Annie Lennox

I'm from a working-class background, and I've experienced that worry of not having a job next week because the unions are going on strike. I know that because I don't come from a wealthy background. ”

I'm from a working-class background, and I've experienced that worry of not having a job next week because the unions are going on strike. ”

I sang a lot as a little girl and entered competitions. I loved singing in choirs, but it was as I got older that I really found my voice. ”

The world is a heartbreaking place, without any question. ”

Music is an extraordinary vehicle for expressing emotion - very powerful emotions. That's what draws millions of people towards it. And, um, I found myself always going for these darker places and - people identify with that. ”

We all fight over what the label 'feminism' means but for me it's about empowerment. It's not about being more powerful than men - it's about having equal rights with protection, support, justice. It's about very basic things. It's not a badge like a fashion item. ”

Those in the developing world have so few rights - we take a lot for granted in the developed world. ”

Making a Christmas album is looked upon by some people as the thing you do when you are heading towards retirement. ”

Feminism is a word that I identify with. The term has become synonymous with vitriolic man-hating but it needs to come back to a place where both men and women can embrace it. It is particularly important for women in developing countries. ”

The word feminism needs to be taken back. It needs to be reclaimed in a way that is inclusive of men. ”