Lee DeWyze

I know what it's like to be shoveling to pay bills. I know what it's like to not have a job.

I have goals that I want to reach, but you can never plan what's going to happen next.

Winning 'American Idol' is awesome.

This is America - you're allowed to say and do what you want and what you say and do defines who you are as a person.

I know who I am as an artist. I've always known who I am as an artist.

I'm not the guy that thinks I'm a perfect singer.

When I was younger, I was afraid to be myself.

I think a big part of 'American Idol' that scares people and actually has, I'm sure, stopped people from trying out is the fact that you do have to do things that are necessarily not your genre.

Working a job I love is mentally less stressful than punching in a clock everyday, but it's a lot busier.

I'd love to work with Sufjan Stevens. He so gets it. He's amazing.

I love Soundgarden, I love Rage Against the Machine, Simon & Garfunkel.

When I meet the right girl I'll definitely have no hesitations to a relationship.