Actually, I dont hate cats, Im just kind of afraid of them.

If my career detour from special education to singing has done one thing, it has afforded me the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of others.

It's important that I make a difference in some way. If it's performing and touching someone that way, that's great; if it's being a teacher and helping some kid understand something, that's even better.

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

Perseverance. I got cut twice. I got cut in Charlotte. I didn't have to go to Atlanta to audition. I could have said, "I'm not cut out for this." But I said, "I think I'm better than that, I can go try again." So I went to Atlanta and I made it through. Then I got cut the first time around. I could have told them I didn't want to come back for the Wild Card show but I did and look how far I got.

I did get a degree in special education.

A song is like a smile. If you meet people from another country, even if you don't speak the same language, you know what a smile means. A song works the same way. Music produces feelings that need no translation.