bischoff/) > [The reason I got into acting was not to explore myself. I was a reader, I didn't care about acting. I got into it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/campbell-scott/the-reason-i-got-into-acting-was-not-to-explore-myself-i-was-a-reader/) [Campbell Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/campbell-scott/) > [I actually went to Wimbledon, and David Attenborough was sat in the row in front of me, and I thought that was quite amazing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noel-fielding/i-actually-went-to-wimbledon-and-david-attenborough-was-sat-in-the/) [Noel Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noel-fielding/) > [I'm about as privileged as you can get. I'm a white, male, heterosexual front man of a rock band.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-reynolds/i-m-about-as-privileged-as-you-can-get-i-m-a-white-male-heterosexual/) [Dan Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-reynolds/) > [I used to sit in front of McDonald's and ask people for dollars to get me a cheeseburger. It was bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-pain/i-used-to-sit-in-front-of-mcdonald-s-and-ask-people-for-dollars-to/) [T-Pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-pain/) > [J.K. Rowling said Bellatrix's role was going to be significant in the last one, when I showed some reluctance in playing a tiny bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helena-bonham-carter/j-k-rowling-said-bellatrix-s-role-was-going-to-be-significant-in-the/) [Helena Bonham Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helena-bonham-carter/) > [It's with them that we have constituted a liberation front and brought our logistic support to armies to help their countries come out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ahmed-ben-bella/it-s-with-them-that-we-have-constituted-a-liberation-front-and/) [Ahmed Ben Bella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ahmed-ben-bella/) > [Breakaway goals are fun. When you score a quick one in front of the net, it just happens, but during a breakaway, there's about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidney-crosby/breakaway-goals-are-fun-when-you-score-a-quick-one-in-front-of-the/) [Sidney Crosby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidney-crosby/) > [Playing main-draw matches helps, and playing in front of crowds and playing in big matches definitely helps, getting them all under your belt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-sock/playing-main-draw-matches-helps-and-playing-in-front-of-crowds-and/) [Jack Sock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-sock/) > [Gerrard is passionate, and he leads from the front. At times, he has lifted Liverpool to great wins almost single-handedly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-davids/gerrard-is-passionate-and-he-leads-from-the-front-at-times-he-has/) [Edgar Davids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-davids/) > [South Carolina, as a matter of compromise, displays the Confederate flag on a flagpole in front of the state capitol. Because I grew up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edwards/south-carolina-as-a-matter-of-compromise-displays-the-confederate/) [John Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edwards/) > [A digital director shouldn't be out front, but a campaign manager's job is to set a narrative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-parscale/a-digital-director-shouldn-t-be-out-front-but-a-campaign-manager-s/) [Brad Parscale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-parscale/) Browse all 1,826 Front quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "As much as we like to pretend we're just getting on stage and whatever, it's like, no, I practiced in front of the mirror my whole life.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Kelela" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelela/as-much-as-we-like-to-pretend-we-re-just-getting-on-stage-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Front" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelela/as-much-as-we-like-to-pretend-we-re-just-getting-on-stage-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7c/kelela-5546_front_as-much-as-we-like-to-pretend-we-re-just_1374513.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7c/kelela-5546_front_as-much-as-we-like-to-pretend-we-re-just_1374513.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7c/kelela-5546_front_as-much-as-we-like-to-pretend-we-re-just_1374513.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“As much as we like to pretend we're just getting on stage and whatever, it's like, no, I practiced in front…” — Kelela", "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": "Kelela", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelela/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "As much as we like to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelela/as-much-as-we-like-to-pretend-we-re-just-getting-on-stage-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelela/as-much-as-we-like-to-pretend-we-re-just-getting-on-stage-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 } } ] } ```