"And frankly, when I made that record, hit songs were not what I was trying to achieve"

In this quote, singer-songwriter Duncan Sheik is assessing his past work and the intentions behind it. He states that when he created a specific record, his primary objective was not to produce hit tunes. This suggests that his focus was not on business success or creating music that would interest a wide audience. Rather, he likely had a more personal or creative vision for the record. This quote highlights the idea that artists might have different inspirations and objectives for their work, and success can be measured in numerous ways. It likewise talks to the concept of staying real to one's own innovative vision instead of conforming to market standards.