Normani Kordei

“For me it's hard, especially being a young African-American woman. My dad doesn't look like what you might call the 'safe' African-American male that America would accept, if you know what I mean.”

“I could never repay my parents for always pushing me and believing in me as much as they did.”

“There's always room for growth. I feel like I'll never get to the point where I'm 100 percent happy with where I am with my career.”

“My mom is my hero, and I wouldn't be the woman I am today without her.”

“Any relationship has its strengths and weakness.”

“It's hard for me to believe that the KKK still exists, especially knowing all my ancestors have been through. I feel like the history and meaning of all we have been through has been trashed.”

“When I dance, I escape the present and become one with my soul.”

“I kind of have to take pieces of myself to fit what it is that radio wants.”

“I put my all into performing so people can walk away knowing a bit more about me and feel the passion in my story.”

“It's important to stand up to all forms of bullying, and it's even more important for those who are around you to be just as courageous and stand with you!”

“I think that a lot of the time, we get in our own heads and make up what other people are thinking, but no one actually cares about the thing you think they care about. You just gotta take that weight off your shoulders and be nice to yourself and be yourself. People will fall in love with who that is.”

“It's impossible for five people to have the exact same ambitions all around.”

“Honestly, you cannot go wrong with being yourself.”

“Destiny's Child I grew up on hard core. Like, I can't tell you how much I love the three of them so much and what they had to offer.”

“I think there's a contrast between being vulnerable and, you know, 'Girl Power!' I think it's important to have that balance because you don't have to be strong all the time.”

“I started off in dance. That was actually my first passion, which introduced me to music, which people don't really know.”

“We performed at the VMAs, which is crazy because we grew up watching that show and all of our inspirations and idols were there.”

“When I get on stage, Beyonce is my alter ego. The way that she's Beyonce in real life and then Sasha Fierce on stage, I'm Normani in real life, and then I pretend to be Beyonce on stage. I just love that she's constantly reinventing herself but stays true to who she is as a person - and she wears so many hats in her life.”

“No one has the right to make where you go or what you do uncomfortable.”

“I think it's all about people loving each other and having compassion, accepting one another and educating themselves.”