--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I sing, it's the most solitary…" description: "\"When I sing, it's the most solitary state: just me, and the microphone, and the holy spirit. It's not about notes or scales, it's all about emotion.\" —..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b2/sinead-o-connor-3554_emotion_when-i-sing-it-s-the-most-solitary-state_155852.png" --- # When I sing, it's the most solitary state: just me, and… ![“When I sing, it's the most solitary state: just me, and the microphone, and the holy spirit. It's not about notes or scales, it's all about emotion.” quote by Sinead O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b2/sinead-o-connor-3554_emotion_when-i-sing-it-s-the-most-solitary-state_155852.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b2/sinead-o-connor-3554_emotion_when-i-sing-it-s-the-most-solitary-state_155852.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7b2/sinead-o-connor-3554_emotion_when-i-sing-it-s-the-most-solitary-state_155852.png) > “When I sing, it's the most solitary state: just me, and the microphone, and the holy spirit. It's not about notes or scales, it's all about emotion.” [Sinead O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sinead-o-connor/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Singing is a private communion where emotion outweighs technical skill, connecting the artist to something transcendent. **In simple terms:** Singing is about feeling, not technique. Key Takeaway Focus on emotion when performing. Themes creativity spirituality expression Mood introspective passionate Type artistic spiritual When to use this quote - solo performance - recording studio - live concert - personal reflection Key Concepts artistic vulnerability emotional authenticity Questions to Reflect On - How does emotion shape your artistic choices? - What does the “holy spirit” symbolize in your work? A Different Perspective Technical mastery alone cannot convey true feeling. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Emotion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotion/) [Holy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/holy/) [Holy spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/holy-spirit/) [Solitary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/solitary/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirit/) ## Related quotes > [You know, I've never done karaoke, ever. It makes me nervous - I think it's the lack of the guitar and just a microphone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-clark-jr/you-know-i-ve-never-done-karaoke-ever-it-makes-me-nervous-i-think-it/) [Gary Clark, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-clark-jr/) > [When it comes down to the music, it's just you and the microphone. It's not you and the record execs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-ora/when-it-comes-down-to-the-music-it-s-just-you-and-the-microphone-it-s/) [Rita Ora](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-ora/) > [I'm used to doing standup comedy where it's just me and a microphone and what I say goes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-povitsky/i-m-used-to-doing-standup-comedy-where-it-s-just-me-and-a-microphone/) [Esther Povitsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-povitsky/) > [I want the fans to know that just because we have a microphone; we're no different from you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tana-mongeau/i-want-the-fans-to-know-that-just-because-we-have-a-microphone-we-re/) [Tana Mongeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tana-mongeau/) > [Nobody gets between me and my microphone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sinead-o-connor/nobody-gets-between-me-and-my-microphone/) [Sinead O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sinead-o-connor/) > [Now, you can just get a laptop, get some software, put a microphone on it and make a record. You have to know how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-mcguinn/now-you-can-just-get-a-laptop-get-some-software-put-a-microphone-on/) [Roger McGuinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-mcguinn/) > [Jonathan Coe's genial, likeable novel can only be described as a kind of lit-prog-rock concept album... Coe recreates the period with such loving accuracy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bradshaw/jonathan-coe-s-genial-likeable-novel-can-only-be-described-as-a-kind/) [Peter Bradshaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bradshaw/) > [You're stuck in front of the microphone. You can't use your hands. 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In making a record you don't have the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-callas/it-takes-a-little-more-time-to-get-into-the-role-but-not-very-much/) [Maria Callas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-callas/) > [Meanwhile someone is shining my head to get it dry to attach my top-hat to my head with toupee tape. I get into microphone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tituss-burgess/meanwhile-someone-is-shining-my-head-to-get-it-dry-to-attach-my-top/) [Tituss Burgess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tituss-burgess/) ## More by Sinead O'Connor > [What I hope is to really focus on being a songwriter. I'd love to write songs for other people; that's something I'd really like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sinead-o-connor/what-i-hope-is-to-really-focus-on-being-a-songwriter-i-d-love-to/) [Sinead O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sinead-o-connor/) > [All of my life, actually, I had a real strong relationship with God, but I was always in the closet about it. The only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sinead-o-connor/all-of-my-life-actually-i-had-a-real-strong-relationship-with-god-but/) [Sinead O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sinead-o-connor/) > [There's a standard of songwriting that, when you start immersing yourself in those types of songs, it raises your own bar as a songwriter.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sinead-o-connor/there-s-a-standard-of-songwriting-that-when-you-start-immersing/) [Sinead O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sinead-o-connor/) > [It was the case in the 70s and 80s that people believed music could change the world. But now people aren't making music because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sinead-o-connor/it-was-the-case-in-the-70s-and-80s-that-people-believed-music-could/) [Sinead O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sinead-o-connor/) > [You can't solve a spiritual problem with politics. 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God exists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sinead-o-connor/there-is-a-god-god-exists/) [Sinead O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sinead-o-connor/) > [I suppose in some ways, all over the world "crazy" is a term of abuse and I think that is something that should be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sinead-o-connor/i-suppose-in-some-ways-all-over-the-world-crazy-is-a-term-of-abuse/) [Sinead O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sinead-o-connor/) > [The sexuality is being sold to the artists as power when in fact it's not; it's a way of hypnotizing their audience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sinead-o-connor/the-sexuality-is-being-sold-to-the-artists-as-power-when-in-fact-it-s/) [Sinead O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sinead-o-connor/) > [I'm on fire when I'm singing, I'm completely in character, I use my sense memories, and every syllable of it is meant. It's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sinead-o-connor/i-m-on-fire-when-i-m-singing-i-m-completely-in-character-i-use-my/) [Sinead O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sinead-o-connor/) > [“Women are to be valued for so much more than their sexuality”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sinead-o-connor/women-are-to-be-valued-for-so-much-more-than-their-sexuality/) [Sinéad O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sinead-o-connor/) > [I could stand in the street and sing and get enough to pay the bills. I don't need millions of dollars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sinead-o-connor/i-could-stand-in-the-street-and-sing-and-get-enough-to-pay-the-bills/) [Sinead O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sinead-o-connor/) [Explore all 128 Sinead O'Connor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sinead-o-connor/) ## More Emotion quotes > [It can sometimes make people fold into themselves and kind of run away, but I think in this case these characters are being forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-deschanel/it-can-sometimes-make-people-fold-into-themselves-and-kind-of-run/) [Emily Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-deschanel/) > [Every action that helps us manifest our divine nature more and more is good; every action that retards it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-action-that-helps-us-manifest-our-divine-nature-more-and-more/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [Of course I like you. It's because I like you I don't wanna be with you. It's a complicated emotion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marlin/of-course-i-like-you-it-s-because-i-like-you-i-don-t-wanna-be-with/) Marlin > [In discovering books, you became free to explore the full range of human motives, desires, secrets, and lies. All my life, people have scolded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsy-lerner/in-discovering-books-you-became-free-to-explore-the-full-range-of/) [Betsy Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsy-lerner/) > [“Emotion as well as reason belongs to the very stuff of history.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beryl-smalley/emotion-as-well-as-reason-belongs-to-the-very-stuff-of-history/) Beryl Smalley > [It definitely helps to have the acting experience going into singing, because when you're singing, you have to portray the emotion you were feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-newman/it-definitely-helps-to-have-the-acting-experience-going-into-singing/) Ryan Newman > [It is not my intention to explain Turkey, its culture and its problems. 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