“Gotta take a risk, take a chance, make a change, and break away. I won’t forget the place I came from.”

I was in a very dark place for a long time. It’s just so hard to have normalcy.

Music isn’t just heard, it is felt.

I’m from a small town where everybody always has something to say – you shouldn’t sing secular music, you shouldn’t do this or do that. A ton of “shouldn’ts.”

I’m thankful For the blessing And the lessons that I’ve learned with you By my side

When I’m picking songs for an album I always want a song that I can relate to and that I have experienced. There’s nothing worse than watching an artist try and sell a song that isn’t believable coming from them.

I sound the same regardless if I’m 20 pounds heavier or 20 pounds light, and I think that’s the key thing with my fans and why they continue to be loyal because I’m that type of person.

Everything changes, but beauty remains.

Books have always been important to me – my mom was a first grade teacher, so I grew up reading all the time.

God will never give you anything you can’t handle, so don’t stress.

People like us we gotta stick together Keep your head up nothing lasts forever.

Even though I’m a pop singer, I really have more the life of a country singer.

The thing about Christmas is that it almost doesn’t matter what mood you’re in or what kind of a year you’ve had; it’s a fresh start.

I never said I was a ‘good girl.’ I’m not a bad girl. I’m just normal, and that’s what I’m going to be. There’s no bad girl with whips and chains that’s going to come out. I think people like me because I was myself.

Everyone is different: different shapes, sizes, colors, beliefs, personalities, and you have to celebrate those differences.

When people talk about my weight, I’m like, ‘You seem to have a problem with it; I don’t.

I still watch ‘Idol,’ and it’s still the No. 1 show, so obviously I’m not the only one who loves to sit at home and be entertained.

We have to knock down the barriers erected by greed, special interests, powerful forces.

You two are together in the stars, but not in this world, in this life.

Although I had the label of being the ‘pretty girl rapper with a lot of followers,’ I just broke the rules.

In the beginning, I took on every opportunity because I was so determined to get my name and music out there. You can get your sleep, but honestly, your brain needs a break, too, and so many people forget that.

Only break the rules baby or whatever Ja said.

I’m normally getting glammed for my events and when I can give my skin a break, I do.

We gotta break these double standards and get women to loosen up a bit. We gotta show them that we can do what we want to do how we want to do it. If someone doesn’t like it, they can get to stepping.

Love knows not its own depth until the hour of desperation.