--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The only reason I would write a break-up…" description: "\"The only reason I would write a break-up song is because my own problem of allowing myself to relate to people.\" — Zola Jesus" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ebd/zola-jesus-22871_allowing_the-only-reason-i-would-write-a-break-up_28082.jpg" --- # The only reason I would write a break-up song is because… ![“The only reason I would write a break-up song is because my own problem of allowing myself to relate to people.” quote by Zola Jesus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ebd/zola-jesus-22871_allowing_the-only-reason-i-would-write-a-break-up_28082.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ebd/zola-jesus-22871_allowing_the-only-reason-i-would-write-a-break-up_28082.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ebd/zola-jesus-22871_allowing_the-only-reason-i-would-write-a-break-up_28082.jpg) > “The only reason I would write a break-up song is because my own problem of allowing myself to relate to people.” [Zola Jesus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zola-jesus/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker admits that personal emotional difficulty drives the creation of a break‑up song, highlighting self‑reflection over external narrative. **In simple terms:** Self‑reflection fuels artistic expression. Key Takeaway Personal struggle can inspire art. Themes self‑awareness emotional honesty creative motivation relationship dynamics personal growth Mood melancholic introspective Type personal anecdote artistic statement When to use this quote - writing a song after a breakup - processing personal feelings through music - using personal experience to connect with listeners Key Concepts introspection artistic authenticity emotional processing Practical Applications - songwriting - therapeutic expression Questions to Reflect On - How does personal pain shape creative output? - Can vulnerability in art foster audience empathy? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Allowing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/allowing/) [Allowing Relate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/allowing-relate-418111/) [Break](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/break/) [Break Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/break-song-418112/) [Music](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/music/) [My own](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/my-own/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Relate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relate/) [Relate People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relate-people/) [Song](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song/) [Song Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/song-problem-418113/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [I love a good pop song. I have no problem with the concept of doing that sort of thing. For me, it's usually what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-foreman/i-love-a-good-pop-song-i-have-no-problem-with-the-concept-of-doing/) [Jon Foreman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-foreman/) > [If you want to give a twist to a song, I have no problem, but don't forget to mention the original composer's name.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anu-malik/if-you-want-to-give-a-twist-to-a-song-i-have-no-problem-but-don-t/) [Anu Malik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anu-malik/) > [What I like to do with music is make people feel better. Make people realize that all humans have the same problems, more or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-johnson/what-i-like-to-do-with-music-is-make-people-feel-better-make-people/) [Jack Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-johnson/) > [Other people may complicate our lives, but life without them would be unbearably desolate. None of us can be truly human in isolation. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-s-kushner/other-people-may-complicate-our-lives-but-life-without-them-would-be/) [Harold S. Kushner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-s-kushner/) > [“God can only relate effectively with you when you relate with people”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/god-can-only-relate-effectively-with-you-when-you-relate-with-people/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [I think people like players they can relate to. It seems as if people think they know me. I just think I'm an ordinary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-couples/i-think-people-like-players-they-can-relate-to-it-seems-as-if-people/) [Fred Couples](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-couples/) > [If you don't live a normal life, how do you relate to people?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-speedman/if-you-don-t-live-a-normal-life-how-do-you-relate-to-people/) [Scott Speedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-speedman/) > [I don't relate to people that look like me. I find it deeply unsatisfying to play a version of myself. It was something I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-riseborough/i-don-t-relate-to-people-that-look-like-me-i-find-it-deeply/) [Andrea Riseborough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-riseborough/) > [Sometimes a break-up song is perceived as that because that's what the person who's hearing it needs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-adams/sometimes-a-break-up-song-is-perceived-as-that-because-that-s-what/) [Ryan Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-adams/) > [I just want to break that song into pieces and love them all to death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/i-just-want-to-break-that-song-into-pieces-and-love-them-all-to-death/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [We don't tend to break into song when we go to war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niki-caro/we-don-t-tend-to-break-into-song-when-we-go-to-war/) [Niki Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niki-caro/) > [An artist could have a really big relationship, and then they break up, and any song after that, people are automatically going to assume…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-michaels/an-artist-could-have-a-really-big-relationship-and-then-they-break-up/) [Julia Michaels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-michaels/) > [“I just want to break that song into pieces," she said, "and love them all to death.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/i-just-want-to-break-that-song-into-pieces-she-said-and-love-them-all/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > ['Hell Or High Water' was written after the end of a relationship, and I do feel like every Passenger album has the obligatory break-up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/passenger/hell-or-high-water-was-written-after-the-end-of-a-relationship-and-i/) [Passenger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/passenger/) > [I grew up with Western films, and I always wondered why Bollywood never made films like that. Why do we always have to break…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-gopal-varma/i-grew-up-with-western-films-and-i-always-wondered-why-bollywood/) [Ram Gopal Varma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-gopal-varma/) ## More by Zola Jesus > [I try to create songs that are really massive and intense, but at the same time remaining honest and raw.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zola-jesus/i-try-to-create-songs-that-are-really-massive-and-intense-but-at-the/) [Zola Jesus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zola-jesus/) > [A lot of times I have the song inside of me and I have to fight to get it out. I'm a very visual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zola-jesus/a-lot-of-times-i-have-the-song-inside-of-me-and-i-have-to-fight-to/) [Zola Jesus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zola-jesus/) > [I don't know why people think I'm a Goth - that's a misconception.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zola-jesus/i-don-t-know-why-people-think-i-m-a-goth-that-s-a-misconception/) [Zola Jesus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zola-jesus/) > [You are born and then you die, but in between you can do anything you want. It's society that creates rules for us, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zola-jesus/you-are-born-and-then-you-die-but-in-between-you-can-do-anything-you/) [Zola Jesus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zola-jesus/) > [I think I'm making music that's pretty universal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zola-jesus/i-think-i-m-making-music-that-s-pretty-universal/) [Zola Jesus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zola-jesus/) > [People don't really understand who I am. They always think that I'm very dark or depressed, but it couldn't be further from the truth!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zola-jesus/people-don-t-really-understand-who-i-am-they-always-think-that-i-m/) [Zola Jesus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zola-jesus/) > [As a child, I was always making sound; it was a compulsion. I loved to scream and yell and sing; it freed me from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zola-jesus/as-a-child-i-was-always-making-sound-it-was-a-compulsion-i-loved-to/) [Zola Jesus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zola-jesus/) > [I started performing opera when I was 10 years old. I didn't perform as Zola Jesus until I was probably 18.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zola-jesus/i-started-performing-opera-when-i-was-10-years-old-i-didn-t-perform/) [Zola Jesus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zola-jesus/) > [I don't find much influence in opera. It was such a different part of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zola-jesus/i-don-t-find-much-influence-in-opera-it-was-such-a-different-part-of/) [Zola Jesus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zola-jesus/) > [I feel like humans are a disease. It's a hard thing to communicate in a pop song. I mean, who wants to hear that?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zola-jesus/i-feel-like-humans-are-a-disease-it-s-a-hard-thing-to-communicate-in/) [Zola Jesus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zola-jesus/) > [I like to remind myself that everything is meaningless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zola-jesus/i-like-to-remind-myself-that-everything-is-meaningless/) [Zola Jesus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zola-jesus/) > [No matter what you do, if there's something you're afraid of, you need to break through it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zola-jesus/no-matter-what-you-do-if-there-s-something-you-re-afraid-of-you-need/) [Zola Jesus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zola-jesus/) > [The word 'theatrical' makes me cringe, because it suggests a performance is staged, put on, rehearsed. And while all this is true for an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zola-jesus/the-word-theatrical-makes-me-cringe-because-it-suggests-a-performance/) [Zola Jesus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zola-jesus/) > [My music started as a way to break through weaknesses - like anxiety, which was completely taking over my whole life, where I could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zola-jesus/my-music-started-as-a-way-to-break-through-weaknesses-like-anxiety/) [Zola Jesus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zola-jesus/) > [The most important thing for us to do as beings is to be aware of our position in the world on a micro and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zola-jesus/the-most-important-thing-for-us-to-do-as-beings-is-to-be-aware-of-our/) [Zola Jesus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zola-jesus/) [Explore all 26 Zola Jesus quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zola-jesus/) ## More Allowing quotes > [New generations of humans inherit the acquired discoveries of generations past, allowing cosmic insight to accumulate without limit. Each discovery of science therefore adds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/new-generations-of-humans-inherit-the-acquired-discoveries-of/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [Is the minor convenience of allowing the present generation the luxury of doubling its energy consumption every 10 years worth the major hazard of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-r-brower/is-the-minor-convenience-of-allowing-the-present-generation-the/) [David R. Brower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-r-brower/) > [When you are not honoring the present moment by allowing it to be, you are creating drama.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/when-you-are-not-honoring-the-present-moment-by-allowing-it-to-be-you/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [“Once again I was shamelessly allowing myself to be defined by another person.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ginny-babcock-kinflicks/once-again-i-was-shamelessly-allowing-myself-to-be-defined-by-another/) [Ginny Babcock Kinflicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ginny-babcock-kinflicks/) > [Even when I was saying I was Agnostic and trying to figure out my thoughts, I felt God was allowing me to do that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfre-woodard/even-when-i-was-saying-i-was-agnostic-and-trying-to-figure-out-my/) [Alfre Woodard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfre-woodard/) > [By allowing multiple partners to contribute, an open platform can nurture an entire ecosystem of developers and apps. Good products integrate and become great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-holmes/by-allowing-multiple-partners-to-contribute-an-open-platform-can/) [Ryan Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-holmes/) > [When you ask for patience, what you get is a line at the bank. In other words, life gives you the people, places, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-mcmillan/when-you-ask-for-patience-what-you-get-is-a-line-at-the-bank-in-other/) [Tracy McMillan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-mcmillan/) > [Sometimes, I get afraid it has defined me, that sense of grief, loss and illness. But actually, it is about allowing myself to take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sometimes-i-get-afraid-it-has-defined-me-that-sense-of-grief-loss-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Meditation is actually a very simple exercise in resting in the natural state of your present mind, and allowing yourself to be simply and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yongey-mingyur-rinpoche/meditation-is-actually-a-very-simple-exercise-in-resting-in-the/) [Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yongey-mingyur-rinpoche/) > [When you're still, and some actors are really brilliant at that, you bring a kind of energy to you as opposed to sending the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-byrne/when-you-re-still-and-some-actors-are-really-brilliant-at-that-you/) [Gabriel Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-byrne/) > [I just think fashion is about enjoying yourself and being comfortable in your skin and allowing you to be you - all the way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-scott/i-just-think-fashion-is-about-enjoying-yourself-and-being-comfortable/) [Jill Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-scott/) > [I don't think there's any harm at all in allowing a kid to fantasize. In fact, I think to stop people from fantasizing is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling-2/i-don-t-think-there-s-any-harm-at-all-in-allowing-a-kid-to-fantasize/) [J. K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling-2/) > [All I wanted to do was put together one of the best home maths systems in the world, and that's what we've done. I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-vorderman/all-i-wanted-to-do-was-put-together-one-of-the-best-home-maths/) [Carol Vorderman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-vorderman/) > [I want to deal with the homeless situation here in Washington, D.C. I think it is a travesty that we've got men - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-want-to-deal-with-the-homeless-situation-here-in-washington-d-c-i/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [ Hypertext makes a virtue out of lack of organization, allowing ideas and thoughts to be juxtaposed at will. \[...\] The advent of hypertext is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-a-norman/hypertext-makes-a-virtue-out-of-lack-of-organization-allowing-ideas/) [Donald A. Norman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-a-norman/) [Browse all 916 Allowing quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/allowing/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The only reason I would write a break-up song is because my own problem of allowing myself to relate to people.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Zola Jesus" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zola-jesus/the-only-reason-i-would-write-a-break-up-song-is-because-my-own/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Allowing" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zola-jesus/the-only-reason-i-would-write-a-break-up-song-is-because-my-own/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ebd/zola-jesus-22871_allowing_the-only-reason-i-would-write-a-break-up_28082.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ebd/zola-jesus-22871_allowing_the-only-reason-i-would-write-a-break-up_28082.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ebd/zola-jesus-22871_allowing_the-only-reason-i-would-write-a-break-up_28082.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The only reason I would write a break-up song is because my own problem of allowing myself to relate to…” — Zola Jesus", "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": "Zola Jesus", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zola-jesus/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The only reason I would write...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zola-jesus/the-only-reason-i-would-write-a-break-up-song-is-because-my-own/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zola-jesus/the-only-reason-i-would-write-a-break-up-song-is-because-my-own/#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 } } ] } ```