--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've had my ups and downs, and I…" description: "\"I've had my ups and downs, and I definitely have a sense - in America, especially - that once you've made your mark and gotten your Rolling Stone piece..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9be/rufus-wainwright-2260_america_i-ve-had-my-ups-and-downs-and-i-definite_59392.png" --- # I've had my ups and downs, and I definitely have a sense… ![“I've had my ups and downs, and I definitely have a sense - in America, especially - that once you've made your mark and gotten your Rolling Stone piece and your Grammy nomination, that they're on to the next piece of meat, and they don't necessarily like to follow the twistsand turns of an…” quote by Rufus Wainwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9be/rufus-wainwright-2260_america_i-ve-had-my-ups-and-downs-and-i-definite_59392.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9be/rufus-wainwright-2260_america_i-ve-had-my-ups-and-downs-and-i-definite_59392.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9be/rufus-wainwright-2260_america_i-ve-had-my-ups-and-downs-and-i-definite_59392.png) > “I've had my ups and downs, and I definitely have a sense - in America, especially - that once you've made your mark and gotten your Rolling Stone piece and your Grammy nomination, that they're on to the next piece of meat, and they don't necessarily like to follow the twistsand turns of an artistic career. Throwing an opera at them is something they have to notice. There's nothing subtle about it.” [Rufus Wainwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-wainwright/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote critiques the entertainment industry's fleeting attention, noting that once an artist achieves fame, the focus shifts to the next novelty rather than ongoing artistic evolution. **In simple terms:** Industry neglects sustained artistic growth. Key Takeaway Success breeds short‑term interest, not lasting support. Themes celebrity culture artistic integrity media cycles commercial pressure creative risk Mood frustrated defiant cynical Type celebrity insightful critical When to use this quote - post‑award interviews - artist‑label negotiations - media coverage of new releases - public expectations after a hit - industry trend analysis Key Concepts public perception career longevity artistic evolution Practical Applications - strategic career planning for artists - media training for navigating fame Questions to Reflect On - How can artists maintain creative freedom amid commercial expectations? - What mechanisms could encourage industry support for long‑term artistic development? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Artistic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artistic/) [Nominations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nominations/) [Opera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opera/) [Rolling stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rolling-stone/) [Rolling stones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rolling-stones/) [Ups & downs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ups-downs/) [Ups and downs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ups-and-downs/) ## Related quotes > [I've had my ups and downs, and I definitely have a sense - in America, especially - that once you've made your mark and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-wainwright/i-ve-had-my-ups-and-downs-and-i-definitely-have-a-sense-in-america-2/) [Rufus Wainwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-wainwright/) > [A Grammy is a wonderful thing; all of a sudden you're given a new audience but, like anything, you have to be able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-manchester/a-grammy-is-a-wonderful-thing-all-of-a-sudden-you-re-given-a-new/) [Melissa Manchester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-manchester/) > [I've dreamed a lot of things and a lot of them have come true. The Grammy nomination was the last thing on my list…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trombone-shorty/i-ve-dreamed-a-lot-of-things-and-a-lot-of-them-have-come-true-the/) [Trombone Shorty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trombone-shorty/) > [“Mitchell Maxwell’s Maxims • You have to create your own professional path. There’s no longer a roadmap for an artistic career. • Follow your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitchell-maxwell/mitchell-maxwell-s-maxims-you-have-to-create-your-own-professional/) Mitchell Maxwell > [You cannot earn money from any artistic career. You have to spend all the time if you want to develop, and keep presenting shows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nagwa-fouad/you-cannot-earn-money-from-any-artistic-career-you-have-to-spend-all/) Nagwa Fouad > [Having previously graduated from a 2-year commercial arts class, I thought that commercial illustration was the best way to make a living doing art.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-webb/having-previously-graduated-from-a-2-year-commercial-arts-class-i/) [William Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-webb/) > [I realized that the artists who managed to fight through this recession have a better shot at longevity than most. The recession was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-edward/i-realized-that-the-artists-who-managed-to-fight-through-this/) [Mark Edward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-edward/) > [I put out a raggae album. I got a grammy nomination for a raggae album just cause I didn't fit into the landscape of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heavy-d/i-put-out-a-raggae-album-i-got-a-grammy-nomination-for-a-raggae-album/) [Heavy D](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heavy-d/) > [My Grammy nomination didn't come from hip-hop, didn't come from R&B, didn't come from rock - it came from my success in country music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmie-allen/my-grammy-nomination-didn-t-come-from-hip-hop-didn-t-come-from-r-b/) [Jimmie Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmie-allen/) > [Getting a Grammy nomination for 'Brooklyn' meant a lot, especially because, as an album, it was one that was very personal to me but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wyatt-cenac/getting-a-grammy-nomination-for-brooklyn-meant-a-lot-especially/) [Wyatt Cenac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wyatt-cenac/) > [I was into punk rock my whole life. I never listened to the Eagles. I never listened to things that were getting Grammys. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-murphy/i-was-into-punk-rock-my-whole-life-i-never-listened-to-the-eagles-i/) [James Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-murphy/) > [My first Grammy nomination? I was 24 - I was nominated for best new artist of the year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-prine/my-first-grammy-nomination-i-was-24-i-was-nominated-for-best-new/) [John Prine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-prine/) > [I need a Grammy or a nomination. Just give me my nomination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yg/i-need-a-grammy-or-a-nomination-just-give-me-my-nomination/) YG > [I was interviewed for a Grammy television show, and they asked me about Nashville, and I talked for three minutes and when I finished,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janis-ian/i-was-interviewed-for-a-grammy-television-show-and-they-asked-me/) [Janis Ian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janis-ian/) > [My grammy never gave gifts, you know. She was too busy getting raped by Cossacks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-allen/my-grammy-never-gave-gifts-you-know-she-was-too-busy-getting-raped-by/) [Woody Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-allen/) ## More by Rufus Wainwright > [I have an ounce of Lady Gaga's full-bodied ambition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-wainwright/i-have-an-ounce-of-lady-gaga-s-full-bodied-ambition/) [Rufus Wainwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-wainwright/) > [I definitely consider 'Poses' - the whole album in fact - to be kind of a miracle. Like the last breath of that moment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-wainwright/i-definitely-consider-poses-the-whole-album-in-fact-to-be-kind-of-a/) [Rufus Wainwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-wainwright/) > [You know the question: 'How do you get to Carnegie Hall?' Answer: 'Practise?' Well, in my case, I got there by not practising. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-wainwright/you-know-the-question-how-do-you-get-to-carnegie-hall-answer-practise/) [Rufus Wainwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-wainwright/) > [I'll always be a boulevardier. I have an extreme reverence and romantic longing for all that is decrepit and fatalistic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-wainwright/i-ll-always-be-a-boulevardier-i-have-an-extreme-reverence-and/) [Rufus Wainwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-wainwright/) > [I'm very blessed, mainly because even though my family is mostly in show business, it's really centered around music. My parents were very successful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-wainwright/i-m-very-blessed-mainly-because-even-though-my-family-is-mostly-in/) [Rufus Wainwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-wainwright/) > [Growing up, for years and years I had no idea what the plots of operas were, and that's part of what fascinated me -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-wainwright/growing-up-for-years-and-years-i-had-no-idea-what-the-plots-of-operas/) [Rufus Wainwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-wainwright/) > [Once illness strikes, you realize there's not a lot of time for you to do what you really need to do. And there's no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-wainwright/once-illness-strikes-you-realize-there-s-not-a-lot-of-time-for-you-to/) [Rufus Wainwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-wainwright/) > [I basically have needed to go to the piano and give voice periodically to, you know - I'm always afraid to describe it as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-wainwright/i-basically-have-needed-to-go-to-the-piano-and-give-voice/) [Rufus Wainwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-wainwright/) > [And you will believe in love And all that it's supposed to be But just until the fish start to smell And you're struck…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-wainwright/and-you-will-believe-in-love-and-all-that-it-s-supposed-to-be-but/) [Rufus Wainwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-wainwright/) > [It's about how whenever I fall in love, I have these expectations of the experience being a perfect dream, which, of course, ruins it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-wainwright/it-s-about-how-whenever-i-fall-in-love-i-have-these-expectations-of/) [Rufus Wainwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-wainwright/) > [Crazy as it sounds, I'm a believer in destiny and serendipity, and I have had cosmic experiences all my life. Something told me I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-wainwright/crazy-as-it-sounds-i-m-a-believer-in-destiny-and-serendipity-and-i/) [Rufus Wainwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-wainwright/) > [I think everybody identified at a pretty young age that I was fairly entranced with myself. And that I had to be tempered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-wainwright/i-think-everybody-identified-at-a-pretty-young-age-that-i-was-fairly/) [Rufus Wainwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-wainwright/) > [The song is about knowing the end result of every situation you're in, and being able to play it out in your mind and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-wainwright/the-song-is-about-knowing-the-end-result-of-every-situation-you-re-in/) [Rufus Wainwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-wainwright/) > [I like to make the mundane fabulous whenever I can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-wainwright/i-like-to-make-the-mundane-fabulous-whenever-i-can/) [Rufus Wainwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-wainwright/) > [I was in the forest jumping around daffodils while everyone was high on heroin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-wainwright/i-was-in-the-forest-jumping-around-daffodils-while-everyone-was-high/) [Rufus Wainwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-wainwright/) [Explore all 176 Rufus Wainwright quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-wainwright/) ## More America quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I'm gonna bring America together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-gonna-bring-america-together/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [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/) > [You live overseas, you see these exotic places and you want to know about them. But, weirdly, it also made me homesick for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/you-live-overseas-you-see-these-exotic-places-and-you-want-to-know/) [Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) [Browse all 20,382 America quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I've had my ups and downs, and I definitely have a sense - in America, especially - that once you've made your mark and gotten your Rolling Stone piece and your Grammy nomination, that they're on to the next piece of meat, and they don't necessarily like to follow the twistsand turns of an artistic career. 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