--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I started singing when I was a teenager…" description: "\"I started singing when I was a teenager. I always wanted to write songs; I just didn't understand how someone could sing without writing their own song..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac9/olivia-merilahti-54425_singing_i-started-singing-when-i-was-a-teenager_1141432.jpg" --- # I started singing when I was a teenager. I always wanted… ![“I started singing when I was a teenager. I always wanted to write songs; I just didn't understand how someone could sing without writing their own songs.” quote by Olivia Merilahti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac9/olivia-merilahti-54425_singing_i-started-singing-when-i-was-a-teenager_1141432.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac9/olivia-merilahti-54425_singing_i-started-singing-when-i-was-a-teenager_1141432.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac9/olivia-merilahti-54425_singing_i-started-singing-when-i-was-a-teenager_1141432.jpg) > “I started singing when I was a teenager. I always wanted to write songs; I just didn't understand how someone could sing without writing their own songs.” [Olivia Merilahti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-merilahti/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She began singing as a teen, yearning to write songs but puzzled why singers performed without writing their own material. **In simple terms:** Teen singer wanted to write songs but wondered about singers who don’t write. Key Takeaway Explore songwriting or collaborate with writers. Themes music creativity identity learning Mood curious reflective Type personal inspirational When to use this quote - school choir - first band - songwriting workshops - studio sessions Key Concepts songwriting artistic authenticity collaboration Questions to Reflect On - Do you prefer writing your own lyrics or interpreting others? - How does understanding this affect your artistic growth? A Different Perspective Not all singers lack songwriting skill; many are trained performers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Singing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/singing/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Teenager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teenager/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [Writing songs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing-songs/) ## Related quotes > [English has always been my musical language. When I started writing songs when I was 13 or 14, I started writing in English because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-merilahti/english-has-always-been-my-musical-language-when-i-started-writing/) [Olivia Merilahti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-merilahti/) > [My first gig, I was about 17 or 18. But I'd been singing a long time. I got a guitar when I was 8,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toby-keith/my-first-gig-i-was-about-17-or-18-but-i-d-been-singing-a-long-time-i/) [Toby Keith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toby-keith/) > [I started singing and writing songs since childhood and later started releasing my independent music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guru-randhawa/i-started-singing-and-writing-songs-since-childhood-and-later-started/) [Guru Randhawa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guru-randhawa/) > [Writing songs has always been my first and foremost love, and, you know, whether I continue to have success as an artist or not,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-rhett/writing-songs-has-always-been-my-first-and-foremost-love-and-you-know/) [Thomas Rhett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-rhett/) > [I could write songs about politics, but I'm conscious of not writing songs that sound the same as the ones I wrote 30 years ago.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-weller/i-could-write-songs-about-politics-but-i-m-conscious-of-not-writing/) [Paul Weller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-weller/) > [I don't write songs apart from theatrical pieces. I'm not interested in writing songs qua songs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-sondheim/i-don-t-write-songs-apart-from-theatrical-pieces-i-m-not-interested/) [Stephen Sondheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-sondheim/) > [I don't end up writing songs in my journals, but I'm sure that my ability to write songs has been helped by how consistently…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-dacus/i-don-t-end-up-writing-songs-in-my-journals-but-i-m-sure-that-my/) [Lucy Dacus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-dacus/) > [I have this theory about us. When we started writing our own songs, we were 17 years old. When you're 17, you write songs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angus-young/i-have-this-theory-about-us-when-we-started-writing-our-own-songs-we/) [Angus Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angus-young/) > [I think from a major-label perspective, if you were on the flip side of things and that's the world you were used to working…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-ditto/i-think-from-a-major-label-perspective-if-you-were-on-the-flip-side/) [Beth Ditto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-ditto/) > [I started writing songs so late and I had so many day jobs - jobs just to pay the bills. So, when I started…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-radin/i-started-writing-songs-so-late-and-i-had-so-many-day-jobs-jobs-just/) [Joshua Radin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-radin/) > [The only reason I do anything is that I just love writing songs. If I write songs, I feel good about it for days…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-jarman/the-only-reason-i-do-anything-is-that-i-just-love-writing-songs-if-i/) [Ryan Jarman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-jarman/) > [I'd probably be a super wealthy guy if I had sat around writing songs and getting them placed like everyone else I know. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nile-rodgers/i-d-probably-be-a-super-wealthy-guy-if-i-had-sat-around-writing-songs/) [Nile Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nile-rodgers/) > [I love writing songs, but I don't want to write the songs everyone else is asking me to write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-perry/i-love-writing-songs-but-i-don-t-want-to-write-the-songs-everyone/) [Linda Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-perry/) > [When I stopped trying to write songs, that's when I'm able to begin writing songs. You have to just use your life, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lenny-kravitz/when-i-stopped-trying-to-write-songs-that-s-when-i-m-able-to-begin/) [Lenny Kravitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lenny-kravitz/) > [I don't really premeditate what I write my songs about; you know, they just kind of happen, and I can't start writing songs to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/i-don-t-really-premeditate-what-i-write-my-songs-about-you-know-they/) [Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/) ## More by Olivia Merilahti > [My parents were not musical, but my mom just really wanted my brother and I to learn music as well as practice sports. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-merilahti/my-parents-were-not-musical-but-my-mom-just-really-wanted-my-brother/) [Olivia Merilahti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-merilahti/) > [There's an energy that I got inspired by from practicing a lot of sports. There's a philosophy or some sort of courage and bravery…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-merilahti/there-s-an-energy-that-i-got-inspired-by-from-practicing-a-lot-of/) [Olivia Merilahti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-merilahti/) > [English has always been my musical language. When I started writing songs when I was 13 or 14, I started writing in English because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-merilahti/english-has-always-been-my-musical-language-when-i-started-writing/) [Olivia Merilahti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-merilahti/) > [I'm very concerned with the healing process of a song and music in general. I think that's why I make music - it heals…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-merilahti/i-m-very-concerned-with-the-healing-process-of-a-song-and-music-in/) [Olivia Merilahti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-merilahti/) > [I think I write a lot, but it's always a continuous stream of consciousness, I guess. It's a mechanic. It's a discipline and it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-merilahti/i-think-i-write-a-lot-but-it-s-always-a-continuous-stream-of/) [Olivia Merilahti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-merilahti/) [Explore all 6 Olivia Merilahti quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-merilahti/) ## More Singing quotes > [Why do Christians sing when they are together? The reason is, quite simply, because in singing together it is possible for them to speak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/why-do-christians-sing-when-they-are-together-the-reason-is-quite/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [I started out dancing on a reality TV show, but always with the intention of making my way over to film. I transitioned into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-hough/i-started-out-dancing-on-a-reality-tv-show-but-always-with-the/) [Julianne Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-hough/) > [There has always been a feeling with people that they love my singing but not always the choice of material.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-moyet/there-has-always-been-a-feeling-with-people-that-they-love-my-singing/) [Alison Moyet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-moyet/) > [It definitely helps to have the acting experience going into singing, because when you're singing, you have to portray the emotion you were feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-newman/it-definitely-helps-to-have-the-acting-experience-going-into-singing/) Ryan Newman > [I still get nervous about singing. I drink tea with honey and lemon before every concert. And I need to have scented candles in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-j-blige/i-still-get-nervous-about-singing-i-drink-tea-with-honey-and-lemon/) [Mary J. Blige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-j-blige/) > [Singing is the love of my life, but I was ready to give it all up because I couldn't handle people talking about how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stevie-nicks/singing-is-the-love-of-my-life-but-i-was-ready-to-give-it-all-up/) [Stevie Nicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stevie-nicks/) > [When I'm on a stage, it's just me, singing a song with words that I wrote and I believe in. And if I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-dacus/when-i-m-on-a-stage-it-s-just-me-singing-a-song-with-words-that-i/) [Lucy Dacus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-dacus/) > [I sang the National Anthem at Dodger Stadium - at a baseball game - which was crazy; there was, like, 60,000 people there, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-devine/i-sang-the-national-anthem-at-dodger-stadium-at-a-baseball-game-which/) [Adam DeVine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-devine/) > [If I had to choose a song to listen to before I died, it would be Simone singing Começar de novo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-bittencourt-de-oliveira/if-i-had-to-choose-a-song-to-listen-to-before-i-died-it-would-be/) Simone Bittencourt de Oliveira > [It's shocking when someone who is really bad thinks they're really good. It's heartbreaking, because singing is such a vulnerable thing to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-camp/it-s-shocking-when-someone-who-is-really-bad-thinks-they-re-really/) [Anna Camp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-camp/) > [I bring my classical training - some of it, but not all of it - and also my background and culture, to spirituals. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-battle/i-bring-my-classical-training-some-of-it-but-not-all-of-it-and-also/) [Kathleen Battle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-battle/) > [When I pitched the show, I made this special seashell. You could pick it up and hear me singing, 'Spongeboy, Spongeboy!' I also made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hillenburg/when-i-pitched-the-show-i-made-this-special-seashell-you-could-pick/) [Stephen Hillenburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hillenburg/) > [A clock struck out the hour of twelve, and the bird in the hedgerow was still singing as we marched out to the roadway,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-macgill/a-clock-struck-out-the-hour-of-twelve-and-the-bird-in-the-hedgerow/) [Patrick MacGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-macgill/) > [When I first started making music, it was learning other people's songs and putting them onto four-track. Like Beatles songs and stuff. When I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-ward/when-i-first-started-making-music-it-was-learning-other-people-s/) [M. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-ward/) > [If you think of 'Chandelier,' Sia's singing her heart out about all those moments before she got sober, and that's one way to convey…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-tranter/if-you-think-of-chandelier-sia-s-singing-her-heart-out-about-all/) [Justin Tranter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-tranter/) [Browse all 5,365 Singing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/singing/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I started singing when I was a teenager. I always wanted to write songs; I just didn't understand how someone could sing without writing their own songs.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Olivia Merilahti" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-merilahti/i-started-singing-when-i-was-a-teenager-i-always-wanted-to-write/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Singing" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-merilahti/i-started-singing-when-i-was-a-teenager-i-always-wanted-to-write/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac9/olivia-merilahti-54425_singing_i-started-singing-when-i-was-a-teenager_1141432.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac9/olivia-merilahti-54425_singing_i-started-singing-when-i-was-a-teenager_1141432.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ac9/olivia-merilahti-54425_singing_i-started-singing-when-i-was-a-teenager_1141432.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I started singing when I was a teenager. I always wanted to write songs; I just didn't understand how…” — Olivia Merilahti", "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": "Olivia Merilahti", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olivia-merilahti/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I started singing when I was...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-merilahti/i-started-singing-when-i-was-a-teenager-i-always-wanted-to-write/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olivia-merilahti/i-started-singing-when-i-was-a-teenager-i-always-wanted-to-write/#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 } } ] } ```