I have my own life. And I am stronger than you know.

I've laid down with love and woke up with lies. What's it all, worth only the heart can measure.

I said,'Instead of going in the direction that a lot of the women singers are going in [revealing], I'll be very, very sexy under 18 pounds of chiffon and lace and velvet...I will have mystique.

When you're hurt or angry, let go by tapping into your humbleness. You want people to remember you for your grace.

I blame it [never taking a break] on my mother. She was a born entertainer. Leave the songwriting, the singing and all that behind, and I still would have found some way to be an entertainer. I would have never been an actress, though, because I realized early in my life, in like sixth grade, I was a terrible actress.

When we started becoming friends [with Prince], I was really doing a lot of cocaine, and he hated that. Prince was so against drugs.

I look around at all the girl singers, and I think they're all my children... and they're all going to do this... And, yes, maybe I inspired them because I did get through a lot, and I did have the same problems that they're going to have. You do have to give up a lot for it.