--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you do a pop album, the canvas is…" description: "\"When you do a pop album, the canvas is completely yours. There is no story situation forced on to your songs - you have the freedom to develop it right..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c32/shankar-mahadevan-6080_album_when-you-do-a-pop-album-the-canvas-is-co_3075145.jpg" --- # When you do a pop album, the canvas is completely yours… ![“When you do a pop album, the canvas is completely yours. There is no story situation forced on to your songs - you have the freedom to develop it right from the concept.” quote by Shankar Mahadevan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c32/shankar-mahadevan-6080_album_when-you-do-a-pop-album-the-canvas-is-co_3075145.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c32/shankar-mahadevan-6080_album_when-you-do-a-pop-album-the-canvas-is-co_3075145.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c32/shankar-mahadevan-6080_album_when-you-do-a-pop-album-the-canvas-is-co_3075145.jpg) > “When you do a pop album, the canvas is completely yours. There is no story situation forced on to your songs - you have the freedom to develop it right from the concept.” [Shankar Mahadevan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shankar-mahadevan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Artists control their work when they design it, allowing personal concepts to guide the music rather than external narratives. **In simple terms:** Artists can shape their music freely. Key Takeaway Embrace personal vision in creation. Themes creativity artistic freedom music production Mood empowered reflective Type inspirational artistic When to use this quote - album planning - songwriting - branding - marketing Key Concepts conceptual design authenticity Questions to Reflect On - How does personal concept affect listener engagement? - What balance between vision and audience expectations? A Different Perspective May lack audience connection without relatable storytelling. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Album](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/album/) [Canvas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/canvas/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Story](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/story/) ## Related quotes > [I want to make a pop album - something more upbeat than my stuff was in the '90s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-michael/i-want-to-make-a-pop-album-something-more-upbeat-than-my-stuff-was-in/) [George Michael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-michael/) > [When you are busy with all the live shows and bands, world music and jazz music, it takes time to come back and do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shankar-mahadevan/when-you-are-busy-with-all-the-live-shows-and-bands-world-music-and/) [Shankar Mahadevan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shankar-mahadevan/) > [Nobody's story is the same, nobody's situation is the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-ostovich/nobody-s-story-is-the-same-nobody-s-situation-is-the-same/) [Rachael Ostovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-ostovich/) > [It's really about, oh come on, this guy wouldn't say that or he wouldn't do that, you know, it's about the characters, about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-hill/it-s-really-about-oh-come-on-this-guy-wouldn-t-say-that-or-he-wouldn/) [Walter Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-hill/) > [ “\[Whenever we wonder\] 'What should I do', instead of asking ourselves what's right or wrong, we must ask ourselves: \[...\] What is the truest,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glennon-doyle/whenever-we-wonder-what-should-i-do-instead-of-asking-ourselves-what/) [Glennon Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glennon-doyle/) > [ Every work \[of literature\] has both a situation and a story. The situation is the context or circumstance, sometimes the plot; the story is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivian-gornick/every-work-of-literature-has-both-a-situation-and-a-story-the/) [Vivian Gornick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivian-gornick/) > [The world is filled with people who are no longer needed. And who try to make slaves of all of us. And they have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-guthrie/the-world-is-filled-with-people-who-are-no-longer-needed-and-who-try-3/) [Woody Guthrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-guthrie/) > [There are those who still think they are holding the pass against a revolution that may be coming up the road. But they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garet-garrett/there-are-those-who-still-think-they-are-holding-the-pass-against-a/) [Garet Garrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garet-garrett/) > [“If a bird is caged, expect all its songs to be songs of freedom.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/if-a-bird-is-caged-expect-all-its-songs-to-be-songs-of-freedom/) [Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/) > [“Won't you help to sing these songs of freedom?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-marley/won-t-you-help-to-sing-these-songs-of-freedom/) [Bob Marley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-marley/) > [One day we'll all be free and proud. To be under the same sun. Singing songs of freedom like.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matisyahu/one-day-we-ll-all-be-free-and-proud-to-be-under-the-same-sun-singing/) [Matisyahu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matisyahu/) > [Won't you help to sing these songs of freedom? 'Cause all I ever have… redemption songs; redemption songs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-marley/won-t-you-help-to-sing-these-songs-of-freedom-cause-all-i-ever-have/) [Bob Marley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-marley/) > [“The world has its own ways of treating us like what we will never be, but want to be. It relinquishes its grip on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-ali/the-world-has-its-own-ways-of-treating-us-like-what-we-will-never-be/) [Annie Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-ali/) > [A Hard Day's Night' is the most perfect pop album you'll ever get to hear in your life; it's filled with definitive versions of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mick-hucknall/a-hard-day-s-night-is-the-most-perfect-pop-album-you-ll-ever-get-to/) [Mick Hucknall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mick-hucknall/) > [In an odd way I thought I was lowering the bar for myself, in saying, well, I'll make a pop album. But in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-pierce/in-an-odd-way-i-thought-i-was-lowering-the-bar-for-myself-in-saying/) [Jason Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-pierce/) ## More by Shankar Mahadevan > [There can be inhibitions, but there are millions of people who like to sing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shankar-mahadevan/there-can-be-inhibitions-but-there-are-millions-of-people-who-like-to/) [Shankar Mahadevan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shankar-mahadevan/) > [Playing with words is like combining different notes in music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shankar-mahadevan/playing-with-words-is-like-combining-different-notes-in-music/) [Shankar Mahadevan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shankar-mahadevan/) > [Bollywood takes up a lot of time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shankar-mahadevan/bollywood-takes-up-a-lot-of-time/) [Shankar Mahadevan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shankar-mahadevan/) > [I don't mind travelling to and fro from Navi Mumbai for work because the calm and serene atmosphere I enjoy here is unparalleled.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shankar-mahadevan/i-don-t-mind-travelling-to-and-fro-from-navi-mumbai-for-work-because/) [Shankar Mahadevan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shankar-mahadevan/) > [I have always been fascinated by Krishna, the Indian deity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shankar-mahadevan/i-have-always-been-fascinated-by-krishna-the-indian-deity/) [Shankar Mahadevan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shankar-mahadevan/) > [I believe that classical music comes through listening and practice, and it can be fun both for the singer or performer and the listener…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shankar-mahadevan/i-believe-that-classical-music-comes-through-listening-and-practice/) [Shankar Mahadevan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shankar-mahadevan/) > [You can't put a show in a boring format to young kids. They need to relate to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shankar-mahadevan/you-can-t-put-a-show-in-a-boring-format-to-young-kids-they-need-to/) [Shankar Mahadevan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shankar-mahadevan/) > [It is so important to have the cushioning of humour in one's life for a smooth run.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shankar-mahadevan/it-is-so-important-to-have-the-cushioning-of-humour-in-one-s-life-for/) [Shankar Mahadevan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shankar-mahadevan/) > [Besides training, you need to be focused and not shy away from hard work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shankar-mahadevan/besides-training-you-need-to-be-focused-and-not-shy-away-from-hard/) [Shankar Mahadevan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shankar-mahadevan/) > [Travel is always connected to music, as with travel, we explore the world, and by listening music, we explore ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shankar-mahadevan/travel-is-always-connected-to-music-as-with-travel-we-explore-the/) [Shankar Mahadevan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shankar-mahadevan/) > [In any musician's career, a film like 'Manikarnika' becomes a landmark dream project, which is challenging and musically enriching at the same time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shankar-mahadevan/in-any-musician-s-career-a-film-like-manikarnika-becomes-a-landmark/) [Shankar Mahadevan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shankar-mahadevan/) > [If you are teaching a kid about seasons, you can put it in a song. He will definitely take interest. I wish to put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shankar-mahadevan/if-you-are-teaching-a-kid-about-seasons-you-can-put-it-in-a-song-he/) [Shankar Mahadevan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shankar-mahadevan/) > [Economic background should not be a reason for not learning music!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shankar-mahadevan/economic-background-should-not-be-a-reason-for-not-learning-music/) [Shankar Mahadevan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shankar-mahadevan/) > [Music is all about creativity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shankar-mahadevan/music-is-all-about-creativity/) [Shankar Mahadevan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shankar-mahadevan/) > [I have completed 21 years of composing music in Indian films.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shankar-mahadevan/i-have-completed-21-years-of-composing-music-in-indian-films/) [Shankar Mahadevan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shankar-mahadevan/) [Explore all 100 Shankar Mahadevan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shankar-mahadevan/) ## More Album quotes > [I was in high school and I had an independent album out, and we kept sending that out, and I was doing shows. No…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-hilton/i-was-in-high-school-and-i-had-an-independent-album-out-and-we-kept/) [Tyler Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-hilton/) > [I definitely want to put together an amazing debut album with some really dreamy collaborations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bree-runway/i-definitely-want-to-put-together-an-amazing-debut-album-with-some/) [Bree Runway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bree-runway/) > [I give you everything you want as an artist, for so long. Consistency. Wordplay. Wittiness. You can check the checklist. Only thing I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jadakiss/i-give-you-everything-you-want-as-an-artist-for-so-long-consistency/) [Jadakiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jadakiss/) > [Doing my own album provided me the opportunity to say whatever I wanted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-marx/doing-my-own-album-provided-me-the-opportunity-to-say-whatever-i/) [Richard Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-marx/) > [I never thought I would be on the tour or that people would want to talk about my album. It was never about that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-wave/i-never-thought-i-would-be-on-the-tour-or-that-people-would-want-to/) [Rod Wave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-wave/) > [I never do any album to beat it. I do it to extend it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-j-blige/i-never-do-any-album-to-beat-it-i-do-it-to-extend-it/) [Mary J. Blige](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-j-blige/) > [My first album, 'Get Lifted,' was a hip-hop soul album that had some of its roots in the church, as far as the sonic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-legend/my-first-album-get-lifted-was-a-hip-hop-soul-album-that-had-some-of/) [John Legend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-legend/) > [Yazoo was Vince's sound ultimately. At the time Vince and I got together he had only recorded one album with Depeche and Depeche were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-moyet/yazoo-was-vince-s-sound-ultimately-at-the-time-vince-and-i-got/) [Alison Moyet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-moyet/) > [A lot of the album 'The Definition' was made from two things: Pixar movies and J. Dilla.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-bellion/a-lot-of-the-album-the-definition-was-made-from-two-things-pixar/) [Jon Bellion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-bellion/) > [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/) > [I remember I heard it in an interview with Michael Jackson one day, saying the art is gone, everybody makes records just to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raekwon/i-remember-i-heard-it-in-an-interview-with-michael-jackson-one-day/) [Raekwon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raekwon/) > [James Morrison just had a new album come out and I think he's incredible. I'd love to work with him, his voice is insane.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mchale/james-morrison-just-had-a-new-album-come-out-and-i-think-he-s/) [Kevin McHale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mchale/) > [The first album I ever purchased and ever remember listening to in full length was 'The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doechii/the-first-album-i-ever-purchased-and-ever-remember-listening-to-in/) [Doechii](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doechii/) > [I'm a huge Joe Nichols fan, and he put this song out an album called 'Real Things.' I was excited for Joe when I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blake-shelton/i-m-a-huge-joe-nichols-fan-and-he-put-this-song-out-an-album-called/) [Blake Shelton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blake-shelton/) > [We on the internet. That's such a small community. We think we're so huge. If you went up to people on the street and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lupe-fiasco/we-on-the-internet-that-s-such-a-small-community-we-think-we-re-so/) [Lupe Fiasco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lupe-fiasco/) [Browse all 1,266 Album quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/album/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When you do a pop album, the canvas is completely yours. There is no story situation forced on to your songs - you have the freedom to develop it right from the concept.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Shankar Mahadevan" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shankar-mahadevan/when-you-do-a-pop-album-the-canvas-is-completely-yours-there-is-no/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Album" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shankar-mahadevan/when-you-do-a-pop-album-the-canvas-is-completely-yours-there-is-no/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c32/shankar-mahadevan-6080_album_when-you-do-a-pop-album-the-canvas-is-co_3075145.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c32/shankar-mahadevan-6080_album_when-you-do-a-pop-album-the-canvas-is-co_3075145.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c32/shankar-mahadevan-6080_album_when-you-do-a-pop-album-the-canvas-is-co_3075145.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When you do a pop album, the canvas is completely yours. There is no story situation forced on to your songs…” — Shankar Mahadevan", "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": "Shankar Mahadevan", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shankar-mahadevan/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When you do a pop album,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shankar-mahadevan/when-you-do-a-pop-album-the-canvas-is-completely-yours-there-is-no/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shankar-mahadevan/when-you-do-a-pop-album-the-canvas-is-completely-yours-there-is-no/#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 } } ] } ```