I still stand behind the stuff I did early on, but I was on a record label, and I didn't have a lot of creative control. Another side of that is just being young and having bad taste. There was plenty of that, too.
From a very early age, I decided that I wanted to be able to do my music but still be able to live a normal life.
I have always had tremendous respect for my sister as an artist, as a woman, and now as a mother.
You just have to know that the more successful you get as an artist, the less of a normal life you have. It's a trade-off.
In my experience, as a young black artist, you have to fulfill an archetype, or be a token - and I was unwilling to do that.
I wear short shorts. After 10 years of strenuous ballet, it's the least my legs can do for me.
