Artistic Credibility Quotes

Forget about musical credibility. I think, unless you're Radiohead or whatever, it's pointless striving for that. What I would like is some respect.

Definitely, it's hard being a young artist and being taken seriously.

I've always believed that getting respect as an artiste is of utmost importance.

The only Train song I like is the one that I play in my act "Drops Of Jupiter". Sheryl Crow has three or four songs that I like; also Dave Matthews Band. With those particular musicians, it's more that there are a few songs that I like rather than their entire body of work. There are a lot of indie bands that I like too. I'm not a snob about music. Does the fact that I like Stephen Sondheim and Broadway musicals make me a fake? Does the fact that I'm "the Billy Joel of comedy" mean that I don't have indie-rock credibility?

My fans will tell you all day that I can rap. That's all I need.

I might lie a lot but never in my lyrics.

If you want to be taken seriously and gain credibility, you really do have to try and write yourself. I don't want to do an album of covers and stuff.

I consider myself a songwriter before anything else. The fact that I have been able to write both of my records and establishing myself as a songwriter is super-important to me. Some people have that gift, where they can take on anything and make people believe it. I like to do a song from personal experience.

Rap is from the streets and I'm from the streets. That's why a lot of people accept me.

People had boxed me in as a 'pretty girl with followers that's rapping,' but I think my project and the work speaks for itself.

To be honest, the first time round, I didn't think 'Fame Academy' was the worst premise in the world. You got people on, and they would write songs and develop themselves as artists. But then, instead of getting a little bit more credible, it got a little bit more ridiculous.

I've never personally criticized anyone else's music, but I know that the public's real problem is not the music I make but the perception that I play simple music for money only and for the notoriety and to increase my popularity.

I will one day be thin, but Vincent Gallo will always be the director of The Brown Bunny.

I am not a fan of referencing your own work when it's in a different universe than what you're doing. That, to me, is a wink at the audience, and winking isn't actually cool when you're not, like, 10.

I am not comparing myself to great artists, but when you see conceptual artists at work, on some level it's reassuring to know they can paint figuratively. Likewise, when you listen to the '50s jazz people who do these vast solos, you buy into it more if they open by playing a tune.

He who pretends to be either painter or engraver without being a master of drawing is an imposter.

Mainstream success is important - that's probably anathema to an indie publication like Pitchfork, but it's what I believe having experienced it personally.

When you've got certain people like Jay-Z wanting to work with me, then it makes you think people do love me.

I don't think the expectation is that the 'Psych' musical is going to be 'Rent,' so I think as long as we didn't completely humiliate ourselves and it is funny and it is in the tone of what we do, we'd have a fighting chance of pulling it off.

I've established myself as a proper artist. And it's ridiculous when anyone questions my credibility - I've had four number one singles and I've also sold over two and a half million albums. I shouldn't have to convince people that I'm credible, but I'm glad people are now taking me more seriously.

When I was in college, being a magician was not the classiest thing to be. It was like being a folk singer before Bob Dylan.

I am no longer willing to take parts in films and/or television shows which detract from the 50 years I have spent building my reputation.

All I can say is that I've had too many people in the hip-hop industry really like what I'm doing. I know where I'm coming from, and the album speaks for itself.

This funding from the National Endowment for the Arts has been like the Good Housekeeping seal of approval.