Typically, the theme of my albums, if there is a theme, is, 'How does it feel?' And that always leads to love songs. It just does.

You leave home to seek your fortune and, when you get it, you go home and share it with your family.

Completeness? Happiness? These words don't come close to describing my emotions. There truly is nothing I can say to capture what motherhood means to me, particularly given my medical history.

I don't let people use me. That's why I like a small number of people in my life. The more people in my life, the more complex it becomes, so I just try to keep it at a minimum.

Time has nothing to do with the gifts that the gods give you; it's what you do.

I'm picking and choosing in terms of the stress factor. If it's not fun, I'm not going to do it.

I dont think being black has held me back at all. Being black makes you strong.

If I could be doing anything, I'd be laying on the floor in my birthday suit eating junk food and watching something dumb on TV.

If you have your own agenda and your own style and you don't easily conform to what the masses are doing, you're looked upon as being difficult. Whereas, I think of it as just being an individual.

Long tresses down to the floor can be beautiful, but learn to love what you have.

Historically, in my generation, all of my heroes and heroines have had issues and problems. We all do.

The truth may not set you free, but used carefully, it can confuse the hell out of your enemies.

Your world may think what it chooses...but really, opinion and gossip count for nothing at all against truth...

Those who deny the first principle should be flogged or burned until they admit that it is not the same thing to be burned and not burned, or whipped and not whipped.

Home is where, when you have to go there, you probably shouldn't.

I never wanted anything to happen to my parents, but a hero needs an origin story.

Please let me go." "Anna." He lowered his brow to hers. "Don't ask me to do that, because I don't think I can live without you. Take a chance, roll the dice. Come with me.

Tragedy is in the eye of the observer, and not in the heart of the sufferer.

No one worries about genre when they're dancing. They're not asking themselves, 'Is this song a dubstep song?'

I try to be self-analytical, both to outline the mistakes I made in my life and try to explain why I did, and the things that on balance I did pretty well on.

Were beauty under twenty locks kept fast, yet love breaks through and picks them all at last.