My sound comes from my inspiration, which is people like Aretha and Jay Z and Kanye, as well as everyone from the Whitneys and Mariahs to Destiny's Child and Usher. They all inspired me growing up.

It's pretty traumatic knowing that your instrument that's your career isn't working, and you've got to have an operation.

I look after my skin quite a lot because in this job, it can get stressful. Pimples come out! I cleanse and moisturize, sometimes do face masks. I've also got a Clarisonic, which is good.

At primary school, me and my best friend used to do D.I.Y. assemblies, and we'd do it as many times as we could until we got banned! We used to sing 'Hero' by Mariah Carey; it was, like, my favourite song; we were obsessed with it. We'd do it as a duet, and it's the first I remember performing.

America, in all its institutions, whether it be the family or government, has forgotten and neglected its children.

I just love kids. As a kid, I grew up in a poor country with a poor family that had nothing. I loved anyone who could come into my life, in from the outside, and give me advice that could help me succeed. I believe that there are a lot of people who came into my life that made me Dikembe Mutombo.

I've made choices that work with my family. I want to work and I want to be with my family so I just walk the tight-rope of showing up for both those things.

The reason why parents mistreat their children has less to do with character and temperament than with the fact that they were mistreated themselves and were not permitted to defend themselves.