I've always hid behind the music despite the fact that I have a huge personality. I'm thrilled that the music is bigger than me and will outlive and outlast me. It frees me up to take risks.

I truly believe —particularly in this political climate—I have to make my contribution a hopeful one. I can’t see the world any other way. To whom much is given, much is expected. You can’t come to me and expect that I’m going to be giving up on people, or on our society.

It is particularly challenging looking how I look, but I think of my beautiful, swirled-up babies and I think, You know what? I will be an example for you. I believe you can set the tone for any room or any conversation by being the first one to lead with love.

Sometimes we depersonalize people who we don't agree with or who we see as targets for hatred. If you think of anything as having a mother, that's going to change everything. All of us have mothers and came from a womb. Buddha says you can't hate anything you understand.

Belief is a choice. Not everyone is going to love Jesus. I'm not asking them to. I'm not asking them to come on the same spectrum as me. No matter where you fall on the faith spectrum, the spiritual can instill a sense of hope in you that's undeniable. The spiritual doesn't ask you to believe any one thing. It just opens you up.

I feel like I go from strength to strength. What exists in between is the stuff that makes it worth it. I don't know what a triumph is unless I know what a failure is. I welcome both in equal measure because I know they're both temporary anyway. I know they're both unavoidable anyway.

I can't speak to being a force for change, but I take it and wear it proudly. I'll never deny it or be one of those people who are like, I'm just trying to do my best... No! I'm all about total world domination.

Often the most specific stories end up being the most universal.

I pray to be the best thing ever but I also pray that for my colleagues. You're only as good as the person who can distract from what's meant to be happening.