Even in a world with much sadness, at its essence, life is beautiful.

Go out into the world with your passion and love for what you do, and just never give up.

I think the only way for you to grow and evolve is to keep listening, keep moving forward, keep jumping in and trying to experience.

I come from a family of musicians.

When I first heard Nina Simone, her naked truth shocked me. Whenever she sang, it felt like lightning bolts in my soul. Every song was like a movie, a unique and very different vignette.

I loved singing something like 'I've Got My Eye On You' when it's really about the FBI. It turns a love song into something else!

I think jazz is the foundation for a lot of great musicians, and then after that, you know, it's this broad expression of things that really have influenced and addressed your life.

My demographic is very broad. Once they come, they had an idea about jazz, and then they hear me, and they come back with sisters, brothers, and kids. My audience looks like America to me.

I love New York City because there's something to do 24/7, something that will make you see things in a whole different light. Like they say, it's the city that never sleeps.