Basically, I started singing when I started talking. Music has just been my saving grace my whole life.

Butterflies are always following me, everywhere I go.

My mother is Irish, my father is black and Venezuelan, and me - I'm tan, I guess.

A lot of people are singing about how screwed up the world is, and I don't think that everybody wants to hear about that all the time.

In this world, I call the shots and I think I know best.

One day I promised God that if he would give me my voice back I would never smoke again. I got three octaves back after quitting.

If critics have problems with my personal life, it's their problem. Anybody with half a brain would realize that it's the charts that count.

I don't mind being compared to Whitney, there are people miles worse to be compared to.

Forget the image, forget the ensemble, forget the rumours, forget the short skirts, the big hair, whatever! I owe this to the fans and I will never forget you so I want to accept this award on behalf of all of you.

I do not think I reinvent myself. Wearing my hair differently or changing my style of dress is playing dress-up. I don't take it too seriously.

There is a light at the end of the tunnel... hopefully its not a freight train!

This is for all of you out there tonight, reaching for a dream - don't ever give up! Never ever listen to anyone, when they try to discourage you, because they do that, believe me!

I'm not one of those people that goes into details of my personal life on national TV to get attention. Some things are better left unsaid.

Whatever you're going through in your life, don't ever give up.

My heart has never been broken, I've never broken anyone else's.

I always felt like the rug could be pulled out from under me at anytime. And coming from a racially mixed background, I always felt like I didn't really fit in anywhere.

I hope to be around past the 90's. I don't want to just be categorized as one of this era. My goal is to have a career that stands.

It's hard to be someone that people talk about and write about, you know? They don't know me.

Never, never listen to anybody that try to discourage you.

I don't think anyone knows as much about what's right for me as I do.

Basically, I started singing when I started talking. Music has just been my saving grace my whole life.

If you see me as just the princess then you misunderstand who I am and what I have been through.

I'd rather be onstage with a pig - a duet with Jennifer Lopez and me just ain't going to happen.

A lot of rappers don't have to go through what I had to go through as a singer. I was always in a bubble that they put me in, but I was always punching out. It was a tough line to walk.

Being biracial is so much a part of who I am that it's almost, 'Let it go already.' It's intrinsic to me. I think a lot of my fans relate to me because they felt different.

But I think I'm a nice friend and a good person, and I try to do my work as best I can.

Christmas is always the most fun. I start looking forward to Christmas before it's even summertime.

Especially since I started studying acting, I feel like I'm always super-aware of my emotions and my feelings and what's going on with me at every moment. I definitely think I wasn't very present prior to that.

Honestly, everybody gets talked about. Some people control their press a little more than others. Some people feed the press and move it the way they want to. I don't do that.

I am very insecure about my looks, and I always have been because of being mixed race.

I arrange flowers in my spare time. Well, when I have spare time, that is.

I could do my own nails... I went to beauty school in the 11th grade. But why would I do that now?

I definitely feel more complete than before. There's a void you have when you don't feel you've found the other part of who you are, so I'm in a different place now and that's nice to experience.

I do all of my own stunts in videos. The Jet Ski scenes, the fight scenes, all of them!

I don't think there were great beauty trends in the '90s - I was just doing my own thing.

I love giving gifts. It's almost like I don't open my gifts until, like, three days after Christmas 'cause I want to give everyone else their presents.

I love the grimiest rappers in the world. That's my favorite.

I never thought that I would have love again, but it's amazing how the universe brings love to you.

I really don't do karaoke because it becomes a vocal performance rather than fun, like, 'Let's just sing this song and be silly.' It's not fun for me.

I really rebel against authority.

I think I have to remain eternally oblivious to age. Honestly, when you put a number on it yourself, it's just like, Why? Why do that?

I think certain people like to torture me because they think I've had it easier than I actually have and they think: 'Oh, she's got this, she's got that, she's always had everything perfect,' and it's sooo not true.

I think that for me, personally, a lot of my choices have been to do with my own issues of not feeling safe as a child and feeling a sense of stability.

I think the greatest gift to me is that I can express myself in songs. It helps me get through some of the hardest times of my life. It also helps me celebrate some of the best times.

I try not to be a jerk. I really do. I try to be nice and cordial.

I understand people want to hold on to their roots.

I used to be able to slim down just by exercising more, but that's changed.

I was a reader as a child, believe it or not.

I work myself into the ground. But I think I'm a nice friend and a good person, and I try to do my work as best I can.