I'm really not that special. Really, I'm not. I was on a big TV show, but it was just a TV show.

Well, fortunately we found out that the runner-up our particular year was going to get a record contract also. So it was kind of a - it was bitter sweet but it was an opportunity.

Clive [Davis] tried to tell me that saying certain words in a song - or as he says, 'putting some balls into it' - isn't bad, it's just strong emotion. Well, there are certain words and emotions I don't want kids hearing, and I'm not changing because they think it's going to sell better. This is going to sound horrible, but I got 12 million votes doing what I did.

My mother taught me that we all have the power to achieve our dreams. What I lacked was the courage.

It's a whole team of people working 24 hours around the clock to make me look like this.

I never want to produce anything that a family could not enjoy together. I never want to create art that would embarrass my own children later.

While everyone I work with may not share my beliefs, I have been surrounded by nothing but support.