I always seem to write personal songs; that's always been my go-to thing, to write about what I'm experiencing. Martha Wainwright More Quotes by Martha Wainwright More Quotes From Martha Wainwright I've spent the first part of my life in the shadow of my family. I'm not going to live in the shadow of my husband. Martha Wainwright shadow husband firsts I'm trying to solidify a long-term career, because I have no other skills and no other abilities. Martha Wainwright careers skills long I'm not very prolific. I'm not good at sitting down as an artist and saying 'Okay, I need to put in my four hours today.' Martha Wainwright sitting-down artist needs Divorce is not an issue. That's people's lives! So, I don't like to be too puffed up about the importance of family. It's going to be tough and it changes as time goes by. I don't know. I just don't think it should be made an issue. Martha Wainwright divorce tough thinking I was kind of a misfit, and when my mother died, I had to become an adult, something that I never thought I would ever be. Martha Wainwright adults kind mother I tried to find a way out in many ways, but it all caught up with me. Once I realised I could sing and write songs, it was just so much easier to do than anything else! Martha Wainwright writing song way You know, people always ask me how I describe my music. First of all I tell them that's their job and then that also one day I hope to have things referred to as Martha Wainwright -esque. Martha Wainwright one-day jobs people When I listen to my songs, they seem like pieces of music or art, like a painting that you look at. The reality is that, yes, when I wrote the songs upstairs or wherever, I was writing very specifically about my life or a specific subject matter that's very personal. I've never shied away from that. The vocals and the performance that come after the record, I don't think of that as confessional, but the core of the music is completely. It makes sense that people would see that as being the main thing. I guess not everyone is able to speak so candidly. Martha Wainwright writing song art I have learned to write about things that are personal without objectifying anybody or anything, and that's been an important lesson for me. It's useful not to dump on people while simultaneously expressing a truth or a feeling if it's necessary, without diluting the intensity of the lyric. Martha Wainwright feelings writing people I'm in hotel rooms night after night, playing a lot of the same venues as my dad and carrying the guitar that used to be his. We're the same person. I don't know if he realises how much of a legacy he has left to his children. Martha Wainwright dad night children I went to college and stage school, and thought about acting, but... I just don't like actors very much! They're not as fun as musicians. Martha Wainwright college fun school It's better to embrace your roots than it is to fight it, because then you're just fighting something that you're not going to win. We're like a band of gypsies, and it makes sense. Martha Wainwright gypsy fighting winning If there's one thing that differentiates me from the rest of my family it's the rock element. I hung out with friends who like punk rock a lot. Not getting a big record deal, and having a hard time for years, it means you have to prove yourself and scratch your way up from nothing. Martha Wainwright hard-times mean years I play in bars all the time in the States, so I'm kind of used to it. I've just got off the road with the family in Australia, and I enjoyed it but it feels really good to be getting back to doing this stuff. Martha Wainwright bars australia play I wanted to be heard myself, which is hard in a household of people who were very showy. It forced me to find myself and define a personality and a way of being different, and that's a thing that's going to help me to survive in a world of many people playing the guitar. Martha Wainwright guitar personality people It can often happen that motherhood can really stop a lot of women in their tracks and I wanted to try and keep working through that as much as I could. Martha Wainwright track motherhood trying My childhood definitely revolved around my relationship with my brother. I wanted to be different. I wanted to find my way of being as intriguing and interesting as he was. Martha Wainwright childhood brother interesting I've learnt to hide my tears on stage. They make people uncomfortable. Martha Wainwright stage tears people You have to be willing to give a lot to be in a relationship with me because a lot of the time it's about me. Martha Wainwright willing relationship giving I've always been given respect because I'm kind of mannish, and I'm not a great beauty. I've never played the coquette card because I'm no good at it. Martha Wainwright coquette kind cards