People in my neighborhood inspired me to sing. Believe in your ability no matter what, but be realistic with yourself and your ability.

When I was five years old I was molested and just, you know. I remember feeling, literally right before it happened, I just could not believe that this person was going to do this to me. That thing followed me all my life. The shame of thinking my molestation was my fault - it led me to believe I wasn't worth anything.

Music makes us want to live. You don't know how many times people have told me that they'd been down and depressed and just wanted to die. But then a special song caught their ear and that helped give them renewed strength. That's the power music has.

When you tell your truth, you are coming from a real place, so you are automatically a leader.

It hurts a lot when you cannot really comprehend what a person is saying in a meeting, or you don't even understand what you're reading in your contract.

It's that first step-getting out the door-that's the toughest. If you can do that, you've already won.

When I was a child I didn't care about getting an education, and I didn't finish high school.