The important thing is to realize that no matter what people's opinions may be, they're only just that - people's opinions. You have to believe in your heart what you know to be true about yourself. And let that be that.

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.

I don't know what kind of God the rest of y'all are serving, but the God I serve says, 'Mary, you need to be the hottest thing this year, and I'm gonna make sure you're doing that.'

There's not enough time to be disrespecting... Life is too short.

You can look at my palm and see the storm coming. Read the book of my life and see I've overcome it.

I believe there are certain things that God uses to get us out of a bad situation, and I believe music was one of the things he used for me.

I think everyone should understand history of segregation the same way we had to go to school and read about George Washington. I believe this generation should know their history and they should know that the struggle's not over yet. For instance, you can't get the cover of a magazine if your skin is too dark.