--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I first started writing music, it…" description: "\"When I first started writing music, it was to express that. I was trying to find God and trying to find meaning in my life. That's what my music was ab..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/245/mat-kearney-3612_find_when-i-first-started-writing-music-it-wa_2038806.png" --- # When I first started writing music, it was to express… ![“When I first started writing music, it was to express that. I was trying to find God and trying to find meaning in my life. That's what my music was about. It wasn't to entertain.” quote by Mat Kearney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/245/mat-kearney-3612_find_when-i-first-started-writing-music-it-wa_2038806.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/245/mat-kearney-3612_find_when-i-first-started-writing-music-it-wa_2038806.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/245/mat-kearney-3612_find_when-i-first-started-writing-music-it-wa_2038806.png) > “When I first started writing music, it was to express that. I was trying to find God and trying to find meaning in my life. That's what my music was about. It wasn't to entertain.” [Mat Kearney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mat-kearney/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He began composing to explore spirituality and purpose, not merely to amuse listeners. **In simple terms:** Music as a search for meaning. Key Takeaway Create art that reflects inner quests. Themes spirituality purpose creativity Mood introspective hopeful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal reflection - songwriting - spiritual practice Key Concepts existential search artistic intent Questions to Reflect On - How does your art shape your beliefs? - Can entertainment coexist with purpose? A Different Perspective Music can still be commercial; may alienate casual audiences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Writing music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing-music/) ## Related quotes > [I started writing music in a season of my life where people were telling me I wasn't defined by mistakes, and God really loved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mat-kearney/i-started-writing-music-in-a-season-of-my-life-where-people-were/) [Mat Kearney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mat-kearney/) > [I wasn't interested in writing music that wasn't beautiful for me to listen to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanna-newsom/i-wasn-t-interested-in-writing-music-that-wasn-t-beautiful-for-me-to/) [Joanna Newsom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanna-newsom/) > [When I first started writing, I used to listen to music all the time because it would make time pass more quickly. And then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/when-i-first-started-writing-i-used-to-listen-to-music-all-the-time/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [There's no meaning to life without music. Everybody has their own connect with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kailash-kher/there-s-no-meaning-to-life-without-music-everybody-has-their-own/) [Kailash Kher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kailash-kher/) > [I couldn't wait to get out of school, but once I did, I didn't actually know what I wanted to do with myself. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitski/i-couldn-t-wait-to-get-out-of-school-but-once-i-did-i-didn-t-actually/) [Mitski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitski/) > [I started writing music as a composer in school, in the classical tradition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-holter/i-started-writing-music-as-a-composer-in-school-in-the-classical/) [Julia Holter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-holter/) > [I started out writing music for theatre and contemporary dance, so there has always been a dramatic and narrative element in my music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-johannsson/i-started-out-writing-music-for-theatre-and-contemporary-dance-so/) [Johann Johannsson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-johannsson/) > [I listened to country music my whole life. I started writing music when I was a teenager. It all came out country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-bell-bundy/i-listened-to-country-music-my-whole-life-i-started-writing-music/) [Laura Bell Bundy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-bell-bundy/) > [When I first started to get into writing, it was via music. I'd generate ideas for songs that would turn into stories, then they'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/when-i-first-started-to-get-into-writing-it-was-via-music-i-d/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) > [After winning 'K-pop Star' and debuting as a singer, I had a team of people who helped me. But then I realized that to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-park/after-winning-k-pop-star-and-debuting-as-a-singer-i-had-a-team-of/) [Jamie Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-park/) > [Ever since I started writing music, I've wanted to know what the songs are about and to be able to tell stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jens-lekman/ever-since-i-started-writing-music-i-ve-wanted-to-know-what-the-songs/) [Jens Lekman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jens-lekman/) > [Initially, I started writing music because I wanted to express my thoughts and get what was going on in my head out to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yungblud/initially-i-started-writing-music-because-i-wanted-to-express-my/) [Yungblud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yungblud/) > [I started writing music in a French way: more focused on lyrics than melody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-clementine/i-started-writing-music-in-a-french-way-more-focused-on-lyrics-than/) [Benjamin Clementine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-clementine/) > [I started writing songs for youth theater and stuff, and so it's really writing music for the stage that started me out, but then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-minchin/i-started-writing-songs-for-youth-theater-and-stuff-and-so-it-s/) [Tim Minchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-minchin/) > [I started writing music around 20 years old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-i-d/i-started-writing-music-around-20-years-old/) J.I.D ## More by Mat Kearney > [My dad was a scratch golfer growing up. When I'm on the road, I always bring my clubs with me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mat-kearney/my-dad-was-a-scratch-golfer-growing-up-when-i-m-on-the-road-i-always/) [Mat Kearney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mat-kearney/) > [With 'City of Black & White,' I wanted a record that would make you feel good, that would sort of take you up in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mat-kearney/with-city-of-black-white-i-wanted-a-record-that-would-make-you-feel/) [Mat Kearney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mat-kearney/) > [The first year I moved to Nashville, I started playing these songwriter nights with people like Nickel Creek, Duncan Sheik, and even Ryan Adams...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mat-kearney/the-first-year-i-moved-to-nashville-i-started-playing-these/) [Mat Kearney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mat-kearney/) > [When we tour, there's always this unique quality to every town you visit... Touring, you get a sense of a collective identity for different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mat-kearney/when-we-tour-there-s-always-this-unique-quality-to-every-town-you/) [Mat Kearney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mat-kearney/) > [I meant what I said when I said until my dying day.I'm holding on to you, holding on to me.Maybe it's all gone black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mat-kearney/i-meant-what-i-said-when-i-said-until-my-dying-day-i-m-holding-on-to/) [Mat Kearney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mat-kearney/) > [God found me when I was at my lowest point. That was the first time in my life when I really felt like I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mat-kearney/god-found-me-when-i-was-at-my-lowest-point-that-was-the-first-time-in/) [Mat Kearney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mat-kearney/) > [It's not the circumstances that determine who you're gonna be but how you deal with these problems and pains that come your way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mat-kearney/it-s-not-the-circumstances-that-determine-who-you-re-gonna-be-but-how/) [Mat Kearney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mat-kearney/) > [I'm really influenced by '90s hip hop. A Tribe Called Quest and De La Soul were my heroes growing up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mat-kearney/i-m-really-influenced-by-90s-hip-hop-a-tribe-called-quest-and-de-la/) [Mat Kearney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mat-kearney/) > [Well, I never made a record to be in the Christian market. 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There are definitely songs where I embodied someone else's pain and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mat-kearney/just-because-you-ve-written-a-song-doesn-t-mean-that-you-have-pulled/) [Mat Kearney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mat-kearney/) > [It's silly to throw things out or label things. You know, is U2 a Christian band, or was Johnny Cash a Christian country singer?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mat-kearney/it-s-silly-to-throw-things-out-or-label-things-you-know-is-u2-a/) [Mat Kearney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mat-kearney/) > [Generally, the songs that are the scariest ones are the ones that people connect to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mat-kearney/generally-the-songs-that-are-the-scariest-ones-are-the-ones-that/) [Mat Kearney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mat-kearney/) > [I never got too specialized but did like the Southern Gothic writers like William Faulkner and Flannery O'Connor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mat-kearney/i-never-got-too-specialized-but-did-like-the-southern-gothic-writers/) [Mat Kearney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mat-kearney/) [Explore all 126 Mat Kearney quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mat-kearney/) ## More Find quotes > [It's those moments, those odd moments that you look for and sometimes by creating this kind of loose atmosphere you find those little moments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-levinson/it-s-those-moments-those-odd-moments-that-you-look-for-and-sometimes/) [Barry Levinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-levinson/) > [I ask for tips, for advice. 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As long as the court genre is viable, people are going to be looking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judy-sheindlin/they-will-find-somebody-younger-somebody-funnier-somebody-more/) [Judy Sheindlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judy-sheindlin/) > [I think I need the demons in order to write, but the demons have gone. It bothers me a lot. I've tried and tried,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-wilson/i-think-i-need-the-demons-in-order-to-write-but-the-demons-have-gone/) [Brian Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-wilson/) > [I'm very fond of classical music, especially Mozart. I find it relaxes me and helps me concentrate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guler-sabanci/i-m-very-fond-of-classical-music-especially-mozart-i-find-it-relaxes/) [Guler Sabanci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guler-sabanci/) > [Failure to find a way to incorporate political Islam in democracy, however uncomfortable its ideology is for secular liberals, will mean we have given…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crispin-blunt/failure-to-find-a-way-to-incorporate-political-islam-in-democracy/) [Crispin Blunt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crispin-blunt/) > [Reading counts as partying, even if you're not enjoying it! Even if someone's forcing you to read, you can find a way to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-w-k/reading-counts-as-partying-even-if-you-re-not-enjoying-it-even-if/) [Andrew W.K](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-w-k/) > [George Roy Hill, Redford, and I have been looking for a script to do together for 13 years. 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