Zola Jesus Quotes

I've become so much more comfortable divulging things I've never talked about before, honing in on certain relationships that everyone can relate to.

I want people to know that I'm not just 'Chillin' It.' I'm a real person. There's heartbreak and trials, and I hope I put that in my music.

For people who have been following me for a long time, I really hope that they can get to know me a little better, maybe get to know the softer, squishy, emotional side of me, because I usually put up a weird side, so it'll be cool to be able to open up in that way to them.

When I put my first project out ages ago, I didn't want to show anyone my emotions. Now I think it's better for people to understand how I am as a person and let them relate.

My thing has always been, I've never been very open and vulnerable with people, so the minute I got this dog, everything changed. It just opened me up and made me more loving... It's all because of him... He's made me a better person... I can tell people what I feel now. I can cry in front of people sometimes.

I internalize everything, keep everything inside. I'm not used to spilling my guts, and when you have to do that on film to make a point, it's hard. It's rough. I don't think it's as easy as people think.

Writing about feeling disconnected has enabled me to connect, and that has been the most lovely thing of all.

Sometimes I feel like I used to be a person that liked to express himself a lot and put my feelings out there.

I think as an actor you have to be open to your emotions - that's how you tap into other characters. Besides, by being so open I've come to terms with how screwed I am!

Yes, all my songs come from personal experience and relationships.

I have my flaws and my issues, past and present and who knows what will happen in the future. I want people to know I'm vulnerable too and each one of us is.

The more you're writing absolutely honestly, and absolutely bare of intention - even if it feels absolutely personal and small because it's at your own scale - other people relate to it much more.

For me, being able to be vulnerable is difficult, but it's just something that I feel comfortable doing. I need to fully understand why, the thought-process behind the character and I have to believe it. That comes from a lot of preparation.

I tend to find characters who lack vulnerability dull.

Anytime I hear songs that are so honest, whether they make the person who's singing it look good or not, there's a level of honesty that resonates with people.

I feel like artists and their lyrics are something that people can relate to when it comes to love and break-ups. I really want people to know how I felt when I went through a break up, when I really felt alive, and everything in between.

As I get older, my emotions are closer to the surface.

I am fiercely loyal and over-possessive, but I am learning to control my being possessive. I have become quite mature, though not as much as I would like to be, but have still improved tremendously. I can't hide my feelings, and it takes a lot of effort to be closed about things I feel for.

I feel like my music at least allows me to release the other side of me, a more vulnerable and sensitive side.

I felt the need to be more open and expressive of my feelings, not just about the hills and the countryside, but about the daily life.

Coming off 'Reflection,' what we really wanted to do was be more vulnerable.

I want people to be able to relate to me and the trials and tribulations and struggles that I go through.

My boys asked me to write beautiful letters for their ex-girls so they could get them back. I thought, 'I should be writing songs for myself.'

Mostly, I just write about feelings that people can relate to. Because, yeah, I don't know who I am, and this is not my sound forever... I'm a human, so hopefully, I will always develop.

You start to realize connections between experiences and things that push your buttons, and things that have touched you in those vulnerable areas and what-have-you. And they form a little collection over time - at least I do - and as time progresses and new things are learned, you kind of sift through those things until they're air or danceable, you know? But they start as this thing that's either too hard or too soft to dance to.