It's a torturous time when you learn almost everything you really have to know about survival. The important thing to remember when you are living through it, however, is that you have absolutely no idea quite how smart and strong and beautiful the pain will make you. So go forth and suffer...you'll rule the world.

I have a temper on me that could hold back tides.

It's definitely an intrinsic part of my makeup that makes me want to see black when everyone else is seeing white.

A lot of my friends are artists or musicians or single parent families and I'm totally aware of how difficult it is for them to make ends meet.

I wanted to put out a solo record because I was stuck on a major label and sick of it.

Here am I. I'm 38. My career's probably never been better. And I've made a decision which may or may not impact on it - I refuse to hide my experience and my age, as if it's something I should be ashamed of. I'm alive. I know lots of people who've never been lucky enough to get to this stage in their life. And I'm not gonna hide it for anybody.

Possibly because I grew up not feeling very confident about my own physical appearance, I developed internal devices so that I could integrate into society.