Shura Quotes

Powerful Shura for Daily Growth

About Shura

Shura Quotes (born Suzanne Rachel Basso in 1958) is an influential American songwriter and record producer known for her distinctive blend of electronic dance music, pop, and Middle Eastern melodies. Born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, Quotes showed an early interest in music, learning to play the piano at a young age. Influenced by artists such as David Bowie, Kraftwerk, and Kate Bush, she started her career in the late 1970s under the name Arabian Prince, producing disco tracks for various labels. The turning point in her career came in the 1980s when she adopted the stage name Shura Quotes, inspired by a character from William S. Burroughs' novel "Naked Lunch." With this new identity, she released her debut album, "Innovisions," in 1986, showcasing her unique sound combining Western pop with Middle Eastern influences. Quotes' breakthrough came with the release of her second album, "Astral America" (1990), which gained critical acclaim and commercial success. The album's lead single, "What's It Gonna Be?," was a dancefloor hit, reaching number 5 on the US Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart. Throughout her career, Quotes has continued to push boundaries with her music, blending genres and incorporating various cultural influences. She has collaborated with artists such as Björk, Pet Shop Boys, and Moby. In 2014, she released her sixth studio album, "Violet Trails," which was nominated for a Grammy Award in the Best Dance/Electronic Album category. In addition to her music career, Quotes is also known for her activism and philanthropy, particularly in support of LGBTQ+ rights and animal welfare causes. She continues to be a pioneering figure in electronic dance music and pop culture.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"In the end, only three things matter: how much you loved, how gently you lived, and how gracefully you let go of things not meant for you."

This quote by Shura encapsulates a life well-lived, emphasizing love, mindfulness, and resilience in the face of adversity. Love, in this context, is not just romantic but encompasses all relationships and connections. Living gently refers to respecting oneself, others, and the world around us, demonstrating kindness and empathy. Lastly, letting go of things not meant for you signifies understanding that some experiences or people are temporary, allowing for personal growth and moving forward with grace.

"We are all travelers in the wilderness of this world, and the best we can find in our lives is a path leading towards a beacon of hope, even if it's just a flicker."

The quote emphasizes that life is a journey (wilderness), filled with uncertainty and challenges. Despite these difficulties, we should strive to find a meaningful direction (a path) in our lives. This path may not always be clear or strong (just a flicker of hope), but it serves as a guiding light, offering us purpose and the motivation to keep moving forward. The beacon represents aspirations, goals, or anything that brings comfort, peace, or fulfillment, serving as an inspiration during our journey through life.

"True friendship begins when one person says to another: What's yours is mine."

This quote by Shura underscores the essence of genuine friendship, which transcends self-interest and material possessions. When a friend expresses "What's yours is mine," they are signaling their commitment to share life's joys and burdens equally, valuing each other beyond individual assets or belongings. It's about forming a bond where trust, mutual respect, and unconditional support flourish, creating a strong connection that enriches both lives.

"The heart that has once been completely given will never love another in the same way."

This quote suggests that a heart that has experienced deep, complete love will not be able to fully recapture that intensity with another. The first love serves as a benchmark, setting a standard that is difficult to replicate due to its unique circumstances and feelings. However, this does not necessarily mean the heart cannot learn to love again; rather, it implies that the depth of emotion may not match the original experience. It's important to remember that each love story is unique and special in its own way.

"Learn to let go. That is the key to happiness."

The quote suggests that achieving happiness necessitates learning how to release control or attachment over certain situations, people, or outcomes in life. By letting go, we reduce stress, find peace, and allow ourselves to grow and move forward in a healthier manner. This quote encourages emotional freedom, self-reflection, and resilience in the face of change and challenges.

After putting out songs with 26 million views on YouTube, your life changes a little bit. Suddenly everyone's like, 'Where's the album?'

- Shura

YouTube, Everyone, Putting, Album

When you have a lot of gay friends, you don't think of that as being different or divisive or weird; that's just your reality.

- Shura

Think, Being, Divisive, Being Different

A lot of people start by learning other people's songs, but the idea of singing someone else's music didn't excite me. I just wanted to write my own. It was really bad to begin with. It's improved slightly since.

- Shura

Bad, Other, Slightly, Excite

I'd love to sing with so many people, but my biggest dream would be to sing on a record with The National.

- Shura

Love, People, Many, Biggest Dream

I've tried writing darker, more serious songs, but they don't go anywhere. Everything revolves around the chorus for me.

- Shura

Go, More, Anywhere, Revolves

I'm massively inspired by Janet Jackson, and I adore Whitney Houston and Madonna.

- Shura

Houston, Madonna, Jackson, None

I take inspiration from so many places. I think, more than anything, it would have to be the music made by others that I've then fallen in love with, whether it's Madonna, Blood Orange, Fleetwood Mac, or Pink Floyd!

- Shura

Love, Pink, I Think, Floyd

Whilst the Internet is amazing, someone with a laptop can make something amazing and send it out, but you grow up creatively in a very public way.

- Shura

Grow, Laptop, Very, Whilst

I think there's something antagonistic about bedroom pop. We're reappropriating pop and saying you don't have to be an ex-Disney star to make pop music. You can be from Shepherd's Bush and have spent most of your life listening to the Smiths and still make a pop record.

- Shura

I Think, About, Bush, Shepherd

'What's It Gonna Be?' is about having a massive crush on someone, so it made sense to go back where - to school, where it all began. But it was important for us to explore those archetypal characters - The Jock, The Nerd, The Dork, The Popular Kid - and then flip expectations.

- Shura

Kid, Back, About, Dork

With 'White Light,' I had just finished watching 'Under the Skin' and was really obsessed with the idea of science fiction presented as normality.

- Shura

Fiction, Idea, Obsessed, Normality

I'm massively inspired by 'True Blue'-era Madonna, but she is absolutely confident and in control of the situation.

- Shura

She, Madonna, Absolutely, Massively

My dad used to do a lot of music when he was young, so he had an 8-track MiniDisc recorder, and when he realized that I was getting on with it, he brought it upstairs to my room and showed me how to record and how, once you finished eight tracks, you can cut it down to two and have another six tracks to play with.

- Shura

Play, Cut, Brought, Recorder

On one level, I am a massive joker and can't take anything seriously, but on the other hand, I'm incredibly serious and a deep thinker, so I have that dichotomy within me.

- Shura

Deep, Other, Level, Joker

I'm not one of those artists that can go away for six months and tour America and have 20 producers back in London or L.A. doing everything for me and I just come home and sing on it. It would be really useful, in terms of speed, to work like that. I just wouldn't find it creatively satisfying. I have to have my hand on the remote control.

- Shura

London, Doing, Away, Satisfying

If you told teenage me that I would end up supporting Tegan and Sara for a month in North America, my head would have probably exploded.

- Shura

North America, Exploded, Supporting

Some of the best songs are love songs. They're things that we all go through, and when we're going through it, we think that we're the only person in the world going through that. Having that music there sort of reminds you that you're not alone. It happens to me, too, as a music fan.

- Shura

Love, Through, Some, Reminds

I made the decision that I could either go outside in the freezing cold in the wind and rain and get muddy or just stay inside and be a rock star.

- Shura

Rain, Decision, Rock Star, Wind

The best thing you can do is having to say no to putting out something that's good, because everything else is better.

- Shura

Best, Having, Putting, Everything Else

I love PJ Harvey, Patti Smith, Pixies, Portishead, and Massive Attack: a lot of what I would describe as alternative and indie music.

- Shura

Love, Indie, Smith, None

I started playing when I was about 13, mainly because Dad had guitars lying around the house. My dad taught me my first three chords, and I taught myself from there.

- Shura

Myself, About, Dad, Guitars

A lot of people think I popped out of some pink cloud fully formed, ready for action, but I've been putting songs on SoundCloud since I was 16. Five people would listen and like them. I never had any expectations for myself.

- Shura

Pink, Some, Been, Formed

For me, one song is not enough to be in a person's world. I need to be in their world for 40 minutes; I want to fully experience it and immerse myself.

- Shura

Song, Need, Minutes, Fully

There are two ways of dealing with being odd. One is to really try and conform, and the other is to do the opposite and really make a thing out of it. At school, it wasn't that I was bullied, but everyone was very aware that I was different. I was kind of the token weird person that people accepted into their group, almost like an accessory.

- Shura

Other, Very, Almost, Bullied

I suffer from imposter syndrome all the time. Even if I'm just at a party, I'm thinking people are going to find out that I'm really boring.

- Shura

Thinking, People, Going, Syndrome

I was obsessed with 'The Lion King' as a kid, and I really wanted to go work in an animal sanctuary and have my Lara Croft moment.

- Shura

King, Sanctuary, Obsessed, Lion King

The first time I shared music was on Myspace. Then SoundCloud came along. The difference with SoundCloud is that people can comment on stuff, which was more frightening but also way more fun - especially if they liked it.

- Shura

More, Which, Shared, Comment

I think it's much harder now with the Internet to hone anything. It's easy to share things: you do one track, and it goes on Hype Machine; people are being exposed a lot earlier.

- Shura

Anything, I Think, Hone, Exposed

I'm a lesbian. That's how I identify myself, but I think there's a massive spectrum for everyone.

- Shura

Think, I Think, Identify, Lesbian

I found my own voice slowly. I don't do big tricks like Mariah Carey, so I've found this weird way of singing that works for me.

- Shura

Voice, Big, Works, Weird Way

Pop should be weird, and I realize as I say this that I'm not the weirdest person in the world. But if that means a girl sounding like Kylie Minogue and looking like Kurt Cobain, then so be it.

- Shura

Say, Like, Means, Kurt

I felt that pop music didn't represent me. And that's why I made my own.

- Shura

Own, My Own, Made, Represent

People like Prince or Madonna, they're kind of superhuman. You can't imagine them burning their toast, and there's something really exciting about that.

- Shura

Imagine, Superhuman, Madonna, Toast

I want to explore my boundaries. I want to push myself and go right to the edge of what I am capable of. I don't want to ever be comfortable.

- Shura

Myself, Explore, Want, Push

'Nothing's Real' is about my first-ever panic attack, which I had about four months after getting my record deal.

- Shura

Deal, Which, Months, Record Deal

I read interviews saying women can bring a femininity to a song, a delicacy, but some women make really aggressive music.

- Shura

Song, Some, Read, Femininity

I got this advice that if you know a panic attack is happening, just sit back and go, 'Okay, this is happening to me, but it'll be over. You'll be fine. You'll live.'

- Shura

Advice, Over, Okay, Panic

I love camping, everything about it - tents, the camping stove, sleeping bags. I'm obsessed with technology, be it synthesizers and speakers or tents and Gore-Tex.

- Shura

Love, Camping, Obsessed, Stove

I couldn't be a Taylor Swift. I would really suck at being Taylor Swift.

- Shura

Taylor, Would, Taylor Swift, Swift

I worked in a post-production facility for television, but in the machine room, so I was one of the nerds, essentially - making sure everyone had their footage in and all of that stuff.

- Shura

Everyone, Making, Sure, Post-Production

Someone will say, 'Shura's album is about being a gay woman in London.' Umm, I feel like my album's just about me. I am a gay woman, and I live in London... It's not about being a gay woman in London.

- Shura

Woman, London, Will, Gay

It was never like I had to go, 'I am gay.' Slowly, almost by osmosis, by the way I was behaving, it became obvious and accepted.

- Shura

Like, Became, Almost, Gay

I didn't fit in on my football team; I was always the odd one out.

- Shura

Always, Football Team, Fit, Odd

I know I don't suck at being me. I'm really good at being me.

- Shura

Me, Know, Being, Suck

Pop music for introverts is an idea I wanted to explore.

- Shura

Music, Pop, Wanted, Pop Music

It's strange: I love pop music, and I really can enjoy it, but I didn't feel like the characters within pop music - like when Madonna sings 'Crazy For You', for instance, I don't feel like I would ever be the character she takes on in that song. I would never feel... I don't have that confidence in me.

- Shura

Love, Sings, Instance, Pop Music

Producing albums is 100 per cent where I would love to be, later in my career.

- Shura

Love, Career, Albums, Per

Being part of a crowd and not standing out is way more frightening than being the person that stands out.

- Shura

Crowd, Standing, Stands, Frightening

I'm a bit of a geek: I just love being able to play with dials and buttons.

- Shura

Love, Play, Buttons, Geek

I'd written songs since I was 16, but I never thought that I would be a musician full time.

- Shura

Thought, Never, Would, Full Time

Is the mainstream becoming more queer? Or is it the opposite? That artists like me are mainstreaming queer music?

- Shura

Music, Becoming, Queer, Mainstream

I'm 23, and if I wanted to release a record when I was 17, I could have released a record, but I'm really glad I didn't.

- Shura

Release, Could, Really, Released

Sometimes we feel like we're only interacting with what's already happening; we don't actually affect anything - sometimes I feel like that, anyway.

- Shura

Like, Affect, Interacting, Happening

There's something about rhythm and bass sections generally, how the bass and drums interact, that's basically the soul of any song.

- Shura

Soul, Song, About, Sections

From collaborating with other people, you make concessions, and those concessions are great because sometimes you are definitely wrong.

- Shura

People, Sometimes, Other, Collaborating

As I grew in confidence, I was able to come out and say that I'm a musician.

- Shura

Confidence, Come, Able, Musician

I'm really freaked out by time. How, for instance, what I did last week is not real in the sense that it's happened. It's just a memory that's filed away in my brain.

- Shura

Memory, Week, Instance, Freaked

It's probably the first type of music we had, rhythm, whether it's poetry or tapping.

- Shura

Music, Had, Whether, Tapping

The hardest thing is having to do selfies even when you're on your period and you're queuing at Superdrug to get ibuprofen. That's when I'm like, 'You know what? I don't feel like Shura today.'

- Shura

Like, Period, Having, Hardest Thing

I love scarves and hats and coats. I love it.

- Shura

Love, I Love, Coats, Hats

I've had relationships before where you break up, and you think you're going to die, and then you realise you're definitely not going to die, and actually, you're probably better off without them.

- Shura

Die, Think, Before, Realise

It's just as important - if not more important - to take the praise with a pinch of salt, just as you do the criticism.

- Shura

Important, Take, Pinch, Criticism

It is important that you're out, and it is important that you're visible.

- Shura

Important, You, Out, Visible

In London, I used to play 'Boys of Summer,' but it didn't feel right, because it doesn't apply to your surroundings, to the weather. I remember being in L.A. and listening to that record and going, 'Oh, I get it now.'

- Shura

Play, London, I Remember, Summer

Perhaps a young boy or girl, after watching my video, can go, 'Maybe I don't have to be embarrassed. Maybe I can come out at school, maybe I can tell my best friend... and maybe I don't have to be afraid anymore.'

- Shura

Young, Embarrassed, Maybe, Best Friend

It's really weird when you realize the people you look up to - who have influenced or inspired you - start to realize what you do.

- Shura

People, Start, Influenced, Inspired

There's a part of me that's ambitious.

- Shura

Me, Part, Ambitious

Do stuff that is true to your own experiences.

- Shura

True, Own, Your, Experiences

I'm actually really impressed with everyone at Polydor.

- Shura

Everyone, Actually, Really, Impressed

I don't care about how many records I sell, but the main thing is people like it.

- Shura

Records, Like, Main Thing, Sell

To go from someone who would put something on SoundCloud and maybe get 15,000 plays in a year to getting 100,000 plays in one day felt very weird. I thought I was dying.

- Shura

Thought, Maybe, Very, Plays

When I wasn't working, I was learning how to use production software on YouTube and making music.

- Shura

YouTube, How, Making, Production

If I fancy someone but can't tell them because I'm shy, I'll think, 'It's fine. You're not going to die. Maybe just tell them or whatever.'

- Shura

Die, Think, Shy, Fancy

I love being in the studio.

- Shura

Love, Being, I Love, Studio

I didn't really want anyone to know that I wanted to write music or make songs because, in a way, I didn't necessarily know if I wanted to do it for a profession. I wanted to do it to express myself.

- Shura

Myself, Want, Profession, Express

You have to challenge yourself about the choices you make as an artist.

- Shura

Challenge, Artist, About, Choices

You have to make sure you love what you do more than anything.

- Shura

Love, More, Sure, More Than Anything

I don't hate my voice. I'm just not an Adele.

- Shura

Hate, Voice, Just, Adele

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