--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For a while, I thought I would maybe be a…" description: "\"For a while, I thought I would maybe be a writer. But with music, I was such a nerd; I was really obsessive about it. The problem was I couldn't really..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11d/perfume-genius-6519_body_for-a-while-i-thought-i-would-maybe-be-a_1776847.png" --- # For a while, I thought I would maybe be a writer. But with… ![“For a while, I thought I would maybe be a writer. But with music, I was such a nerd; I was really obsessive about it. The problem was I couldn't really sing. I think one day I sang from a different part of my body, from my gut for the first time, and I was like, 'Oh! That's how you're supposed to…” quote by Perfume Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11d/perfume-genius-6519_body_for-a-while-i-thought-i-would-maybe-be-a_1776847.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11d/perfume-genius-6519_body_for-a-while-i-thought-i-would-maybe-be-a_1776847.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11d/perfume-genius-6519_body_for-a-while-i-thought-i-would-maybe-be-a_1776847.png) > “For a while, I thought I would maybe be a writer. But with music, I was such a nerd; I was really obsessive about it. The problem was I couldn't really sing. I think one day I sang from a different part of my body, from my gut for the first time, and I was like, 'Oh! That's how you're supposed to do it.'” [Perfume Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perfume-genius/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Realizing that authentic expression comes from feeling rather than technical skill. **In simple terms:** Authenticity beats technique. Key Takeaway Trust your body’s instinct. Themes creativity authenticity self‑discovery Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - songwriting - live performance - personal growth - overcoming self‑doubt Key Concepts embodiment musical expression Questions to Reflect On - How can you channel physical sensations into creative work? - When does authenticity outweigh polish? A Different Perspective May lack technical skill limit artistic impact. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Body](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/body/) [Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/day/) [First time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-time/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Music Nerd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music-nerd-438676/) [Sang Different](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sang-different-1827761/) [Sing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sing/) [Sing Think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sing-think-1722714/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Writer Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer-music-1827762/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [It came from my mother. She was a singer, and literally every day of the week she sang at a different club in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-glasper/it-came-from-my-mother-she-was-a-singer-and-literally-every-day-of/) [Robert Glasper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-glasper/) > [Like, it's fun for me to sing 'I Think We're Alone Now.' But when 'Could've Been' comes out as a single, that's a ballad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiffany-darwish/like-it-s-fun-for-me-to-sing-i-think-we-re-alone-now-but-when-could/) [Tiffany Darwish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiffany-darwish/) > [I wish I could sing. When I think I'm singing, I'm actually going really off-tune.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshara-haasan/i-wish-i-could-sing-when-i-think-i-m-singing-i-m-actually-going/) [Akshara Haasan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshara-haasan/) > [Usually, certainly British singers, adopt an American accent when they sing and I think that usually people are thinking of somebody else, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-horrocks/usually-certainly-british-singers-adopt-an-american-accent-when-they/) [Jane Horrocks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-horrocks/) > [I admire people who know they can't sing. There are so many people out there who can't sing, but they think they can, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/i-admire-people-who-know-they-can-t-sing-there-are-so-many-people-out/) [Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/) > [“When you sing, think of birds. When you dance, think of fish (Or snakes. Doesn’t matter.). When you play music, think of water, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-waitman/when-you-sing-think-of-birds-when-you-dance-think-of-fish-or-snakes/) [Katie Waitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-waitman/) > [I believe that I definitely wasn't given this voice just to sing. I think it was given to me for a bigger purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demi-lovato/i-believe-that-i-definitely-wasn-t-given-this-voice-just-to-sing-i/) [Demi Lovato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demi-lovato/) > [When I sing, I think mostly about the music. But I know that, through singing, my body shows everything that I am. I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-bocelli/when-i-sing-i-think-mostly-about-the-music-but-i-know-that-through/) [Andrea Bocelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-bocelli/) > [Wid evry breath I take Wid evry song I sing I think about U D love & care Wid which U entered into my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/butterfly-kisses/wid-evry-breath-i-take-wid-evry-song-i-sing-i-think-about-u-d-love/) [Butterfly\_Kisses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/butterfly-kisses/) > [I am not really thinking, I am just, working with the music. And people have asked me, why don't you say more, or why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ottmar-liebert/i-am-not-really-thinking-i-am-just-working-with-the-music-and-people/) [Ottmar Liebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ottmar-liebert/) > [Even though I wanted to be John Malkovich or Sean Penn when I was a kid, mostly I was a music nerd.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-kirk/even-though-i-wanted-to-be-john-malkovich-or-sean-penn-when-i-was-a/) [Justin Kirk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-kirk/) > [I'm basically a music nerd, especially when it comes to electronic music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-murray/i-m-basically-a-music-nerd-especially-when-it-comes-to-electronic/) [Sean Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-murray/) > [I was a total music nerd. I grew up on Perry Street in the '80s. My father wrote books about jazz, so I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-wyatt/i-was-a-total-music-nerd-i-grew-up-on-perry-street-in-the-80s-my/) [Andrew Wyatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-wyatt/) > [I loathe rock stars. I am a music nerd, a fan, a follower... just like any fan of music might be. And although I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-anselmo/i-loathe-rock-stars-i-am-a-music-nerd-a-fan-a-follower-just-like-any/) [Phil Anselmo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-anselmo/) > [I shopped at J. Crew in high school, I studied computer science. I was a nerd-nerd, now I'm a music-nerd.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mayer-hawthorne/i-shopped-at-j-crew-in-high-school-i-studied-computer-science-i-was-a/) [Mayer Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mayer-hawthorne/) ## More by Perfume Genius > [Hymns have always sounded like sung spells to me. I never felt included in the magic of the God songs I heard growing up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perfume-genius/hymns-have-always-sounded-like-sung-spells-to-me-i-never-felt/) [Perfume Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perfume-genius/) > [I wanna be bad sometimes - I wanna rip everything apart, -but it comes on less and less. Doing all this music stuff is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perfume-genius/i-wanna-be-bad-sometimes-i-wanna-rip-everything-apart-but-it-comes-on/) [Perfume Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perfume-genius/) > [I'm just very self-conscious about the way I look. I really am embarrassed of it, because I wish I wasn't like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perfume-genius/i-m-just-very-self-conscious-about-the-way-i-look-i-really-am/) [Perfume Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perfume-genius/) > [I was really scared of the devil growing up: I was convinced I was going to be possessed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perfume-genius/i-was-really-scared-of-the-devil-growing-up-i-was-convinced-i-was/) [Perfume Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perfume-genius/) > [I like to have fun! And everything that's good for you is not fun, and that bores me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perfume-genius/i-like-to-have-fun-and-everything-that-s-good-for-you-is-not-fun-and/) [Perfume Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perfume-genius/) > [On the first two albums, I essentially began with lyrics and placed the music underneath or around the words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perfume-genius/on-the-first-two-albums-i-essentially-began-with-lyrics-and-placed/) [Perfume Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perfume-genius/) > [I think people have a hard time dealing with a bunch of things at once. They can't have something be disturbing and funny at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perfume-genius/i-think-people-have-a-hard-time-dealing-with-a-bunch-of-things-at/) [Perfume Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perfume-genius/) > [I'm personally not a very contact-y person; I just let my phone die and don't turn it on for a couple of days.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perfume-genius/i-m-personally-not-a-very-contact-y-person-i-just-let-my-phone-die/) [Perfume Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perfume-genius/) > [I feel kind of limited and locked into my body and brain - I'm not super into it all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perfume-genius/i-feel-kind-of-limited-and-locked-into-my-body-and-brain-i-m-not/) [Perfume Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perfume-genius/) > [I wasn't a hoarder, but I was on my way. I went to thrift stores and never didn't buy something. A lot of cat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perfume-genius/i-wasn-t-a-hoarder-but-i-was-on-my-way-i-went-to-thrift-stores-and/) [Perfume Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perfume-genius/) > [My mom is not religious, but she's a very spiritual, magical kind of lady. One time, when I was younger, my mom said she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perfume-genius/my-mom-is-not-religious-but-she-s-a-very-spiritual-magical-kind-of/) [Perfume Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perfume-genius/) > [I've known that people were racist and misogynistic and homophobic since I was very little.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perfume-genius/i-ve-known-that-people-were-racist-and-misogynistic-and-homophobic/) [Perfume Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perfume-genius/) > [One of the things that 'Too Bright' refers to is how there's a lot of times where I see things that I could change…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perfume-genius/one-of-the-things-that-too-bright-refers-to-is-how-there-s-a-lot-of/) [Perfume Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perfume-genius/) > [Music helped me, growing up: it very much felt like a companion and made me less lonely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perfume-genius/music-helped-me-growing-up-it-very-much-felt-like-a-companion-and/) [Perfume Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perfume-genius/) > [When I started to allow myself to not be locked into wearing men's clothes, things kind of opened up. It feels very kind to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perfume-genius/when-i-started-to-allow-myself-to-not-be-locked-into-wearing-men-s/) [Perfume Genius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perfume-genius/) [Explore all 99 Perfume Genius quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perfume-genius/) ## More Body quotes > [Most of us are convinced that we are our egos, which is who we think we are. The ego is part of our incarnation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/most-of-us-are-convinced-that-we-are-our-egos-which-is-who-we-think/) [Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/) > [The very purpose for being in this body, for every one of us, is to live and rejoice in that virgin area, that untouched,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-sri-ravi-shankar/the-very-purpose-for-being-in-this-body-for-every-one-of-us-is-to/) [Sri Sri Ravi Shankar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-sri-ravi-shankar/) > [Because of the womb being a central phenomenon in the feminine body, the whole psychology of woman differs: she is non-aggressive, non-inquiring, non-questioning, non-doubting,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/because-of-the-womb-being-a-central-phenomenon-in-the-feminine-body/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) > [I've used the Phoenix Centrifuge to replicate what the body's going to go through on the flight up. I've also done some gravity tests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/i-ve-used-the-phoenix-centrifuge-to-replicate-what-the-body-s-going/) [Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/) > [Practically all animals which move fast in a homogeneous medium have found means of giving their body a streamlined shape, thereby reducing friction to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/konrad-lorenz/practically-all-animals-which-move-fast-in-a-homogeneous-medium-have/) [Konrad Lorenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/konrad-lorenz/) > [If the media is sending girls the message that their value lies in their bodies, this can only leave them feeling disempowered and distract…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-siebel-newsom/if-the-media-is-sending-girls-the-message-that-their-value-lies-in/) [Jennifer Siebel Newsom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-siebel-newsom/) > [Boys and boys' body image and clothes have become just as important an issue for boys as for girls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosalind-wiseman/boys-and-boys-body-image-and-clothes-have-become-just-as-important-an/) [Rosalind Wiseman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosalind-wiseman/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Racism is a cancer. You cannot ignore it and it'll go away. If you ignore cancer, it simply metastasizes and consumes the whole body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/racism-is-a-cancer-you-cannot-ignore-it-and-it-ll-go-away-if-you/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [I read a couple of books about neuroscience and the relationship between the mind and the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-read-a-couple-of-books-about-neuroscience-and-the-relationship/) [Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/) > [If japa is maintained, no useless talk during work will be possible. The mind will always remain peaceful. Modern day diseases are mostly psychosomatic.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mata-amritanandamayi/if-japa-is-maintained-no-useless-talk-during-work-will-be-possible/) [Mata Amritanandamayi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mata-amritanandamayi/) > [It is the incongruous thing in my entire life, this isolation.. ... My work requires it - but I myself have no need or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marsden-hartley/it-is-the-incongruous-thing-in-my-entire-life-this-isolation-my-work/) [Marsden Hartley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marsden-hartley/) > [My friends, this body - perhaps more than any other gathering in human history - now faces that difficult task.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/my-friends-this-body-perhaps-more-than-any-other-gathering-in-human/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) [Browse all 20,814 Body quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/body/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "For a while, I thought I would maybe be a writer. But with music, I was such a nerd; I was really obsessive about it. The problem was I couldn't really sing. I think one day I sang from a different part of my body, from my gut for the first time, and I was like, 'Oh! That's how you're supposed to do it.'", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Perfume Genius" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perfume-genius/for-a-while-i-thought-i-would-maybe-be-a-writer-but-with-music-i-was/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Body" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perfume-genius/for-a-while-i-thought-i-would-maybe-be-a-writer-but-with-music-i-was/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11d/perfume-genius-6519_body_for-a-while-i-thought-i-would-maybe-be-a_1776847.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11d/perfume-genius-6519_body_for-a-while-i-thought-i-would-maybe-be-a_1776847.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/11d/perfume-genius-6519_body_for-a-while-i-thought-i-would-maybe-be-a_1776847.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“For a while, I thought I would maybe be a writer. But with music, I was such a nerd; I was really obsessive…” — Perfume Genius", "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": "Perfume Genius", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perfume-genius/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "For a while, I thought I...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perfume-genius/for-a-while-i-thought-i-would-maybe-be-a-writer-but-with-music-i-was/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perfume-genius/for-a-while-i-thought-i-would-maybe-be-a-writer-but-with-music-i-was/#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 } } ] } ```