I have a noble history of being rejected by a lot of places, only to discover that the one that finally lets me in is in fact the perfect fit.

For a while it was hard for me to say no to work.

I have not changed with the accomplishments. I've remained the same. If I had changed, great. You know, but I haven't.

A lot of bad behavior in singers is caused by nerves.

We sing with the entire body. The sounds that we make emanate not just from the head, but from the whole heart and soul, and, most important, the gut.

I was constantly being pushed toward a European ideal of what it means to be a classical or opera singer, let's say in the Renata Tebaldi mode. I reject that.

I've lived in New York all my life, and we went to the Mormon Pageant each year in upstate New York. It still is a wonderful production. I remember going and seeing the performance and listening to the music. My father had Mormon Tabernacle Choir music, and we would listen to it and sing with it.