All of our schools should be good enough to attract a healthy racial mix, which, I believe, leads to the most effective learning for everybody.

I remember what it was like at age 6, not really understanding what was going on around me, but having all these grown-up thoughts running through my head about what I was facing, why this was happening.

Every day, I would show up, and there were no kids, just me and my teacher in my classroom. Every day, I would be escorted by marshals past a mob of people protesting and boycotting the school. This went on for a whole year.

It's time to get past our racial differences. We owe it to our children to help them keep their clean start.

I don't think my work is about the spiritual life, but it certainly touches on it.

When I was about eight, I asked my mother if it was true that God knows everything about you. When she answered yes, I said, 'Then there's no hope for me, Mum.'

What I really want is consistency - to keep working, for God to keep blessing me with all the amazing people in my life, to keep making good music, and to keep representing females out there.

My faith means everything to me. God and I talk constantly.