“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.””

By keeping her heart protected, she’ll never ever feel rejected.

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

I don’t love traveling, because I’m never home. It’s hard when you have a family.

I’m actually not a big fan of the word hope. I think it’s a depressing word. I don’t want to hope – I want to know. Like I don’t hope there’s a God, I know there’s a God.

It’s amazing to impact people’s lives – it’s a cool thing to have the spotlight and be able to reassure people, to say, “It’s OK to be you.”

I do cardio. I run. I strength-train using my own body weight. I don’t like free weights, because I build muscle easily.

Now all that’s left of me, is what I pretend to be. So together, but so broken up inside.

As a mom, you just don’t have time, so you get straight to the point.

I’ll spread my wings and I’ll learn how to fly. I’ll do what it takes till I touch the sky.

The question I love to get asked is: ‘What’s the hardest part of your job?’ And literally, the answer is probably real sad, but it’s to just to be me. Like, it’s really hard, because I think people, you know, have a set idea of what a pop star should be.

I’m always going to be a singer.

The thing I love most about going on vacation is that I get to leave behind any kind of schedule. My entire life is scheduled from morning to night, and when I’m on vacation, there is no schedule.

I am just like my mother. She raised me to love and take care of animals, especially the ones that need it the most and so I started Eddie’s Rescue Ranch. We take in animals that need extra care and attention and the animals that get left behind.

Even though I hate acting, I love doing videos for my songs.

Confidence is seen, not heard.

I have a big fear of change, or negative change, anyway. I’m basically the same person I was when I won ‘Idol,’ or when I was 10.

Mozart didn’t need a scheme for his music. He played and sang with the heavenly lightness of a child.

Too many people focus on writing what they think they should write, what should be in a song, what radio would want.

Music, such music, is a sufficient gift. Why ask for happiness; why hope not to grieve? It is enough, it is to be blessed enough, to live from day to day and to hear such music-not too much, or the soul could not sustain it-from time to time.

Feels good to be back in the studio.

During my childhood, sounds around me inspired me to create my music and helped me gain confidence. Childhood is the best time to create and every child should get a chance to let their creativity shine with Music.

I rarely listen to music while writing. If I don’t like it, it bothers me, and if I like it, it absorbs me so much I can’t write.

I remember being obsessed with Christina Aguilera’s ‘Stripped.’ That was her peak, and she is such an amazing singer. Plus, I was a little gay boy, and the music video for ‘Beautiful’ existed, so obviously I was affected.

Who hears music feels his solitude peopled at once.