Blues and soul and jazz music has so much pain, so much beauty of raw emotion and passion.

Power is making a statement about who you are.

Don't let anything morph you or push you around or have you be something you're not.

I never mind contorting myself for a good cause.

The most vulnerable people have tough exteriors because they are very scared inside, and it's very hard for people like that - people like me - to open up. But playing it safe means you stop being open to learning. I always try to find the challenges.

It's important for someone who's dealt with violence to be able to talk to someone, no matter who it is. So I'm vocal about how I feel. That's how I've worked through a lot of my problems.

I'm no stranger to criticism. You're never going to be good enough, or just the right thing in everybody's eyes.