Quotes of All Topics . Occasions . Authors
It's sad really, I think 'Freedom' would've done better, but it got shelved because of the pregnancy, so it might be something that might get revisited in the future; who knows?
Work made me more streetwise because you can be so sheltered at home. I'd definitely encourage my kids Lillie and Karl, who are nine and seven, to get Saturday jobs in the future.
I can't watch my first audition because it makes me too upset. I just think it is really sad. I look at myself and don't recognize myself. I do think fame and fortune changes people.
Women's bodies are amazing; what our bodies can do is incredible, so it's sad that we get distracted - all this stuff about being skinny, be this, be that - they're all distractions.
You have to be really strong in the music industry, and I'm naturally very timid. That was really hard for me. You have to be tough. You have to make decisions and be a businesswoman.
Some people won't like me; that's just human nature. I battled with that for years, trying to please people, but now I haven't got time to win people over! I've got nappies to change!
I like listening to old soul music. I like Sam Cooke. When I was growing up, the first things I was listening to was Whitney Houston and Cher. They were really big inspirations for me.
I remember sitting on a bench in New York and sobbing and realising that my ambition to be a singer was making me selfish - I was a mother with two children, and I needed a backup plan.
I'm able to provide for my family and the people that I love with things that I never used to be able to. I'm getting to make music and work with amazing people. I just feel really lucky.
Growing up, we didn't have anything. My mum wasn't well, so I was in three care homes then foster homes before me and my little brother went back to her. I was passed from pillar to post.
I've got a running machine which I try and use, but it's just finding the time. Don't get me wrong, I love cake and ice cream; I'm the kind of girl that, if I want something, I'll have it.
Sometimes I won't put a lot of make up on; I won't put foundation on. I'll just pop a bit of blusher on. I'm not obsessed with trying to look like a Victoria's Secret model - it's real life.
Constantly having to think about money is not nice. People used to say, 'Being rich doesn't make you happy'. And I'd think, 'I've got no electricity, nothing - tell that to my empty fridge'.
You always have guilt as a working mum, and you overcompensate by buying them loads of things. That was what I was doing, anyway. I've kind of realised now that I'm the best mum that I can be.
What I hated then - and hate now - is the way that people say to girls like me who get pregnant young that it ruins your life. Having a child doesn't ruin your life - having a child is a blessing.
I took lessons since I was little; I used to pay for my own singing lessons and take myself. Just take the bus when I was a kid and go. But I'd been writing music for years, since the smallest age.
I believe things are meant to be. It's the only way I can explain it because I had auditioned before to get on 'The X Factor' and 'Britain's Got Talent,' and I didn't get through - it was literally, 'No!'
After 'X Factor,' I got loads of gigs. Then I went on holiday just after the tour and bought my Rolex in Tenerife. I needed to go through that phase - splurge and see that it's worthless - to get it out of my system.
I am lucky in that I love what I do, but it can still be hard to be away from the kids for long lengths of time. At the end of the day, all I want is to be with my kids, but it's worth it to create a future for my family.
I want to go out with my friends and have a laugh. It's funny: you always attract men when you don't want them - you'll go out, and they'll want your number, while you're left thinking, 'Where were you when I wanted a boyfriend?'
I think being a mum gives you extra qualities. I'm more feisty, fiercely protective and less selfish. The main trait I want to instill in my kids is kindness. I think it's the most important thing. If you're kind, you'll go a long way.
The first time I had money, I was extravagant, but then you realise it's not just about that. If I lost it all tomorrow, it wouldn't be me that's hurt, it would be my babies. It would be more about people's opinion of me that would concern me.
I knew I could sing. That one thing I did believe in was that I could sing, but then constantly getting rejected, it started to get me down. But my voice was always there and my dream and my ambition was always there when I went through bad times.
It wasn't until my late teens that I really got into soul music and then I was like 'Ooh, this is good!' You'd always here it at old family parties, like, Gladys Knight and I'd always love it but I didn't really get to know it and respect it until I was a bit older.
I think this industry can be tough on everyone. You have to surround yourself with supportive people and know when to put your foot down and do what's best for you and your family. The first few years in the music industry can be a steep learning curve, and I've definitely developed a thicker skin!
I was naive in that I thought I could just sing and perform and do what I had always wanted to do all my life. But I wasn't ready for all the added dramas that came along. There were times I fell out of love with music and thought about walking away. I thought I was happier when I was that girl at home in my bedroom singing into my hairbrush.