Americans have their issues with skin colour, even within the black community, with light and dark skin; it's crazy - but no one's oblivious to it.
— Estelle
I've fully embraced who I am. I stopped fighting with people and just come to realize, 'This is me. This is all of me.'
I have to live authentically at all times. And that's part of what makes me an artist. I'm not scared to do that.
I learned that working out gives me a space to get clear. It's not just about the body. It gives me space to process things and get clear in my mind about decisions and things I want to do.
Parents, raise your kids. Young men and women, raise your kids.
I want a TV series, I'm gonna do some acting jobs, I'm gonna do some Broadway jobs, everything!
People like the shows I do. I want to be real, to have fun, even when I dance on stage... it's a buzz.
The people at my label are always endorsing what I say. They say, 'You see the truth, so speak it.' They believe in me. They respect my opinion. At least I have an opinion, and I'm not trying to play it safe. I don't go around saying, 'I think everyone is great, and the world is fantastic.' Everyone has opinions. They just don't say it.
Walking round the Champs-Elysees late at night is the greatest time.
I'm never scared to ask a question or state the obvious, y'know.
I got to the point where I was fed up with so many people telling me how and who I was supposed to be.
When my career slowed, I knew deep down it wasn't over.
I'm not slimming down for anyone and losing my figure.
I wear and have worn scarves my entire life while traveling, working out, and now sometimes while performing, and not just on my head - I wear them around my neck and on my bag.
You know, sometimes you fall in love and you get treated badly, sometimes you get treated well.
Success is based on music, not where you're from.
When I'm full, I stop eating.
You have to have courage to look back and be honest about your own drama.
In order for me to write, I have to experience life. I write the songs based on real life, and I perform them from a very real place.
Some days I might be wearing a little dress, and some days I might be wearing something with wings on it and be confusing.
We get older, and we forget that we have to carve a little time out to feel good in your body, in your head, and in your spirit.
With the first album, I wanted to do so many different things, and I was fighting with myself to try and see if I was worthy enough to do it.
People want to say something negative before they say something good.
If you cannot smile when you listen to music, then do not listen to it!
I never feel that far away from the tabloids.
I started writing an album on flights to Africa and Brazil, but it was crazy because I left the notebook on the plane. It had seven or eight songs in it. After that, I'm not writing any more songs on notebooks - and I keep my Blackberry close!
I got into hip hop from my uncle; he was always playing us Kool G Rap and Big Daddy Kane. He was a bad boy, and my mum was not really happy that I was hanging out with him.
I think the one group I am trying to appeal to is the world. That would be big enough.
I can't stand quitters. My mother is a very strong, determined woman. I was peeling onions when I was seven, but I walked off when my eyes began to sting. She said to me, 'You start something and you finish it', and that stuck with me. I'm persistent.
My favorite film involving scarves was little Edie in 'Grey Gardens.' I often wear scarves like that, under hats.
I grew up in a house full of music. Everything from reggae and afro-beat to Zook and pop.
Sometimes I wake up in the morning and feel like going straight back to bed. But I still have to get up and work, and I still have to take advantage of the chances I've been given in life.
My style is Edie Sedgwick meets Grace Jones, or Audrey Hepburn meets Salt 'n' Pepa. Strong and feisty but still classic.
American food is not what I'm used to - everything is like three portions.
No one goes straight to happiness after a breakup.
The people who have the strongest opinion about everything have never left their city, their town, haven't left their 'hood, haven't left their area, their corner of the world. They don't read. They've never left their house.
With my music, I don't have to stay in one lane. One day I'm in Motown, and the next day I'm in reggae.
I come from a family of well-endowed booty women.
People are getting ready for music that makes them feel happy again rather than being depressed at the way the world is going right now.
I feel like I'm beautiful, and every woman should feel like that.
I'm so sick of hearing that U.K. hip hop doesn't get credit and success when I'm working to get it - for me and for others, too.
I'm used to traveling. I'm used to being in different areas of the world. Home is where my suitcase lands.
John Legend is a cool guy. He likes to chill, is easy to talk to and hang out with. He's also inspiring on a musical level.
I've always dug Audrey Hepburn. I think she's one of the classic beauties.
My mum is West African, from Senegal; my dad is from Grenada. There was a huge controversy about them getting together.
I'm the female Jay-Z. I never compared myself to other women artists. I compared myself with the best, and the best is Jay-Z.
A lot of scarves are made to stand out and therefore not appropriate on your head, say, at work.
Why should you stay in one place and one country if they're not offering you a job? It doesn't make sense!
I've still gotta come across as happy when inside I feel crap!
The only thing I don't have is hips.
