--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'll be 40 this year, so 'Can We Talk' is…" description: "\"I'll be 40 this year, so 'Can We Talk' is really not me anymore. Now I have the freedom to express myself through my music and write about my likes, my..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/060/tevin-campbell-22262_freedom_i-ll-be-40-this-year-so-can-we-talk-is-r_2273703.jpg" --- # I'll be 40 this year, so 'Can We Talk' is really not me… ![“I'll be 40 this year, so 'Can We Talk' is really not me anymore. Now I have the freedom to express myself through my music and write about my likes, my dislikes, and my passions. There's no greater feeling than being able to express myself.” quote by Tevin Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/060/tevin-campbell-22262_freedom_i-ll-be-40-this-year-so-can-we-talk-is-r_2273703.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/060/tevin-campbell-22262_freedom_i-ll-be-40-this-year-so-can-we-talk-is-r_2273703.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/060/tevin-campbell-22262_freedom_i-ll-be-40-this-year-so-can-we-talk-is-r_2273703.jpg) > “I'll be 40 this year, so 'Can We Talk' is really not me anymore. Now I have the freedom to express myself through my music and write about my likes, my dislikes, and my passions. There's no greater feeling than being able to express myself.” [Tevin Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tevin-campbell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The artist reflects on aging, gaining confidence, and using music as a vehicle for authentic self‑expression. **In simple terms:** Aging brings confidence to share true feelings through music. Key Takeaway Embrace your voice and share your truth. Themes self‑expression authenticity growth Mood empowered reflective Type personal artistic When to use this quote - songwriting - public speaking - social media posts - personal branding Key Concepts identity creative freedom personal evolution Questions to Reflect On - How does age change your creative priorities? - What topics feel safest to share now? A Different Perspective May still face industry expectations that limit honesty. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) ## Related quotes > [They say poets write mostly for themselves; if anyone else likes it, well and good, if not, it doesn't matter; certainly, not to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-glazer/they-say-poets-write-mostly-for-themselves-if-anyone-else-likes-it/) [Tom Glazer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-glazer/) > [We don't talk about next year. We talk about today, and we talk about the next game. And that's all we can really control.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-belichick/we-don-t-talk-about-next-year-we-talk-about-today-and-we-talk-about/) [Bill Belichick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-belichick/) > [The full house team met this year to talk about making full house aired in 2014 as a sequel :)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-full-house-team-met-this-year-to-talk-about-making-full-house/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Most firms do two investments a year. They may talk to between 50 and 100 and do a couple, whereas we're talking to thousands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-mcclure/most-firms-do-two-investments-a-year-they-may-talk-to-between-50-and/) [Dave McClure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-mcclure/) > [It took me a year to talk about my miscarriage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-whitmore/it-took-me-a-year-to-talk-about-my-miscarriage/) [Laura Whitmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-whitmore/) > [Girl Translations' 'We can just talk about it later.' either I don't want to talk about it at all, or I really need time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/girl-translations-we-can-just-talk-about-it-later-either-i-don-t-want/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [With 'Mad Men,' people who grew up or were living in that time, they love to talk about what it was really like.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cara-buono/with-mad-men-people-who-grew-up-or-were-living-in-that-time-they-love/) [Cara Buono](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cara-buono/) > [If you just talk to who's easy to talk to, you're not really getting the best data.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmett-shear/if-you-just-talk-to-who-s-easy-to-talk-to-you-re-not-really-getting/) [Emmett Shear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmett-shear/) > [In order to talk about what I really want to talk about, people have to know that my sexuality is a part of that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-monet/in-order-to-talk-about-what-i-really-want-to-talk-about-people-have/) [Victoria Monet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-monet/) > [If you're in a relationship and they tell you they just wanna talk, what they're really saying is I really don't wanna be with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-re-in-a-relationship-and-they-tell-you-they-just-wanna-talk/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I have discovered that most people have no one to talk to, no one, that is, who really wants to listen.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walker-percy/i-have-discovered-that-most-people-have-no-one-to-talk-to-no-one-that/) [Walker Percy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walker-percy/) > [Don't label me before we get a chance to talk about it. Talk to me first and see what kind of person I am.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scarface/don-t-label-me-before-we-get-a-chance-to-talk-about-it-talk-to-me/) [Scarface](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scarface/) > [I can't decide which way I talk. I really, honestly can't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nadine-coyle/i-can-t-decide-which-way-i-talk-i-really-honestly-can-t/) [Nadine Coyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nadine-coyle/) > [Trash talk is always there, and if it's not, you're not really competing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luka-doncic/trash-talk-is-always-there-and-if-it-s-not-you-re-not-really-competing/) [Luka Doncic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luka-doncic/) > [“Talk Back? That's really what it's called? You're supposed to walk into some church basement and say, 'I'm here to learn how to Talk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-gilbert-murdock/talk-back-that-s-really-what-it-s-called-you-re-supposed-to-walk-into/) [Catherine Gilbert Murdock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-gilbert-murdock/) ## More by Tevin Campbell > [Stand up - above the crowd. Even if you've gotta shout out loud!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tevin-campbell/stand-up-above-the-crowd-even-if-you-ve-gotta-shout-out-loud/) [Tevin Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tevin-campbell/) > [I remember doing Broadway, I started Broadway in 2005, and, of course, I sing two songs in the play, 'Hairspray'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tevin-campbell/i-remember-doing-broadway-i-started-broadway-in-2005-and-of-course-i/) [Tevin Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tevin-campbell/) > [Sometimes I think what it might be like if I stayed in the background and was just singing in a choir somewhere. That crosses…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tevin-campbell/sometimes-i-think-what-it-might-be-like-if-i-stayed-in-the-background/) [Tevin Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tevin-campbell/) > [I'd like to not have to worry about image, about doing the right thing all the time. Not that I want to be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tevin-campbell/i-d-like-to-not-have-to-worry-about-image-about-doing-the-right-thing/) [Tevin Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tevin-campbell/) > [Singing is still the important thing to me. I love singing. I wouldn't be putting myself through all this if I didn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tevin-campbell/singing-is-still-the-important-thing-to-me-i-love-singing-i-wouldn-t/) [Tevin Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tevin-campbell/) > [I have done some bad things - things I can't and won't talk about. Nothing that bad, but if that stuff was printed in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tevin-campbell/i-have-done-some-bad-things-things-i-can-t-and-won-t-talk-about/) [Tevin Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tevin-campbell/) > [If you listen to 'Paris,' when I'm up on the bridge part, it literally sounds like my vocal cords are being ripped apart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tevin-campbell/if-you-listen-to-paris-when-i-m-up-on-the-bridge-part-it-literally/) [Tevin Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tevin-campbell/) > [I also love visiting the malls but not to do shopping. The only things I enjoy shopping are clothes and shoes. I have many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tevin-campbell/i-also-love-visiting-the-malls-but-not-to-do-shopping-the-only-things/) [Tevin Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tevin-campbell/) > [So, you do make a lot of sacrifices in the business, but you have to stay humble and you have to live that normal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tevin-campbell/so-you-do-make-a-lot-of-sacrifices-in-the-business-but-you-have-to/) [Tevin Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tevin-campbell/) > [It's really, really amazing and I have a couple of college friends and their friends are huge fans of 'Powerline'. I mean, they got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tevin-campbell/it-s-really-really-amazing-and-i-have-a-couple-of-college-friends-and/) [Tevin Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tevin-campbell/) > [When I was in the business, when I was younger, it was more work for me. I didn't actually start to live my life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tevin-campbell/when-i-was-in-the-business-when-i-was-younger-it-was-more-work-for-me/) [Tevin Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tevin-campbell/) > [The black man's struggle in this country, I understood that. But I didn't really understand the historical message behind the 'Paris' song until later…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tevin-campbell/the-black-man-s-struggle-in-this-country-i-understood-that-but-i-didn/) [Tevin Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tevin-campbell/) > [I didn't have much of a relationship with the songs and my voice was changing. I didn't have any control over it. I mean,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tevin-campbell/i-didn-t-have-much-of-a-relationship-with-the-songs-and-my-voice-was/) [Tevin Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tevin-campbell/) > [I was more of a dancer back then, I did choreography, but I was nothing like 'Powerline'.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tevin-campbell/i-was-more-of-a-dancer-back-then-i-did-choreography-but-i-was-nothing/) [Tevin Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tevin-campbell/) > [I do ultimately wanna go back to Broadway and do live theater; I wanna act. But singing is my love. I feel like I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tevin-campbell/i-do-ultimately-wanna-go-back-to-broadway-and-do-live-theater-i-wanna/) [Tevin Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tevin-campbell/) [Explore all 27 Tevin Campbell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tevin-campbell/) ## More Freedom quotes > [One is a painter because one wants so-called freedom; one doesn't want to go to the office every morning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/one-is-a-painter-because-one-wants-so-called-freedom-one-doesn-t-want/) [Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/) [Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/) > [I believe in freedom to do what you want if you aren't hurting others, but pictures of obese protesters giving their children big gulps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-defranco/i-believe-in-freedom-to-do-what-you-want-if-you-aren-t-hurting-others/) [Philip DeFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-defranco/) > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [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/) > [We live in the greatest country in the world because of the veterans who have sacrificed their lives for our freedom and the security…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-husted/we-live-in-the-greatest-country-in-the-world-because-of-the-veterans/) [Jon Husted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-husted/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [“No one was more surprised than I to realize that my newfound freedom had been purchased by giving up on eternity and settling for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-jessop/no-one-was-more-surprised-than-i-to-realize-that-my-newfound-freedom/) [Carolyn Jessop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-jessop/) > [“In a world of fixed future, there can be no right or wrong. Right and wrong demand freedom of choice, but if each action…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-lightman/in-a-world-of-fixed-future-there-can-be-no-right-or-wrong-right-and/) [Alan Lightman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-lightman/) > [“In any case, white people, who had robbed black people of their liberty and who profited by this theft every hour that they lived,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-baldwin/in-any-case-white-people-who-had-robbed-black-people-of-their-liberty/) [James Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-baldwin/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [“I have to blame myself for not finding any way of reaching him, but I can't feel that either Ruth or I had anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wallace-stegner/i-have-to-blame-myself-for-not-finding-any-way-of-reaching-him-but-i/) [Wallace Stegner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wallace-stegner/) > [“It breaks my heart. Better than your words, your eye tells me all your peril. You are not yet free, you still search for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/it-breaks-my-heart-better-than-your-words-your-eye-tells-me-all-your/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [History has often showed us the strength of the forces that are unleashed by the yearning for freedom. It moved people to overcome their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-merkel/history-has-often-showed-us-the-strength-of-the-forces-that-are/) [Angela Merkel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-merkel/) > [I don't want to be famous famous. I'm happy on the second tier, where I have autonomy on a professional level but I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-reece/i-don-t-want-to-be-famous-famous-i-m-happy-on-the-second-tier-where-i/) [Gabrielle Reece](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-reece/) [Browse all 30,110 Freedom quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I'll be 40 this year, so 'Can We Talk' is really not me anymore. Now I have the freedom to express myself through my music and write about my likes, my dislikes, and my passions. 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