--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You can't be unique any way. Music is…" description: "\"You can't be unique any way. Music is made from seven notes. You will always come back to something. Even if you think you are unique, you will come ba..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eeb/rokia-traore-16288_ifs_you-can-t-be-unique-any-way-music-is-mad_788807.jpg" --- # You can't be unique any way. Music is made from seven… ![“You can't be unique any way. Music is made from seven notes. You will always come back to something. Even if you think you are unique, you will come back to something that existed before you were doing what you are doing.” quote by Rokia Traore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eeb/rokia-traore-16288_ifs_you-can-t-be-unique-any-way-music-is-mad_788807.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eeb/rokia-traore-16288_ifs_you-can-t-be-unique-any-way-music-is-mad_788807.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eeb/rokia-traore-16288_ifs_you-can-t-be-unique-any-way-music-is-mad_788807.jpg) > “You can't be unique any way. Music is made from seven notes. You will always come back to something. Even if you think you are unique, you will come back to something that existed before you were doing what you are doing.” [Rokia Traore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rokia-traore/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Creativity builds on existing foundations; originality emerges from recombining familiar elements. **In simple terms:** All art reuses old ideas. Key Takeaway Embrace influences while adding your voice. Themes creativity originality influence Mood inspirational thoughtful Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - songwriting - visual art - design - academic research Key Concepts cultural transmission musical theory innovation Questions to Reflect On - How can you innovate within tradition? - What makes a work feel fresh? A Different Perspective Originality may be limited by cultural constraints. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [The seven white notes on the piano - each section of the piece (there are 12 sections) is five of those seven white notes.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-eno/the-seven-white-notes-on-the-piano-each-section-of-the-piece-there/) [Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/) > [Your not being yourself and 'you' if your seeking new ways to seem 'unique' - it should come naturally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/your-not-being-yourself-and-you-if-your-seeking-new-ways-to-seem/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Souls are unique, but they still come in pairs”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-bayliss/souls-are-unique-but-they-still-come-in-pairs/) [P.J. Bayliss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-bayliss/) > [I don't think I'm unique or that I'm trying to do something unique, but I feel it is something I would like to hear.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rokia-traore/i-don-t-think-i-m-unique-or-that-i-m-trying-to-do-something-unique/) [Rokia Traore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rokia-traore/) > [The way 'Lux' was made is that there are 12 sections in here, though two of them are joined together. So there are really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-eno/the-way-lux-was-made-is-that-there-are-12-sections-in-here-though-two/) [Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/) > [“He knew that the very memory of the piano falsified still further the perspective in which he saw the elements of music, that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-proust/he-knew-that-the-very-memory-of-the-piano-falsified-still-further-the/) [Marcel Proust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-proust/) > [There are seven notes - Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Dha Ni no one is original in the world. We have to play around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anu-malik/there-are-seven-notes-sa-re-ga-ma-pa-dha-ni-no-one-is-original-in-the/) [Anu Malik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anu-malik/) > [“There are only three colors, ten digits, and seven notes, it’s what we do with them that’s important”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/there-are-only-three-colors-ten-digits-and-seven-notes-it-s-what-we/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [The way I make music is unique to myself and the way I have lived my life - no one else would tell that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pj-harvey/the-way-i-make-music-is-unique-to-myself-and-the-way-i-have-lived-my/) [PJ Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pj-harvey/) > [I think I have something unique that I'd like to share.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruby-dee/i-think-i-have-something-unique-that-i-d-like-to-share/) [Ruby Dee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruby-dee/) > [Comman man remains comman because he do only comman things.So think UNIQUE.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crvicky/comman-man-remains-comman-because-he-do-only-comman-things-so-think/) Crvicky > [To increase your level of self acceptance, think of your unique talents and abilities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/to-increase-your-level-of-self-acceptance-think-of-your-unique/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [STOP AND THINK... You are unique and special.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jhiess-krieg/stop-and-think-you-are-unique-and-special/) [Jhiess Krieg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jhiess-krieg/) > [Find your own style, whatever it is. Whatever is inside you, bring that out. I think that's when you have something unique.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramin-djawadi/find-your-own-style-whatever-it-is-whatever-is-inside-you-bring-that/) [Ramin Djawadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramin-djawadi/) > [When I think about unique insight, what I think about is here's your opportunity to tell me something that I don't know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-seibel/when-i-think-about-unique-insight-what-i-think-about-is-here-s-your/) [Michael Seibel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-seibel/) ## More by Rokia Traore > [My influences are jazz, blues, European classical music; they are rock music and pop music. So many kinds of music. World music from different…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rokia-traore/my-influences-are-jazz-blues-european-classical-music-they-are-rock/) [Rokia Traore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rokia-traore/) > [I think about all these influences and musical cultures, then the opinion of the audience is of course important, but when I'm working on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rokia-traore/i-think-about-all-these-influences-and-musical-cultures-then-the/) [Rokia Traore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rokia-traore/) > [ I don't know if it's due to my age, that I'm older now, \[but\] I love the essentials. I don't like the things around… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rokia-traore/i-don-t-know-if-it-s-due-to-my-age-that-i-m-older-now-but-i-love-the/) [Rokia Traore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rokia-traore/) > [Without an audience, all your dreams will not come true at all, because you need an audience to write new songs and continue to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rokia-traore/without-an-audience-all-your-dreams-will-not-come-true-at-all-because/) [Rokia Traore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rokia-traore/) > [Traveling changed my personality and gave me ability to do the music I do and to think in a certain way that everything can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rokia-traore/traveling-changed-my-personality-and-gave-me-ability-to-do-the-music/) [Rokia Traore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rokia-traore/) > [The interesting thing for me is to put together all my influences and all my experiences I got through my traveling with my father.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rokia-traore/the-interesting-thing-for-me-is-to-put-together-all-my-influences-and/) [Rokia Traore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rokia-traore/) > [I wanted to come back to the guitar after three albums and almost 10 years. I started to miss this instrument and I wanted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rokia-traore/i-wanted-to-come-back-to-the-guitar-after-three-albums-and-almost-10/) [Rokia Traore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rokia-traore/) > [I don't think I'm unique or that I'm trying to do something unique, but I feel it is something I would like to hear.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rokia-traore/i-don-t-think-i-m-unique-or-that-i-m-trying-to-do-something-unique/) [Rokia Traore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rokia-traore/) > [I can change the arrangements on stage while I am playing or singing, doing signs to the musicians to change things because the audience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rokia-traore/i-can-change-the-arrangements-on-stage-while-i-am-playing-or-singing/) [Rokia Traore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rokia-traore/) > [A melody without the right rhythm hardly exists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rokia-traore/a-melody-without-the-right-rhythm-hardly-exists/) [Rokia Traore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rokia-traore/) > [The most important thing is to be happy myself with what I am doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rokia-traore/the-most-important-thing-is-to-be-happy-myself-with-what-i-am-doing/) [Rokia Traore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rokia-traore/) > [I'm in a state of my life when the essential is very important to me. I don't like long songs with complicated arrangements and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rokia-traore/i-m-in-a-state-of-my-life-when-the-essential-is-very-important-to-me/) [Rokia Traore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rokia-traore/) > [The fact of playing an instrument and singing... that I can try to make my dream of singing and becoming a professional musician come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rokia-traore/the-fact-of-playing-an-instrument-and-singing-that-i-can-try-to-make/) [Rokia Traore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rokia-traore/) > [We're repeating the same things all the time; there aren't many new things happening in this life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rokia-traore/we-re-repeating-the-same-things-all-the-time-there-aren-t-many-new/) [Rokia Traore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rokia-traore/) > [The audiences are really different in general. Even in the same country or in the same city, from one venue to another, the audiences…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rokia-traore/the-audiences-are-really-different-in-general-even-in-the-same/) [Rokia Traore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rokia-traore/) [Explore all 40 Rokia Traore quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rokia-traore/) ## More Ifs quotes > [Women still, when they have breast cancer, go to work; they still lead their lives. They have to. I just did what I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-potter/women-still-when-they-have-breast-cancer-go-to-work-they-still-lead/) [Monica Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-potter/) > [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/) > [Histories never conclude; they just pause their prose. Their stories are, if they are truthful, untidy affairs, resistant to windings-up and sortings-out. They beat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-schama/histories-never-conclude-they-just-pause-their-prose-their-stories/) [Simon Schama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-schama/) > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [Many individuals spend a considerable portion of their lifetimes in terror of one imagined catastrophe or another. The classic is that your immortal soul…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-neil-smith/many-individuals-spend-a-considerable-portion-of-their-lifetimes-in/) [L. Neil Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-neil-smith/) > [Obviously, if you don't love life, you can't enjoy an oyster.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-clark/obviously-if-you-don-t-love-life-you-can-t-enjoy-an-oyster/) [Eleanor Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-clark/) > [If I don't have pressure, I don't function.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ferran-adria/if-i-don-t-have-pressure-i-don-t-function/) [Ferran Adria](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ferran-adria/) > [If you restore a car, and you're making money, then you're doing it wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/if-you-restore-a-car-and-you-re-making-money-then-you-re-doing-it/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [If we gave up our freedom as the price of security, we would no longer be the great nation that we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/if-we-gave-up-our-freedom-as-the-price-of-security-we-would-no-longer/) [Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/) [William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/) > [But we are convinced that if we are to play a meaningful role nationally, and in the community of nations, we must be second…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-sarabhai/but-we-are-convinced-that-if-we-are-to-play-a-meaningful-role/) [Vikram Sarabhai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-sarabhai/) > [The thing about hitting kids is, think about if you were doing the same thing to another adult. Hitting your kid is really the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/the-thing-about-hitting-kids-is-think-about-if-you-were-doing-the/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) Browse all 94,303 Ifs quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You can't be unique any way. Music is made from seven notes. You will always come back to something. 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