I just kick off my shoes, walk around barefoot, I don't care if my feet get dirty.

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.

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

I want to look good when people see me.

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

It's important to recognize your own self-destructive behavior and be honest about it. You're only hurting yourself or losing out on your truth and happiness. I'm not afraid to face my own personal stuff. It's so important to dig it up and figure it out and move on.

I was brought up in a household of chaos and I never felt stable at home. At a really young age, I decided I was never going to feel helpless, I was never going to feel weak around a man, and I was never going to rely on anyone. Independence was a big, big thing for me.