If you think about where I'm from, I'm not supposed to be singing in the first place. I'm not supposed to be alive right now. 
Nobody's going to tell me to rap in an American accent. 
I'm the female Jay-Z. I never compared myself to other women artists. I compared myself with the best, and the best is Jay-Z. 
I got to the point where I was fed up with so many people telling me how and who I was supposed to be. 
Garage music came up when people weren't paying attention. 
A lot of scarves are made to stand out and therefore not appropriate on your head, say, at work. 
'Something Good' is a feel-good song. A reminder that you're dope and have something wonderful to offer life and yourself and the world. 
A lot of big whoever producers, they come with a song and they say, 'Sing this,' and I'm not that girl. 
People are getting ready for music that makes them feel happy again rather than being depressed at the way the world is going right now. 
My mind is always going. 
Why should you stay in one place and one country if they're not offering you a job? It doesn't make sense! 
My favorite film involving scarves was little Edie in 'Grey Gardens.' I often wear scarves like that, under hats. 
I can get a call at 2 A.M., and the person on the other end is like: 'Sorry, did I wake you?' and I'm like: 'No, I'm wide awake.' 
Kanye West is my older brother, an inspiring guy and someone who keeps pushing my level up further and further. 
I feel like it's not a bad average for every album I've got in the United States to be nominated for something off the album. 
The only thing I don't have is hips. 
People have created feuds between me and other artists. 
No one goes straight to happiness after a breakup. 
I will test a guy to within an inch of his sanity because I've been through too much drama. He has to be 100%. 
You can be sexy, but respect yourself and make sure you get that respect. 
For four years, my mum allowed only church music in the house. 
I hate that if you do one style of music or become really well known for that one song, that everything that comes after has to fit that mold. 
I wear what I feel and what makes me feel happy. 
I'm never scared to ask a question or state the obvious, y'know. 
The man for me has to have his own life or be as busy as me. 
My songs are always about overcoming things, whether it's breaking up with a guy or just trying to be happy. They're always about being better. 
People like the shows I do. I want to be real, to have fun, even when I dance on stage ... it's a buzz. 
When I'm full, I stop eating. 
American food is not what I'm used to - everything is like three portions. 
I try not to judge because I've been judged a heck of a lot, and it don't feel nice. 
I've fully embraced who I am. I stopped fighting with people and just come to realize, 'This is me. This is all of me.' 
My mum is West African, from Senegal; my dad is from Grenada. There was a huge controversy about them getting together. 
I just have a way about me where people know that they don't tell me what to do, they kind of just wait for me to do it. 
I will never say I am committed to somebody unless I'm serious about that person. 
I grew up in a house full of music. Everything from reggae and afro-beat to Zook and pop. 
If you cannot smile when you listen to music, then do not listen to it! 
When my career slowed, I knew deep down it wasn't over. 
I couldn't just hand in any old rubbish - I can't go on tour and sing something for three years if I don't believe in it. 
Most of my thinking is done at night. 
I think the one group I am trying to appeal to is the world. That would be big enough. 
Law became boring, but like every job I've done, it helped prepare me for a career in music. 
Some days I might be wearing a little dress, and some days I might be wearing something with wings on it and be confusing. 
Labrinth is a super talented singer, producer, songwriter from London. 
You have to have courage to look back and be honest about your own drama. 
I never feel that far away from the tabloids. 
I grew up in a family of nine kids. 
Americans have their issues with skin colour, even within the black community, with light and dark skin; it's crazy - but no one's oblivious to it. 
When I was growing up, hip-hop was still a pretty specialised thing. 
Lesson one, introduce yourself to everyone when you walk into a room. Don't act like you're too bougie to say, 'Hello.' 
People want to say something negative before they say something good. 
In order for me to write, I have to experience life. I write the songs based on real life, and I perform them from a very real place. 
Parents, raise your kids. Young men and women, raise your kids. 
I want a TV series, I'm gonna do some acting jobs, I'm gonna do some Broadway jobs, everything! 
You know, sometimes you fall in love and you get treated badly, sometimes you get treated well. 
I'm just excited that I get to put out the music I love versus music just for the sake of it. 
I am a black British female artist, so I must be like Ms Dynamite, I must be like Shystie, I must be like Jamelia, but we're all different. 
The Americans love me because I'm so completely unwilling to change my whole Britishness. 
Basically, if you go looking for trouble, it'll come find you. 
I believe in illusion - I don't believe in magic. 
I always thought that if record companies didn't understand me, fine - I'd go and do it by myself. 
I'm not slimming down for anyone and losing my figure. 
I've always been a fan of Nigerian artist D'banj. He's now signed to Kanye West's Good Music label. 
You can't please everybody. I give up. I'm not trying to. I don't care. Leave me alone with that. 