Lisa Stansfield

“People say to me about my music 'it got me through college, it saved my marriage, it helped me to come out.' It's wonderful to be part of someone's life in a big way.'”

“In terms of the production, the style I use is what I see as the 'Lisa Stansfield sound' and I would hope that when anyone puts on one of my songs they don't even have to listen to my voice to know this is a Lisa Stansfield song, because of the way it sounds.”

“You never know what to expect in life, so just roll with the punches and make the most of it. Because you've only got one life and you may as well have a really lovely time. And try not to hurt anybody on the way.”

“Some women can go 12 cycles of IVF and not have a problem. They love babies. They want to have a baby - it's all encompassing. I did it just three times and then I was out. I realised that I didn't want a child.”

“There are lots of artists I respect and admire.”

“We never want to toe the line.”

“I used to hate touring, I used to absolutely hate it! I think one of the reasons why was because in between songs I found it difficult to talk to the audience, and now I don't care, I say what I want!”

“I gave up everything and nearly became a farmer, walking around in headscarf and wellies for 10 years to find my confidence again.”

“Let's face it, I have a fun job at the end of the day.”

“I was fortunate enough to meet Aretha Franklin but I was so overwhelmed that I just burst out crying.”

“As a rule I start the day with a delicious health cocktail which includes soya protein powder, porridge oats, water, vitamin C, sunflower seeds and honey, plus Dr Udo's Ultimate Oil Blend for all the essential fatty acids your body needs.”

“I do really good banana bread. And I make a chocolate cake with fudge icing that's bloody delicious.”

“It's good to write about love because it never goes out of fashion. And I'm quite a romantic.”

“It's always been the same from a long time ago, it's people with promises and people dangling carrots and when you're young and impressionable, and ambitious, you want to believe them. I was always lucky because there was always part of me that didn't believe these people.”

“I was the first white British woman to reach No 1 on the R&B chart - the American black music chart.”

“I don't want to do something just to be on TV. If I did I might as well just go on and put a meat pie on my head! If I go on TV I want to be doing something I want to do.”

“The power of music is a wonderful thing. It can make us happy, make us cry. It can make us forget and make us remember.”

“I think that if you hear music young, whatever music you hear influences you. I'm white, but I've been influenced by black music.”

“The first writers I knew about were Motown's Holland-Dozier-Holland.”

“You have to say no to a lot of people and when a lot of people are telling you what you're doing is a bit rubbish you just have to have the courage to say 'no it isn't' and believe in it.”