"The very first Walnut Whales recording was recorded just a few weeks after I had started singing, out of the blue, started singing. And the voice, you can hear how uncomfortable I am with it, and how terrified I am with it"

In this quote, Joanna Newsom assesses the early phases of her musical journey, especially highlighting the vulnerability and rawness of her very first recording, "Walnut Whales". The phrase "just a few weeks after I had actually begun singing" suggests that Newsom was fairly brand-new to singing performance at the time of this recording, recommending a spontaneous dive into music without substantial premeditation or preparation. Her use of the term "out of the blue" recommends that her decision to begin singing was unexpected and possibly even unexpected to herself, indicating a sense of serendipity or instinctual drive in her musical expression.

Newsom emphasizes the discomfort and fear she experienced during these early recordings. The phrase "you can hear how unpleasant I am with it" acknowledges a palpable sense of anxiousness with her own voice, indicating that she was still in the procedure of discovering and accepting her vocal identity. This pain might stem from a lack of technical training or just from the vulnerability fundamental in exposing one's voice to an audience for the first time.

In addition, her admission of being "frightened" highlights the emotional strength of that experience. The terror she describes might arise from the pressure of creative self-exposure, compounded by the unpredictability of a brand-new artistic venture. It also speaks with a common experience among artists, where the creative procedure is both thrilling and frightening, as it includes entering the unidentified and facing one's constraints and worries.

Overall, Newsom's reflection on her initial venture into singing acts as a testament to the nerve needed to pursue artistic expression. In spite of her self-doubt and worry, she permitted herself to be susceptible, accepting the credibility of her nascent voice, which eventually added to her growth as an artist renowned for her unique musical design.