I try to stick with things that I can sing with honesty.
Interpretation
The quote emphasizes the importance of authenticity in one's expression, particularly in music.
Kurt Elling's quote highlights the significance of sincerity in artistic endeavors. By stating that he tries to stick with things he can sing about honestly, he implies that genuine expression enhances the value and impact of art. It suggests that authenticity resonates more profoundly with audiences, creating a deeper connection between the artist and their work.
In practice
A musician might use this quote to inspire a songwriting workshop focused on personal experiences.
It helps me to learn things in different languages, even if it's just phonetically, and to make myself vulnerable to other audiences by trying to reflect back to them the genius of their own cultures, and to do that, oftentimes, in new jazz settings, new arrangements. It's a way to show respect.
That's the thing: There are so many art songs in jazz. It's a much more rich experience for the singer than people think.
One doesn't have to scat to be a jazz singer.
I'm one of the culprits who keeps turning stuff around, shaking up original tunes and trying to stand the canon on its ear. But sometimes, you just need to sing the song.
I discovered the fun of genre is... you get to explore your fears, and you get to use the metaphor of the genre - whether it's a giant monster or a... 12-year-old vampire. Whatever it is, you can sink something underneath the surface and make a personal film under the guise of great fun romp.
I know I'm not the greatest singer or dancer, but that doesn't interest me. I'm interested in being provocative and pushing people's buttons.
Having a soul, they say, is like taking sadness and turning it into something beautiful.
Neurologically, I'm a quadriplegic, so virtually everything about my work has been driven by my learning disabilities, which are quite severe, and my lack of facial recognition, which I'm sure is what drove me to paint portraits in the first place.
It is all very well to copy what one sees, but it is far better to draw what one now only sees in one's memory. That is a transformation in which imagination collaborates with memory.
Writers should provoke disagreement.
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