Quotes of All Topics . Occasions . Authors
I quit piano and violin because it felt too rigid. It was just my thing, something I fell in love with from a very early age.
Between my mom and dad, I would hear a lot of Earth, Wind, and Fire. My mom loved Chaka Khan, so that was on in the car a lot.
Onstage, I channel my inner goddess. Everyday Jillian is definitely more low-key: jeans and a crop top with a sneaker or boot.
Eyeliner is a go-to for me, and gold has always been a color that I really like. It's reminiscent of a lion; it's a strong color.
You need to have honest things in the world. Even if people don't understand it, if it's coming from you, that's already important.
Both of my mom's parents were music teachers, so I got a lot of knowledge about everything from classical music to jazz to musicals.
That experience of being in the wild in a place where life initially began for all creatures gave me a overwhelming sense of connection.
I always think about how Chaka Khan used to take suede, all these classic fabrics, and then make them very movable. She's my everything!
I got to speak to Missy Elliott on the phone and she was like, 'I see you and just keep doing your thing,' and to hear that was incredible.
There are probably still people that are competitive with each other, but I don't feel that's necessary. I like when we lift each other up.
Because of the time we're in, it's so easy to just blend all of it together and it's kind of like you're listening to everything all at once.
There's been so many, I think [Lucas Goodman and I] share this, but for us, Afropunk was a really big moment just because it was in New York.
Architects see the world a certain way, and cooks see and smell the world a certain way. [Dancing ] is always been my lens, what I use to see.
I think my life dramatically shifted when I met Lucas [Goodman] and it wasn't even planned. I had a very clear vision of what I was going to do.
Now, it's so sacred. It's how I see the world. I can't help but look at people, their physicality, and how they move. It's how I see everything.
To be on stage, to be sharing a stage with Lauryn Hill, Grace Jones, SZA, Kelis, and all these incredible women, I'm like 'When did this happen?'
In the summer months, I like as little makeup as possible - I don't want to be too painted. I might put a little cover-up to smooth everything out.
One of my favorite things from my mom is a chocolate brown three-piece Chanel outfit. I had it tailored because she taught me the importance of fit.
I just wanted to shed everything and do the things I really wanted to do. All the things I was scared of, I just wanted to try. It was like a clearing.
If I wash my hair in the morning, then I usually air-dry it. In warmer weather, if I walk my dog, by the time I am back in, it is usually nice and dry!
Fake eyelashes can instantly give me a more dramatic look and also help to accentuate my eyes, which are a focal point to achieving the Lion Babe look.
Both of my mom's parents were music teachers, so I was hearing the fundamentals of playing the piano, what notes are, and all those things very early on.
I think there's always the whole expectation that men can age and look fine, and girls have to be all conscious. But guys can also keep their skin intact.
I feel more comfortable performing when I'm wearing something crazy. I grew up in the '90s, so I love a choker and platform shoes like the Spice Girls wore.
To be honest, I'm in love with denim. It hasn't been my go-to Lion Babe look, but it's very much my 'everyday Jillian look.' I am in denim every single day.
I think, more importantly, it's about who is your core team? Who are the people around you that are going to fight for you and make sure that's all protected?
When I first started singing - before 'Treat Me Like Fire' when I was working with a vocal coach - I realized that I wasn't even breathing when I was singing.
I think growing up, you just deal with 'I'm ugly,' or 'I don't look right,' or 'my hair is wrong,' and it's such a distraction from what can really elevate you.
The freedom I experienced as a dance major in college gave me so much, but the reality of being in school is that you are still forced to work under restrictions.
My mom has always just been one of those people who handle adversity and challenges, and really everything, with so much grace and elegance. I saw it all the time.
I really like the resurgence of the '90s vibe, and you can't go wrong with a Canadian Tuxedo. I never think it's bad to layer denim, whether it's colors or shapes.
I'm a Gemini and Lucas Goodman is a Leo, so we definitely wanted some duality. We definitely balance each other out in a lot of ways, but we're also very different.
It's so important to embrace what you have because if you don't, that can be the root of very self-destructive habits, which I think people waste a lot of energy on.
Basically, my senior year of high school, I was going to look at prospective colleges and I went to visit Northeastern University because one of my friends was going.
I love vintage Chanel and Prada. When I was growing up, my mum had a Prada backpack, which she's now given to me. I love it because it reminds me of when I was little.
I grew up just outside New York City in a very white town. In seventh grade, I got called Macy Gray. It really affected me, so I got a weave and wore my hair straight.
[New York] gives you room to be weird; you can be yourself and you can wear whatever you want. No one is really going to judge you because everyone is doing their own thing.
I saw myself traveling with a company or making my own work and being a little weird. I wasn't thinking about the business side of anything, I just knew that I loved dancing.
This world is going in all sorts of directions, but I think all you can do is get people to think about things in a different way, because sometimes people aren't even thinking.
I feel like my dad was the more artistic one, creating his own thing, loving to be around people, and all this stuff, doing exciting things, and my mom was more of the performer.
My main goal was to not tell my mom anything or anyone anything. Even within our family, we like to do it ourselves, we like to be our own boss, and we don't like asking for help.
I never really sang for anyone, apart from in the shower or with my best friend. I was shy. I didn't want to take voice lessons. I knew I could sing, but I just didn't tell anyone.
People just try to put you in a box and I don't see myself in any particular box. I'm making my own box. There's no way I would be able to make the music I'm making without dancing.
Once you train you develop your own aesthetic and your confidence. So, I think as I grow I'm learning how to be a singer. I'm training my voice and being on stage and singing and dancing.
I think when we were starting off, I picked a group of women to represent me. The top tiers of everyone that I've worked with are women. It felt more comfortable because they can relate to me.
I don't think there's anything wrong with a little sweat. I'm always moving, so it's normal for me, and it actually makes my curly hair better because it gives it a bit more texture and volume.
It doesn't necessarily always come down to race in the music industry. It can be whoever has the most money, has the most power, and that's really the struggle - dealing with how crazy money is.
As I got older, I started to do it more and more, and I wanted to learn all of the different types. I grew up doing modern, so I wanted to learn ballet, tap, jazz, and African - just everything.
In general, I think the best thing to do is to connect with other females. I love meeting other female artists and feeling like we're all rooting for each other. I think that's shifted even more.
You're just always growing. I feel like it's been very fast growth, but super exciting and I know I'll look back and feel like 'Yes, things were stressful, but it was also such an exciting time.'