You're taught that it's not very likely for you to become successful... that odds are you're going to be a struggling artist for the rest of your life.

I really try to balance my feminine and masculine energy when I write.

I've always considered myself a person of color.

I didn't want to go to school, because I wanted to be an artist, and they were never going to teach me art. None of my family had ever done that kind of stuff either.

My father is my hero. No matter what, I'll always forgive him.

I was a very creative child. I played the saxophone and piano, and I was always writing poetry and stories, or drawing in my notebook. I just tried to express myself through as many creative outlets as possible. And in high school, I started to get really into photography and videography and would spend hours working on it.

As an artist, you have to work hard for things that you can't really hold in your hand. I work not for money but for my career, to expand myself as an artist. Every video I make, it's not making me any money; it's just because I want to expand.

While performing, I can't wear anything that I'm not going to be able to dance in or heels that don't have ankle support.

A lot of people were getting million-dollar deals from music I felt was trash, because their videos were going viral. I wanted to put out music that had soul, because that's what was missing.

I don't operate on fear, and I don't let fear control me.

When I start something, I have to finish it, and I'm a super perfectionist, too.

I was kicked out of the house, and I was really difficult as a kid. I'm happy it happened because I was able to grow so much from it, you know? It's always hurtful to feel that you can't be on the same page with people that you love as much as your family. Sometimes they don't know how to deal with all the things that are coming at them.

I'm into crystals and good energy and harnessing more. It's just like prayer. It helps you be grateful, think about good things, and keep that positive energy around you.

I never had any technical training. I never considered that, one day, I'm going to be Beyonce like a lot of girls aspire to be. It just kind of happened.

As female artists, we have to be constantly criticized for the way that we look, the way that we dress, on a whole other level that men don't have to face.

I've never been pressed to be friends with everyone or be popular, even in school - I've always done my own thing.

On my off day, I really want to just lay in bed.

My favourite 'stage' of Shakira was the brunette punk rock one, but she'll always have a special place in my heart, whatever she's doing.

Do you. Wear what you want to wear. Be an individual. Be unique and live your best life.

The reason I made my stage name Kali Uchis is because it's still me in the sense that, my dad called me 'Kali Uchis' my whole life. It's still something I've been called since I was a baby. It's still me.

The people, the culture... there's so much magic in Colombia, so I feel like being a kid, being able to have that, being able to also call Colombia my home, it was such an important part of my introduction as an artist, too, because it's such a big part of my life as a human being.

Aliens are definitely real.

I never had a backup plan. I felt like if I had a backup plan, it was like saying to the universe that I didn't believe in myself.

Not everything happens when you expect it; it is what it is. The people who ride with you, ride with you.