If I don't feel the music, I can't perform it.

Alice Merton

Categorized in : Feel Perform Music

When I was thirteen years old, and we had just moved to Germany, I definitely felt I was missing out on normal teenage life. I was watching my old school friends from Canada grow up without me while I was in Germany trying to learn the language and trying to pass each year without failing.

me friends life school

I wanted to take the seriousness out of everything a little bit, because it kind of fits my style.

out everything seriousness style

I wanted to write an upbeat song where I could feel good about the fact that I've moved around so much and not sad about all the goodbyes I've had to face.

face good sad song

I get really nervous when I'm performing or meeting new people.

new-people meeting new people

I was on the beach, and I was just thinking to myself that I have no one place where I actually feel like I'm at home. I came up with the idea of having no roots - never being grounded to a certain place but having your home with people who you love.

myself you home love

I don't like being dependent on other people.

other being like people

I was realizing that I didn't have a home. I didn't really feel at home in one place.

really feel place home

Every time someone asks me where I'm from, I'm not sure how to answer that question... so I say I have no roots.

someone me roots time

I make music... and it helps me figure out life.

make me music life

Every song is true and has its unique story behind it.

true story unique song

When you've moved 13 times, you lose track of where you're from.

lose where you track

I didn't have just one place where I could say, 'That's my home.'

say place just home

I have complete creative freedom. If I want to put a song on the album, there's no one stopping me.

me freedom creative song

I loved a lot of the romantic composers.

composers loved lot romantic

Being an artist and a human in this world always means confronting people who make you feel like you have to act according to their rules.

feel you people world

The idea - or, if you like, the need - to write and record 'Lash Out' was born of a feeling within me.

feeling me you born

Like most people, I wanted and still want to live by my own rules.

live rules my-own people

Music is something I can control.

control something music i-can

I can do whatever I want, and I'm not going to let anyone tell me what language I should speak in.

me i-can language speak

I feel it's much easier to be honest or be myself in songs when I'm playing. That's why I felt, 'You know, I'm going to write the truth.'

feel myself you truth