--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Once I started singing, I didn't have to…" description: "\"Once I started singing, I didn't have to try to be cool. I was just one of the coolest guys around.\" — R. Kelly" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/749/r-kelly-2614_being-cool_once-i-started-singing-i-didn-t-have-to_1747751.jpg" --- # Once I started singing, I didn't have to try to be cool. I… ![“Once I started singing, I didn't have to try to be cool. I was just one of the coolest guys around.” quote by R. Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/749/r-kelly-2614_being-cool_once-i-started-singing-i-didn-t-have-to_1747751.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/749/r-kelly-2614_being-cool_once-i-started-singing-i-didn-t-have-to_1747751.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/749/r-kelly-2614_being-cool_once-i-started-singing-i-didn-t-have-to_1747751.jpg) > “Once I started singing, I didn't have to try to be cool. I was just one of the coolest guys around.” [R. Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-kelly/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Singing authentically removes the need to perform; it naturally makes one cool. **In simple terms:** Being true to yourself makes you cool. Key Takeaway Be authentic to gain confidence. Themes authenticity confidence coolness music Mood motivational confident Type personal creative When to use this quote - stage presence - personal branding - creative work Key Concepts self‑expression identity performance Questions to Reflect On - How does authenticity affect your confidence? - Can you be cool without trying? A Different Perspective Authenticity may not guarantee social acceptance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Being cool](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-cool/) [Cool](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cool/) [Cool Just](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cool-just-1577636/) [Coolest Guys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coolest-guys-753781/) [Guy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guy/) [Just one](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/just-one/) [Singing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/singing/) [Singing Didn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/singing-didn-924757/) [Started](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/started/) [Started Singing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/started-singing/) [Try](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/try/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) ## Related quotes > [I think that when I started singing, I didn't know what I wanted to do; I only knew what I didn't want to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianne-reeves/i-think-that-when-i-started-singing-i-didn-t-know-what-i-wanted-to-do/) [Dianne Reeves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianne-reeves/) > [I have to say that when I first started singing, I didn't think it was a very noble profession. I worked for people like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesley-gore/i-have-to-say-that-when-i-first-started-singing-i-didn-t-think-it-was/) [Lesley Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesley-gore/) > [I probably wouldn't be singing if not for Michael Jackson. When I started singing, I didn't like my tone until my mom put me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ne-yo/i-probably-wouldn-t-be-singing-if-not-for-michael-jackson-when-i/) [Ne-Yo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ne-yo/) > [I knew being a musician was my calling when I was 12 or 13. I started singing when I was six but didn't actually…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/la-porsha-renae/i-knew-being-a-musician-was-my-calling-when-i-was-12-or-13-i-started/) [La'Porsha Renae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/la-porsha-renae/) > [When I first started singing, I didn't know which direction to take - I sang rock & roll and all kinds of things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/engelbert-humperdinck/when-i-first-started-singing-i-didn-t-know-which-direction-to-take-i/) [Engelbert Humperdinck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/engelbert-humperdinck/) > [I don't like wearing suits all the time. I don't like looking like the clean-cut kind of dude. I think the coolest guys are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brenton-thwaites/i-don-t-like-wearing-suits-all-the-time-i-don-t-like-looking-like-the/) [Brenton Thwaites](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brenton-thwaites/) > [My friend Liam Neeson has managed to carve out a great place in the industry for himself and is still doing action movies at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-grillo/my-friend-liam-neeson-has-managed-to-carve-out-a-great-place-in-the/) [Frank Grillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-grillo/) > [I really believed that Batman had the potential to be one of the coolest guys in cinema.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-keaton/i-really-believed-that-batman-had-the-potential-to-be-one-of-the/) [Michael Keaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-keaton/) > [In the '90s, it was cool to just like R&B. But I liked Nirvana and stuff, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/autre-ne-veut/in-the-90s-it-was-cool-to-just-like-r-b-but-i-liked-nirvana-and-stuff/) [Autre Ne Veut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/autre-ne-veut/) > [Rapping was just something that I started doing cause I thought it was cool. I just went ahead and did that cause everybody was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-pain/rapping-was-just-something-that-i-started-doing-cause-i-thought-it/) [T-Pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-pain/) > [I'm not that cool; I'm just a bookworm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-harrison/i-m-not-that-cool-i-m-just-a-bookworm/) [Rick Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-harrison/) > [Ignore me? Okay that's cool, just don't be mad when I do it to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amiee/ignore-me-okay-that-s-cool-just-don-t-be-mad-when-i-do-it-to-you/) [Amiee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amiee/) > [You think you're so cool just because you can walk!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-lancaster/you-think-you-re-so-cool-just-because-you-can-walk/) [Jen Lancaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-lancaster/) > [Cool is just something we've never been.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declan-donnelly/cool-is-just-something-we-ve-never-been/) [Declan Donnelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/declan-donnelly/) > [You're angry at me for that? That's cool, just let me know when you grow up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/you-re-angry-at-me-for-that-that-s-cool-just-let-me-know-when-you/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) ## More by R. Kelly > [Downstairs in my house, I have a museum room. I keep all of my awards down there, and childhood photos, and even all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-kelly/downstairs-in-my-house-i-have-a-museum-room-i-keep-all-of-my-awards/) [R. Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-kelly/) > [If there's no fire, there's no scream. If there's no scream, then no one hears you and no one comes to help you in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-kelly/if-there-s-no-fire-there-s-no-scream-if-there-s-no-scream-then-no-one/) [R. Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-kelly/) > [Well, I believe that the depth of your struggle can determine the height of your success. I was inspired to come out of everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-kelly/well-i-believe-that-the-depth-of-your-struggle-can-determine-the/) [R. Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-kelly/) > [You know, I'm no different from a fireman. You got to run into a fire no matter how big the blaze is](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-kelly/you-know-i-m-no-different-from-a-fireman-you-got-to-run-into-a-fire/) [R. Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-kelly/) > [Sometimes silence can seem so loud.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-kelly/sometimes-silence-can-seem-so-loud/) [R. Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-kelly/) > [They say marriage will change you but it didn't change me. Being in love changed me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-kelly/they-say-marriage-will-change-you-but-it-didn-t-change-me-being-in/) [R. Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-kelly/) > [I have always been infatuated with country music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-kelly/i-have-always-been-infatuated-with-country-music/) [R. Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-kelly/) > [I gave a Christmas party last year - well, two Christmases ago - where I did a Sam Cooke show. I didn't perform as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-kelly/i-gave-a-christmas-party-last-year-well-two-christmases-ago-where-i/) [R. Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-kelly/) > [When you're me, when you're R. Kelly, everybody wants a piece of you, and if you don't give 'em a piece they'll find a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-kelly/when-you-re-me-when-you-re-r-kelly-everybody-wants-a-piece-of-you-and/) [R. Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-kelly/) > [I will always do R. Kelly - I'm not perfect, but I'm perfectly me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-kelly/i-will-always-do-r-kelly-i-m-not-perfect-but-i-m-perfectly-me/) [R. Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-kelly/) > [I really don't chase songs. I get in the studio, I know what I gotta do; I'm pretty much programmed to do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-kelly/i-really-don-t-chase-songs-i-get-in-the-studio-i-know-what-i-gotta-do/) [R. Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-kelly/) > [I only feel sorry for weak people. And mostly what I've come to find is that the weak people are the ones that are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-kelly/i-only-feel-sorry-for-weak-people-and-mostly-what-i-ve-come-to-find/) [R. Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-kelly/) > [I want people to notice my writing abilities are real and that I'm not just stuck in one situation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-kelly/i-want-people-to-notice-my-writing-abilities-are-real-and-that-i-m/) [R. Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-kelly/) > [I'm not very good at picking stuff up off the radio. It takes me way too long to learn other people's music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-kelly/i-m-not-very-good-at-picking-stuff-up-off-the-radio-it-takes-me-way/) [R. Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-kelly/) > [I've really been writing a lot of country songs. I used to get criticized for doing a 'Bump Grind,' then turning around and doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-kelly/i-ve-really-been-writing-a-lot-of-country-songs-i-used-to-get/) [R. Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-kelly/) [Explore all 158 R. Kelly quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-kelly/) ## More Being cool quotes > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) > [Yes yes you can count on me - Fingers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/yes-yes-you-can-count-on-me-fingers/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [Come at me bro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/come-at-me-bro/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Men and women shop differently. Men know what they want before they see it. Women don't know what they want until they see it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/men-and-women-shop-differently-men-know-what-they-want-before-they/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [You are the love of my twitter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/you-are-the-love-of-my-twitter/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [A girl asks you what you need. The woman knows and gives you what you want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/a-girl-asks-you-what-you-need-the-woman-knows-and-gives-you-what-you/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [We should be recklessly abandoned to Jesus, and just turn it over to Him. Through the support I think the sacrifices will be made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacie-orrico/we-should-be-recklessly-abandoned-to-jesus-and-just-turn-it-over-to/) [Stacie Orrico](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacie-orrico/) > [Manchester has a certain reputation of being cool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-lowe/manchester-has-a-certain-reputation-of-being-cool/) [Alice Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-lowe/) > [The messaging campaign that stigmatized the term feminist definitely worked on me when I was a teenager. I always believed in equality, but there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindy-west/the-messaging-campaign-that-stigmatized-the-term-feminist-definitely/) [Lindy West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindy-west/) > [Trying to be cool is the easiest path to mediocrity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-crews/trying-to-be-cool-is-the-easiest-path-to-mediocrity/) [Terry Crews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-crews/) > [Being cool, is not trying to be cool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-cool-is-not-trying-to-be-cool/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My friend said he didn't have time for Twitter like me, he has a job I replied shut the fuck up & lend me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/my-friend-said-he-didn-t-have-time-for-twitter-like-me-he-has-a-job-i/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [I like my beer as I like my beer. Beer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/i-like-my-beer-as-i-like-my-beer-beer/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [HUSBAND, PERFECT, is, in a man's second marriage, her first mate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/husband-perfect-is-in-a-man-s-second-marriage-her-first-mate/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) [Browse all 688 Being cool quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-cool/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Once I started singing, I didn't have to try to be cool. I was just one of the coolest guys around.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "R. 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