Jill Scott

“It excites me when a person puts their whole self in a song or rhyme, or instrument. It fills me.”

“For me, hair is an accoutrement. Hair is jewelry. It's an accessory.”

“Power doesn't have to be on such a big scale for powerful things to occur. Within your own home, you can be a powerful woman as a mother, influencing your children's lives.”

“I just want to continue to grow, as an actor, and dig. Hopefully, one day, I'll lose myself in a role. My only worry about that is that I just want to be able to come back home. I don't want to get lost forever. That scares me.”

“For my writing, and because I love talking to young women about life, I often asked them which would they rather have - a father in the house with them while growing up or a big butt? I tell you 86 percent of the time, girls say a big butt because it gets them further.”

“I was reading poetry to my girlfriends, and they were like, 'You're really good. You should go to some poetry readings or something.' And I eventually went and got a, you know, somewhat of a name for myself and a little bit of a following.”

“When I was growing up, my mother would take me to plays and museums, and we'd talk about life. Those times helped shape who I became.”

“I have a few caftans just for lounging purposes. When I want to feel free, it's the closest thing to feeling naked without being naked.”

“A nutritionist has told me to have very little butter and very little spices, but I can't live like that.”

“I'm excited about turning 40. I've been an adult for a long time, but there is a difference between being an adult and being a grown-up. I'm someone's mummy now and I'm enjoying that. I feel as if I'm about to hit my peak.”

“I think every individual has his or her own power, and it's a matter of working, taking time and defining what that power is.”

“A lot of the girls I grew up with were pregnant by the time they were 16. I just was lucky.”

“I was conceived after doctors told my mother she'd never have children. I'm a miracle - we all are.”

“When I got my success, I became decadent for a while. This was 2003 to 2008. I fell for tiramisu really hard. I've become more moderate since, because African-Americans are prone to diabetes.”

“When I get onstage, I automatically feel beautiful.”

“I've always enjoyed shows like 'The X-Files,' where you're on the edge of your seat and you're so invested in these characters.”

“Once I started looking for a record deal, I had a trainer. And the trainer told me that I would never sell a record if I didn't lose weight.”

“I don't think I'll get married again. I'm not looking for it. What I can say about my divorce and my failed engagement is that I learned where my bar is.”

“I've always been a firm believer that soul music never dies. The artists we still listen to today, years after their music was first heard are mostly soul artists; Donny Hathaway, Marvin Gaye, Chaka Khan. We still sing along to all of them with our hearts.”

“African people worldwide are known to be welcoming and open-minded.”