Stay up and really burn the midnight oil. There are no compromises.

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

If you are going to think black think positive about it. Don't think down on it or think it is something in your way. And this way when you really do want to stretch out and express how beautiful black is everybody will hear 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.

Who I am is the best I can be.

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

If I do have some success I'd like to enjoy it for heaven's sake! What is the point of having it otherwise?