Completeness? Happiness? These words don't come close to describing my emotions. There truly is nothing I can say to capture what motherhood means to me, particularly given my medical history.

My father worked on assembly lines in Detroit while I was growing up. Every day, I watched him do what he needed to do to support the family. But he told me, 'Life is short. Do what you want to do.'

Historically, in my generation, all of my heroes and heroines have had issues and problems. We all do.

I think there's no sacrifice too great for family, whether it's career, singing, whatever.

When you're away for a long time, tastes change, fans move on. You hate to think about it, but it's an ugly fact of life.

If you have your own agenda and your own style and you don't easily conform to what the masses are doing, you're looked upon as being difficult. Whereas, I think of it as just being an individual.

It's impossible to write and produce a record when your parents are dying. I really tried, I really, really tried, but it just wouldn't come.