I was just so honored to play the role of Cinderella and to just be the first African-American princess, that's just historic for me, that's such a mark in my life and my career and then the bonus of just working with my favorite person in the whole world, Whitney [Houston], like her voice just did something to my spirit.

I've had to come through a lot and I've made a lot of different mistakes, but I realized that I never gave up. I wanted to so badly.

Mom would kill me if I showed my navel.

In my life right now, in my music, and just overall I feel like I'm winning. It doesn't matter what this person is saying or what the charts are saying or what award shows are saying, the public opinion doesn't matter. I feel like I'm winning in my spirit.

I'm very proud of myself because I have come so close to just giving up and I haven't done that.

My daughter is in love with Adele. She listens to her every day. To see someone with that much passion and soul move a 9-year-old is amazing and it's magical.

Stay true to yourself because it goes a long way. If you don't know who you are, who are you really?