As a child I always wanted to be a singer. The music my mother played in the house moved me - Aretha Franklin, Chaka Khan, Mahalia Jackson. It was truly spiritual. It made you understand what God was. We are all spirits. We get depressed. But music makes you want to live. I know my music has saved my life.

When you're going to do whatever you're going to do, you have to get your, put your mind into it.

I decided to start my own label because so many people with talent come to me wanting to know how they can get in the music business.

Believe in yourself when nobody else does.

The music business is really, really small. The real music is becoming almost extinct, if you don't stay true to who you are.

Sometimes I frown and I don't realise it.

There are people out there who want to provoke me and bring back the old Mary but I'm not giving them the satisfaction.