For a long time the only time I felt beautiful-in the sense of being complete as a woman as a human being and even female-was when I was singing.

The ultimate of being successful is the luxury of giving yourself the time to do what you want to do.

Art is the only thing you cannot punch a button for. You must do it the old-fashioned way. Stay up and really burn the midnight oil. There are no compromises.

I am here and you will know that I am the best and will hear me. The color of my skin or the kink of my hair or the spread of my mouth has nothing to do with what you are listening to.

Accomplishments have no color.

Who I am is the best I can be.

I have never given all of myself, even vocally, to anyone. I was taught to sing on your interest, not your capital.

Be black, shine, aim high.

If you're not feeling good about you, what you're wearing outside doesn't mean a thing.

You should always know when you're shifting gears in life. You should leave your era - it should never leave you.

For a long time the only time I felt beautiful-in the sense of being complete as a woman, as a human being, and even female-was when I was singing.

Normally I play dads, good guys, and little animals.

It's a shallow life that doesn't give a person a few scars.

Let us, then, be what we are; speak what we think; and in all things keep ourselves loyal to truth.

Man is my brother, and I am nearer related to him through his vices than I am through his virtue.

The only true voyage of discovery, . . . would be not to visit strange lands but to possess other eyes.

A word on miracles.... Don't let those that have not yet transpired, blind you to those that have.

I went into journalism in a grandiose way. I thought maybe I'd do a little journalism whilst I write the great novel of all time you see -- one has to keep oneself afloat.

Didn't know what I was doing but I put on a cape Now it's which world tour should I go on & take

It should be our care not so much to live a long life as a satisfactory one.

I feel like so many people get into that place where creating for someone else is selling out and it is so not about that. It is a stupid, kind of pretentious way of thinking.