I drink a ton of water a day and try to get as much sleep as possible. Sleep is the best way to restore your health. Never skip on sleep; it’s crazy important. – Brittany Howard
My dream was to not work for anyone. There’s only so many things I was good at – and how am I not going to work for anyone? I just don’t want people telling me what to do. – Brittany Howard
The biggest lie in the world is in answer to the question, ‘How are you?’ People usually say, ‘I’m fine,’ but that’s mostly bull. Everyone wants to display being perfect. They tell themselves and their friends, ‘I drive this car, I own this house, I’m fine.’ People ball up into these tight wads of repression. – Brittany Howard
Oh, man, I love the Staple Singers. I love Pop Staples’ guitar playing, too. He’s one of my favorite guitar players. – Brittany Howard
I have a lot of respect for all the artists I get compared to, even if, as an artist, you prefer to have your own identity. – Brittany Howard
I think what’s wrong with too many people is they’re too reserved. They’re miserable, but they don’t want to talk about it. – Brittany Howard
I have a terrible lifestyle. And I don’t really see it changing. Maybe in 10 years I’ll see it differently – I’ll want to see my great-grandchildren and live forever. But right now, young Brittany is not setting things up for old Brittany. And young Brittany does not care. – Brittany Howard
One of my favorite things about Tom Waits is not only his songs, but when he does do live shows, it’s the theatrics involved. It’s like Kabuki theater, really old-fashioned theatrics. Like, standing on top of a piece of plywood lying on some cinderblocks and clapping his hands, banging on a bucket. – Brittany Howard
Every time I’m home, it’s like a vacation, but I’ve been playing in bands since I was 11. I guess our goals were always small goals. It started off my goal was just to be in a band. Then it was to have a drummer that would show up. – Brittany Howard
I was a strange kid. I’m still strange. People didn’t get me. And I didn’t expect them to. – Brittany Howard
By the time I’m 35, I’ll probably want to have a family. I’d be happy doing that, teaching my kids to do the right things, to do good things. – Brittany Howard
I was a handful as a kid. I get bored easily. Now I’m pretty chill compared to back then. When I’m on the road, I watch Netflix and, at home, relax or fish. – Brittany Howard
I always felt out of place. I wasn’t a cool kid, but I wasn’t a nerd, either. I had trouble finding my place. But when I found the music, I had a place of my own. – Brittany Howard
There’s not a whole lot to do in Athens. When I was 13, I just started entertaining myself by writing songs. I’d sit in my room for 10 hours playing the same song, stacking vocals, trying out different drum beats, realizing no one would ever hear this but having so much fun. I guess I got my voice from just doing that so often. – Brittany Howard
I’m not really into EDM music; I really like when someone plays their instrument and stuff. But I saw Deadmau5 at a festival, and it was pretty tight, I have to admit. He’s got the giant mouse head on and tubes coming out of the ceiling and giant mirror glass things. – Brittany Howard
I love Jimi Hendrix obviously, and Jimmy Page and Prince. And also Elvis Presley is a really great guitar player. I don’t think he ever took lessons; he was piecing it together himself. But he has great rhythm. And rhythm, to me, you can use it to your advantage if you’re not all over the fretboard. – Brittany Howard
When I first started, I was much weaker of a singer because I wasn’t used to singing so much. Now I’ve learned, when I’m singing on stage, not to go over. You can go over and mess yourself up. I used to do it all the time, wouldn’t know how to preserve it for the next show. – Brittany Howard
A song like ‘Heartbreaker,’ it’s a song about learning – it’s not necessarily a song about heartbreak. It’s more than that. We write those songs to relive how we got over something. – Brittany Howard
People hear a powerful female singer in a rock and roll band, and they say, ‘Janis Joplin.’ I think people just make that comparison because it’s easy. But I don’t think I sound like her at all. – Brittany Howard
Once, right before a show, I realized I’d forgotten shoes. I didn’t want to wear my flip-flops onstage because I could trip. I ended up going barefoot, which actually worked out because it became my ‘thing.’ – Brittany Howard
I’m not that flashy in private; I’m usually pretty reserved. But on stage, it’s about not being afraid of anything – of anyone judging you. It’s one place you can be free. So why not sing as loud as you can, hoop and holler and jump around? A show is a moment. When it’s done, it’s over. I find that extremely liberating. – Brittany Howard
For my band’s debut tour in 2011, we road-tripped across the country in a 15-passenger van. It was the first time I’d left Alabama. I drove through scenery I’d only ever seen in calendars: auburn leaves falling in Vermont, the sun setting over purple mountains in Arizona. It was incredible. – Brittany Howard
