Taylor Dayne

Well, honey, I had the million dollar houses, I had the car, I had the horse, I had the barn; I had everything. Was I set free? I didn't even know what that meant.

My tastes and inspirational artists were always rather eclectic and diverse.

I have to be very careful about diet and exercise.

And I'm also looking for a comeback record and it has to touch a lot of people.

I've had enough boyfriends and enough issues. I'd seen enough train wrecks.

I came out the box and for seven years I had a huge career. And then it's done, it's dumped. But I ain't gone, and I refuse to be gone.

Ive had enough boyfriends and enough issues. Id seen enough train wrecks.

SO WHEN I'M WORKING OUT I DO THINGS EXTREME.

I smoked some pot as a kid, but I just never did drugs.

By the second tour I had rice cakes and hummus with me, and I was jumping rope in my room.

All you needed back then was a blow dryer and a dream.

But once you strip that down, you realize it's all about a voice, like a Norah Jones - that's inspiring to me.

Did people think I sounded black? Totally, but that was a marketing tool as well, but also this is how I grew up and these are my influences.

My current mantra is that sometimes we need teachers in our lives. I never had that in my life, parents and stuff like that; I tried to stay on the outside of them or anybody that had that kind of influence.

I'm not looking to go out there and make a rhythmic Timbaland track.

I started working out with a trainer and I immediately saw results.

I just try to get out of my own way because if anyone is their own worst enemy, it's usually you.

This is one hell of a business I picked to be in.

Plus, I am paranoid by nature. I need to be in control.

My first tour I was on the road for 18 months. You're just out there promoting.

When I first came out, like a lot of the artists at that time, I had a very polished, very overproduced sound.

So when I'm working out I do things extreme.

If anything changes shape or takes off without me, I'll come after you and kill you. I'm too type A.

If we were truly in the studio making a record, it would have been more time consuming, and certainly I would have been more involved in the writing process.

That's really my goal now. I'm trying to be a positive role model to my kids and to just enjoy this ride, because it's hard. It's hard to enjoy it when you're in it.