I’ve been called many names like perfectionist, difficult and obsessive. I think it takes obsession, takes searching for the details for any artist to be good.

Streisand reframes labels often used to criticize demanding artists—“perfectionist,” “difficult,” “obsessive”—as evidence of professional seriousness. The quote argues that high-level artistry depends on sustained, almost compulsive attention to detail: the willingness to keep searching, refining, and reworking beyond what is comfortable for collaborators or audiences. Implicitly, she distinguishes ego-driven fussiness from craft-driven rigor, suggesting that “obsession” is not a personality flaw but a method—an ethic of care for the work. The statement also functions as self-justification for her reputation for control and exacting standards, positioning meticulousness as a prerequisite for excellence rather than an optional temperament.