Meaning: This quote comes from musician Joanna Newsom and provides insight into her multifaceted musical career. In this quote, Newsom reflects on the challenges of navigating her diverse musical projects and the expectations that come with them. The quote highlights the contrast between her work as a harpist and her role in the indie rock band The Pleased. It also captures the anxiety she feels about audience expectations and the pressure to deliver something consistent with their preconceived notions.

Joanna Newsom is known for her distinctive style and lyrical storytelling, often accompanied by her harp playing. Her solo work has garnered critical acclaim and a dedicated fanbase. However, Newsom's involvement with The Pleased, an indie rock band, represents a departure from her solo persona and introduces a different musical dimension to her repertoire. This duality in her musical career presents a unique challenge in managing audience expectations and reconciling the contrasting aspects of her artistry.

The first part of the quote, "I usually don't tell people about the Pleased if they know me from the harp," suggests that Newsom grapples with how to present her various musical endeavors to her audience. It reflects her concern that fans of her solo harp music might not appreciate or understand her involvement in a different musical context, such as The Pleased. This dilemma speaks to the complexity of maintaining distinct musical identities within the same artist and the challenge of reconciling the disparate perceptions that audiences may have of her work.

Conversely, the second part of the quote, "And if they are there to see the Pleased, I usually don't tell them about the harp," reveals Newsom's apprehension about potential misconceptions and misplaced expectations from fans of The Pleased who may not be familiar with her solo harp music. This fear of mismatched expectations underscores the pressure she feels to deliver something consistent with the specific context in which she is performing, whether it be as a solo harpist or as part of a band.

Newsom's concerns about audience expectations are rooted in the fear that people will expect something similar regardless of the musical project she is involved in. This sentiment reflects the challenge of managing the diverse facets of her musical identity and the struggle to define herself within different musical contexts. The quote captures the vulnerability that artists often experience when navigating multiple creative outlets and the pressure to meet or defy audience expectations.

Overall, Joanna Newsom's quote provides a glimpse into the complexities of managing multiple musical personas and the anxiety that comes with the expectations of her audience. It speaks to the challenges of maintaining distinct musical identities within the same artist and the struggle to reconcile the diverse perceptions that audiences may have of her work. Newsom's candid reflection sheds light on the intricate balance she must strike in navigating her multifaceted musical career.