--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Performing didn't feel comfortable until…" description: "\"Performing didn't feel comfortable until I was about 17. I loved to sing, but I always said I would never perform because I was too scared.\" — Seinabo Sey" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c77/seinabo-sey-27015_about_performing-didn-t-feel-comfortable-until_2026083.jpg" --- # Performing didn't feel comfortable until I was about 17. I… ![“Performing didn't feel comfortable until I was about 17. I loved to sing, but I always said I would never perform because I was too scared.” quote by Seinabo Sey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c77/seinabo-sey-27015_about_performing-didn-t-feel-comfortable-until_2026083.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c77/seinabo-sey-27015_about_performing-didn-t-feel-comfortable-until_2026083.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c77/seinabo-sey-27015_about_performing-didn-t-feel-comfortable-until_2026083.jpg) > “Performing didn't feel comfortable until I was about 17. I loved to sing, but I always said I would never perform because I was too scared.” [Seinabo Sey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seinabo-sey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She describes overcoming fear of performing, noting that confidence grew with age and experience, leading to embracing singing despite earlier anxiety. **In simple terms:** She was scared to perform until she got older and more confident. Key Takeaway Face fears by practicing over time. Themes growth confidence performance fear music self‑discovery Mood encouraging determined inspirational Type advice motivational When to use this quote - school performances - public speaking - career auditions - personal challenges Key Concepts personal development stage fright creative expression Questions to Reflect On - What steps helped you become comfortable on stage? - How can you support others facing similar fears? A Different Perspective Fear may still appear in new situations despite past successes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [About](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/) [Always](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) [Because](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/because/) [Comfortable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comfortable/) [Didn Feel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/didn-feel-233915/) [Feel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feel/) [Loved](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loved/) [Never](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/never/) [Perform](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perform/) [Perform Scared](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perform-scared-3696498/) [Performing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/performing/) [Performing Didn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/performing-didn-1882372/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) [Said Perform](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said-perform-1066269/) [Scared](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scared/) [Sing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sing/) [Too](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/too/) [Until](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/until/) [Would](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would/) ## Related quotes > [In my mid-twenties, I said to myself: 'I can't perform anymore!' I didn't know what I wanted to do. I didn't perform for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-kayden/in-my-mid-twenties-i-said-to-myself-i-can-t-perform-anymore-i-didn-t/) [Spencer Kayden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-kayden/) > [I couldn't see a future of doing anything other than performing. I didn't like school if I'm being honest. I would have settled for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-cole/i-couldn-t-see-a-future-of-doing-anything-other-than-performing-i/) [Cheryl Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-cole/) > [I always wanted to be an artist of some sort and I was really shy growing up, so performing didn't really seem like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-sudol/i-always-wanted-to-be-an-artist-of-some-sort-and-i-was-really-shy/) [Alison Sudol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-sudol/) > [I love performing, and if I didn't love it, I wouldn't be doing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-pardi/i-love-performing-and-if-i-didn-t-love-it-i-wouldn-t-be-doing-it/) [Jon Pardi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-pardi/) > [Bono told me how to dance in high heels and he also told me about U2's Glastonbury performance and how everything that could have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-welch/bono-told-me-how-to-dance-in-high-heels-and-he-also-told-me-about-u2/) [Florence Welch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-welch/) > [I was never very happy with performing; it didn't turn me on much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-pacino/i-was-never-very-happy-with-performing-it-didn-t-turn-me-on-much/) [Al Pacino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-pacino/) > [Performing is something that has really grown on me and become an important part of my life, which I didn't used to feel. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frankie-cosmos/performing-is-something-that-has-really-grown-on-me-and-become-an/) [Frankie Cosmos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frankie-cosmos/) > [I basically started performing for my mother, going, 'Love me!' What drives you to perform is the need for that primal connection. When I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/i-basically-started-performing-for-my-mother-going-love-me-what/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [When I perform, I don’t think about the haters, the Internet trolls, or anyone else. I care about giving the person in front of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-aoki/when-i-perform-i-don-t-think-about-the-haters-the-internet-trolls-or/) [Steve Aoki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-aoki/) > [It's always performing for me. I write and I record so I can perform. It all ties to that. I've done it since I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-allan/it-s-always-performing-for-me-i-write-and-i-record-so-i-can-perform/) [Gary Allan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-allan/) > [I sing because I love singing. I perform because I love performing. I write because I actually enjoy writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ne-yo/i-sing-because-i-love-singing-i-perform-because-i-love-performing-i/) [Ne-Yo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ne-yo/) > [I didn't do anything as active as deciding that I wanted to be a writer. For one thing, I didn't feel like I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-link/i-didn-t-do-anything-as-active-as-deciding-that-i-wanted-to-be-a/) [Kelly Link](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-link/) > [Once you're back on your feet - if you ever make it back on your feet - that's the ultimate achievement. I remember I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rihanna/once-you-re-back-on-your-feet-if-you-ever-make-it-back-on-your-feet/) [Rihanna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rihanna/) > [I just know that I wasn't happy where I was. I didn't feel complete. I didn't feel like I was contributing what I needed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-pendergrass/i-just-know-that-i-wasn-t-happy-where-i-was-i-didn-t-feel-complete-i/) [Teddy Pendergrass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-pendergrass/) > [People often take me wrong I didn't feel bad I just smile beause onely god knows what is in person heart :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/musfirah/people-often-take-me-wrong-i-didn-t-feel-bad-i-just-smile-beause/) [Musfirah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/musfirah/) ## More by Seinabo Sey > [Some days, I think maybe we should try and be a little more conventional, but every time I try, I fail, so I'm learning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seinabo-sey/some-days-i-think-maybe-we-should-try-and-be-a-little-more/) [Seinabo Sey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seinabo-sey/) > [I love hip-hop and soul, but I desperately want to challenge it and see what I can bring to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seinabo-sey/i-love-hip-hop-and-soul-but-i-desperately-want-to-challenge-it-and/) [Seinabo Sey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seinabo-sey/) > [It's really important to me that the songs not only stand out individually but work as a full body of work, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seinabo-sey/it-s-really-important-to-me-that-the-songs-not-only-stand-out/) [Seinabo Sey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seinabo-sey/) > [We moved to Gambia from Sweden when I was six years old because my dad was from there. It was definitely a culture shock.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seinabo-sey/we-moved-to-gambia-from-sweden-when-i-was-six-years-old-because-my/) [Seinabo Sey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seinabo-sey/) > [By the second time I sang by myself in school, I just realized that I was more in control of my environment than I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seinabo-sey/by-the-second-time-i-sang-by-myself-in-school-i-just-realized-that-i/) [Seinabo Sey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seinabo-sey/) > [I guess one thing that makes my music stand out is that it is quite hard to determine what genre it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seinabo-sey/i-guess-one-thing-that-makes-my-music-stand-out-is-that-it-is-quite/) [Seinabo Sey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seinabo-sey/) > [I'm a big fan of skilled singers. Some of my favorites are Cee-Lo Green, Donny Hathaway, James Fauntleroy, and Kim Burrell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seinabo-sey/i-m-a-big-fan-of-skilled-singers-some-of-my-favorites-are-cee-lo/) [Seinabo Sey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seinabo-sey/) > [I met Magnus Lidehall about two years ago, and the beat that I originally wrote 'Younger' on was one of the first ones that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seinabo-sey/i-met-magnus-lidehall-about-two-years-ago-and-the-beat-that-i/) [Seinabo Sey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seinabo-sey/) > [I suddenly got used to that feeling of being in control, which I never, ever feel when I'm not onstage - a feeling that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seinabo-sey/i-suddenly-got-used-to-that-feeling-of-being-in-control-which-i-never/) [Seinabo Sey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seinabo-sey/) > [I remember Alicia Keys and Usher had released a song called 'My Boo,' and my music teacher got me to sing a duet with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seinabo-sey/i-remember-alicia-keys-and-usher-had-released-a-song-called-my-boo/) [Seinabo Sey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seinabo-sey/) > [It was the part of Gambian culture where they give each other advice a lot, how they're always comparing things in order to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seinabo-sey/it-was-the-part-of-gambian-culture-where-they-give-each-other-advice/) [Seinabo Sey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seinabo-sey/) > [Since I'm not good at anything else, I hope I can keep singing for a long time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seinabo-sey/since-i-m-not-good-at-anything-else-i-hope-i-can-keep-singing-for-a/) [Seinabo Sey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seinabo-sey/) > [I got along with mostly everyone, but music school does that to you. We had to sing in a choir all the time, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seinabo-sey/i-got-along-with-mostly-everyone-but-music-school-does-that-to-you-we/) [Seinabo Sey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seinabo-sey/) > [I had a hard time when I came back to Sweden and started school, because I looked different. And we moved to a really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seinabo-sey/i-had-a-hard-time-when-i-came-back-to-sweden-and-started-school/) [Seinabo Sey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seinabo-sey/) > [It's so crazy to see people singing along to songs that aren't even released yet. 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