Skip to main content

Creativity Quote by Peabo Bryson

"I never want to fake it. That's my whole thing"

About this Quote

Authenticity is Peabo Bryson drawing a hard line in a business that quietly rewards soft compromises. “I never want to fake it” isn’t just a moral stance; it’s an aesthetic policy. Bryson built a career on velvet control - a voice that sells tenderness without sounding like it’s begging for applause. The phrase “my whole thing” lands with the casual certainty of someone who knows his lane and refuses the gimmicks that would cheapen it.

The intent is defensive and declarative at once: a preemptive rebuttal to the industry’s two most common demands on a singer of his type - trend-chasing and emotional exaggeration. In R&B and adult contemporary, where polish can slide into plastic, “fake it” can mean everything from lip-syncing and studio trickery to adopting a fashionably “raw” persona. Bryson is signaling that his polish is earned, not manufactured; that smoothness isn’t the same as falseness.

The subtext is about trust. Ballads are a transaction: the listener gives you their soft parts, you promise not to exploit them. Bryson’s biggest cultural moments - crossover duets, soundtrack anthems, high-romance radio staples - depend on that promise. If the singer sounds insincere, the fantasy collapses, and the song becomes a commercial instead of a confession.

Context matters, too: Bryson came up in an era when vocal credibility was currency, then watched pop modernize into image-first performance. This line reads like a veteran’s refusal to be turned into a product demo for whatever authenticity is trending this quarter.

Quote Details

TopicHonesty & Integrity
SourceHelp us find the source
More Quotes by Peabo Add to List
Peabo Bryson: I never want to fake it
Click to enlarge Portrait | Landscape

About the Author

USA Flag

Peabo Bryson (born April 13, 1951) is a Musician from USA.

22 more quotes available

View Profile

Similar Quotes

Steven Tyler, Musician