When I'm on the red carpet, I'm prepared for [the attention.] But the worst thing is on planes, when you're asleep and you're woken up by a camera flashing. That's a little bit much. But what do you do? It's a part of [being famous]. Unfortunately.

I wanted to be famous for my music and my talent, and I always wished I could cut it out when I left the stage.

So I'm very happy if my words can ever inspire or empower someone who considers themselves an oppressed minority. We are all the same and we all want the same things: the right to be happy, to be just who we want to be and to love who we want to love.

I fell in love with music by listening to R&B, & it's the core of who I am.

Men and women balance each other out, and we have to get to a point where we are comfortable with appreciating each other.

I'm over being a pop star. I don't wanna be a hot girl. I wanna be iconic. And I feel like I've accomplished a lot. I feel like I'm highly respected, which is more important than any award or any amount of records. And I feel like there comes a point when being a pop star is not enough.

Make sure you have your own life before becoming someone's wife ~spoken to Oprah in an interview