I grew up in a bus, traveled with various circuses and freak shows. I was a trapeze artist, and that was my dream. We just traveled the whole world, me and my mom and my little brothers and sisters. It was an adventure.

I was always a bit of a showgirl; it was in my blood. I never thought I would have a career as a singer, though.

I've never been able to relate to many people. I've always been the outcast child. I don't follow the rules. That's kind of how I do everything. Through my music, I've found a place in the world where I'm accepted, so I'm happy.

What I really want to do is, first of all, get my music out to the world. And then I would really just like to reach other kids all over the world and tell them to believe in themselves and prove to people that you can do anything you want.

My dad is a screenwriter, so he always used to watch movies for inspiration when I was a baby. I would watch movies with him, I guess, in the background.

Rosa Parks' courage, determination, and tenacity continue to be an inspiration to all those committed to non-violent protest and change nearly half a century later.

The whole impetus behind going solo was an artistic inspiration in the sense that, obviously, success is fantastic. But as one becomes successful and gets branded with a certain sound, if the brand starts to become more of the focus than the evolution of the art, then that's putting the cart before the horse.

I've been a huge fan of Adele, Sam Smith, and Ed Sheeran, and those amazing artists draw inspiration from their present and past experiences; they write songs from their heart.