What's really important? That I'm an individual, I guess. I am an individual - a strong one, too. I'm Natalie Cole. I gotta be me.

My first trip to Mexico was with my dad because of his Spanish records. That was back in 1958. I found a picture of me when I was eight dressed as a little senorita.

I have been on dialysis in Istanbul, Milan, Indonesia, Manila, London. It's - it's amazing.

When you have put all your faith in man and continue to be disappointed, don't you hope there is something out of there that is not of human element?

I feel enough distance from the person I used to be. I'm not ashamed about my life anymore, because I've learnt from it.

Physically, I've seen a change in my life. No, I haven't had a face lift or anything like that. I've grown. That's God's countenance.

When you make your living as a singer, you have to go where the gigs are.

A lot of people want to donate a kidney, but they're not in a position to because they have health issues of their own, and a lot of people need them. That's why the list is long and it takes a long time.

We are born with two kidneys and only need one to survive. Maybe God gave us the other one so that we could give it away.

I think foreign countries really do like it when American artists sing in their language. And when you go over there and say, 'Hi, how are you?' in their language, they love it. It makes them feel like you're doing it just for them. We in America take so much for granted.

It's the same girl-who-has-everything story. You know, the one where she's insecure and scared and unhappy and has marriage problems and doesn't know how to handle stardom and screws up right and left and gets in with the wrong people and goes down the drain.

I have been to hell and back. I have seen the edge. I have seen the dark side of life.

I think that it's going to be interesting to see where Beyonce's career goes.

I think it just came to a point where I made a decision to do better with my life and health. And that is only by God's grace because there are no guarantees.

I felt that if I'm serious about acting, I would like people to see me as an actress. It's less of a stretch if I'm singing, unless I'm playing a character who sings.

One of these days, I'd like to put together a revue of all my music, which would probably turn into a marathon. There's a couple of hit songs from almost every phase of my career. At the same time, visually, if you don't handle it properly, it could be a cacophony of craziness, because there's just so many different kinds of music.

Life is such a gift, I just say thank you all day.

I was madly in love with Elvis Presley. Dad wasn't into it at all, at least not for himself as a performer. He used to say, 'Mr. Cole does not rock n' roll.'

I think that talented people really do have insecurities, and that is one of the things that kind of motivates them, because that's one thing they know they're good at. And when they're up on that stage, you can do no wrong. The audience is yours; they're there to see you.

I look 10 years younger than I am. Unfortunately, sometimes I act like I'm 10 years old.

I loved when my dad was home. He liked to sit in the living room and watch boxing and baseball on TV. Or he'd be tinkering around or listening to records by his musician buddies - George Shearing, Oscar Peterson and the Jackie Gleason Orchestra.

As miserable as I was, once I started singing, I felt better.

You shouldn't have regrets. I'd say instead that I've learned a lot of lessons. Yes, I could have handled some things better. But they've also made me who I am today.

Aretha Franklin does not like me.