The only recording studio was in Motown - it was called Tamla/Motown at that time and we used to audition there because Smokey Robinson was at that studio and Berry Gordy was the president. I remember asking Smokey to listen to my group and he did. For the first couple of years we were just singing background. We used to back up Marvin Gaye; Mary Wells was there then, Marv Johnson, the Marvelettes, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, Junior Walker and the All-Stars.

I keep a great organiser, I try to keep my priorities in the right place.

I want to go Africa. I want to go to China. There are some places I want to go not to work, but to really explore and to see for my own education.

I know that my fans want to know who I'm sleeping with, but it's really none of their business.

I even thought of adopting a child as a single mother.

I try to choose the songs that really are basically coming from my heart. I think that through the songs that I select, people know what's going on in my life.

I don't have to sit around and wait for the next movie to come along, I can go out and sing.