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As a woman of color, I always have to be at 150 percent and better than everybody in the room to be considered competent.

Mitski

I try to be regimented and try to stay healthy and work out and eat properly and go to sleep. And not get too caught up in the industry in my regular life, so I can save all my expression and energy for my art.
MITSKI

Eat Go Healthy Out Properly Regimented Sleep Stay Try Work
Often I’ve had problems automatically bending to a lover’s will, becoming what I know they want me to be. Immediately, I learn all the music they love, listen to it, study it, instead of being like, ‘This is what I love!’
MITSKI

Automatical Become Bend Immediately Lover Often Problem Want
I don’t think ‘bleak’ is a bad thing.
MITSKI

Bad Bleak Thing Think
Miyazaki movies were what I was raised on. I’ve watched them since I was very young, and I’ve been greatly shaped by them.
MITSKI

Greatly Movie Raise Shape Since Them Very Watch Young
When I go onstage and am performing the way I want to… I finally feel like myself.
MITSKI

Feel Finally Like Myself Onstage Perform Want Way
When someone is a musician – trying to make a living off being a public figure – it’s really easy for people to see me as a face on a screen that doesn’t have a personal life.
MITSKI

Being Figure Live Make Musician Public Someone Try
Being an outsider at all times is both unhealthy and useful, because you become much more objective about things.
MITSKI

All Become Being Bought More Objective Outsider Thing Time Unhealthy Useful
I think your ego gets in the way of making something good because it kind of blinds you from the actual art.
MITSKI

Actual Art Blind Ego Get Kind Make Something Think Way
I remember I took a music course in junior year of high school, and some girl brought in ‘Teardrops On My Guitar,’ and she was like, ‘Isn’t this song great?’ And everyone was like, ‘Who’s Taylor Swift?’ And now, every time I listen to Taylor Swift, I remember that moment.
MITSKI

Brought Course High Honor Music Remember School Took Year
I have this thing about being acknowledged and accepted by institutions.
MITSKI

Accept Acknowledge Being Have Institution Thing
Growing up, I never really felt like anything was my own. I moved a lot, and I never belonged anywhere.
MITSKI

Anything Anywhere Belong Felt Grow Lot Moved My Own Really Up
I feel like I’ve always wanted to live in one place and stay in one place, but I always end up choosing things that make me travel.
MITSKI

Always Choose Feel Like Make One Place Stay Thing Travel Want
I think it’s our responsibility as artists to not only fight for our art but fight for the communities that are the reason we’re able to continue making art, especially since, in Brooklyn’s case, we as artists somehow made it ‘cool’ enough for the bigger money-making industries to start taking over.
MITSKI

Able Artist Communities Fight Our Reason Responsibility Think
In my first few years of being in New York, I had a major identity crisis because I’d never stayed in one place for so long.
MITSKI

Being Country Crisis First Few Identity Long Major never One Place Stay Year
I think people don’t realize how little of being an artist is making art.
MITSKI

Art Artist Being Little Make People Realize Think
I created this ‘ideal America.’ Finally I came to the U.S. and realised, ‘Oh, I don’t belong here, either.’
MITSKI

Belong Came Country Create Either Idea Realise
I know for a fact that I’m problematic. I shouldn’t be looked to for any kind of guidance.
MITSKI

Any Fact Guidance Kind Know Look Problematic
Music was the one thing that was just mine, and no one could take it from me. I created it, dictated it, and it made me not able to let go of it.
MITSKI

Could Just Me Mine Music One Put Thing
You can be heartbroken about a relationship but also, from it, realize you are you, and you’re okay with who you are or where you came from.
MITSKI

Also Came From Heartbroken Okay Realize Relationship
With solo shows, you have complete control over the set list. If you feel like you want to do something different or do a new song, you can just work it in. You can talk to the audience or not talk to the audience. There’s nothing that’s set.
MITSKI

Completer Control List Over Set Show Solo
I have my privileges, but I do feel like at every turn there is such resistance.
MITSKI

Every Feel Privilege Resistance Such Turn
Whenever I’ve tried to ingratiate myself to an existing community, I tend to give too much, to become whatever it is they want me to be. It’s something I do automatically – I’ve learnt to immediately adapt.
MITSKI

Comunity Exist Ingratiate Myself Whenever Tried
Oftentimes, the most important decisions I make are the ones I don’t put much thought into.
MITSKI

Decision Important Into Make Most Much Often One Put Times
My father was obsessed with folk music from around the world, and I think the countless artists who performed them are my biggest influences.
MITSKI

Around Artist Counties Father Folk Hink Music Obesess Perform World
I think growing up the way I did has made me a lot more objective, and that’s important in the process of writing and trying to look at subjective matter that way.
MITSKI

Grow Important Made Matter More Objective Process Subjective Think Try Way
I don’t think I’m alone in this: I’m obsessed with trying to not only be happy but maintain happiness, but my definition of happiness is skewed more towards ecstasy rather than contentment.
MITSKI

Alone Happiness Maintain Obsessed Think Try
I really like The Cars. They’re just so over the top and super pop, but I don’t feel guilty. I’m proud of all the music I listen to.
MITSKI

Car Feel Guilty Like Listen Music Over Pop Proud Really Super Top

As a woman of color, I always have to be at 150 percent and better than everybody in the room to be considered competent.

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As a woman of color, I always have to be at 150 percent and better than everybody in the room to be considered competent.

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