Soul is a constant. It's cultural. It's always going to be there, in different flavors and degrees.

We all require and want respect, man or woman, black or white. It's our basic human right.

Be your own artist, and always be confident in what youre doing. If youre not going to be confident, you might as well not be doing it.

I'm a big woman. I need big hair.

If you disrespect everybody that you run into, how in the world do you think everybody's supposed to respect you?

People really don't have to give you anything, so appreciate what people give you. And just don't let that go to your head, whatever it is they give you.

Don't say Aretha is making a comeback, because I've never been away!

Falling out of love is like losing weight. It's a lot easier putting it on than taking it off.

R-E-S-P-E-C-T, find out what it means to me.

My faith always has been and always will be important to me.

Better friends than lovers. Sugar can't you see? You need you and I really need me.

Our food is transformed from the moment when its sowed, cultured, grown, until its ready to serve.Our desires are likewise.

The heart is a place with worm holes made by feelings you aren't supposed to have but do.

Amidst a crowd of strangers, I still remain unknownto myself.

There may be no secrets in small towns, but there are no strangers either.

Marriage is the deep deep peace of the double bed after the hurly-burly of the chaise longue.

I make sure to use both Twitter and Facebook a lot which helps me connect to the fans.

I had never done any theater in high school, which actually worked to my benefit. I didn't develop any bad habits.

Music saved me; I mean, my upbringing was like a hurricane, and music was the tree I held onto.

Setting goals is the first important step in achieving success in an activity. It's a reminder of what you are working towards.

Designers are inherently optimistic people who try to make the world a better place