"I've written poetry since I was in the first grade, and it wasn't until I was a little bit older that I realized poetry could be put to music and become a song."

"Sometimes I feel like there are people just waiting for me to fall. The funny thing is, I can't give them anything. I have just never been a partier, even in school."

"That term's definitely got a negative aura to it, because people think a diva is somebody with an attitude who demands things all the time. Of course there is that type of diva, but my idea of a diva has always been a singer - whether male or female - who gets on that stage and captivates you with their presence and their voice."

"I'd love to do something with Kelly Clarkson because she's been a monumental influence on me. I love how she handles her celebrity. She's not in the tabloids a lot but everyone knows and respects her because she's got an amazing voice. That's something I aim towards."

"Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God."

"An idea is a delicate seed; water it with curiosity and protect it from cynicism. Reflect upon this whenever doubt clouds your horizon."

"Now I see the secret of making the best person: it is to grow in the open air and to eat and sleep with the earth."

"I don't drink, and I don't smoke. It's a personal preference. My mom has never drunk or smoked. I look up to my mom."