"I really wish I knew what I was doing because I'd be writing hit songs every minute"
About this Quote
The intent is disarming. Mars, a guy who often appears as the embodiment of tight musicianship and retro-smooth confidence, flips the persona. He frames success not as mastery but as a controlled gamble. That’s strategically relatable in an era where the industry sells “authenticity” while demanding algorithm-friendly output. He’s saying: even the pros feel like impostors, because the target keeps moving.
The subtext is also protective. By insisting he doesn’t know what he’s doing, he resists the myth that hitmakers have a formula - the same myth that pressures artists to become content machines. It’s a gentle refusal of the “genius” narrative and a critique of the marketplace that treats songs like widgets.
Context matters: Mars came up as a songwriter-for-hire and a student of classic pop mechanics. He absolutely knows a lot. The line works because it admits that knowledge still doesn’t guarantee the one thing everyone wants: a record that catches fire at the exact right moment.
Quote Details
| Topic | Music |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Mars, Bruno. (2026, January 16). I really wish I knew what I was doing because I'd be writing hit songs every minute. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/i-really-wish-i-knew-what-i-was-doing-because-id-119123/
Chicago Style
Mars, Bruno. "I really wish I knew what I was doing because I'd be writing hit songs every minute." FixQuotes. January 16, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/i-really-wish-i-knew-what-i-was-doing-because-id-119123/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"I really wish I knew what I was doing because I'd be writing hit songs every minute." FixQuotes, 16 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/i-really-wish-i-knew-what-i-was-doing-because-id-119123/. Accessed 21 Feb. 2026.


