Music says the things that people don't say or are afraid to say, and that's the best part about it for me.

It all started with social media, building a fan base via Tumblr and YouTube, doing covers, and releasing a project with original music. Labels started to peel interest then. It was around the same time I was applying for college.

Everyone's a taste-maker.

In terms of style, I'm really inspired by Foxy Brown and Naomi Campbell.

People tend to not post when they're at their worst, but I try to be as open as I can be with my fans.

I never leave anywhere without my watch because it's a very special gift given to me by one of my managers.

My dream collaboration would be to work with Drake. Honestly, he's an amazing songwriter, and I feel like if we got the opportunity to do a song, it would be the most amazing thing to ever hit people's ears.

When you're in the limelight, you can't always lash out.

I'm not going to blurt out my whole life on the Internet and just be all crazy emotional. I'm not that type of person, but it's in my music.

I embrace my darker skin - always have, always will. In addition, I believe black women have always been trailblazers and trendsetters. Acknowledgement or not, we are and always have been beautiful.

The-Dream was like my diary. I would sit there and talk his ear off about all my guy situations; he would just turn my stories into songs.

When it comes to '90s R&B, I grew up on a lot of Aaliyah and Destiny's Child, Missy Elliott, Usher, Jill Scott. Whatever my mom was playing in the house is what I was listening to.

When the Rocawear team reached out and wanted to make me the face of La Belle Roc, I was super excited!

I surrounded myself with a lot of different creative people and ambitious people.

I've been through a heartbreak and seen the business side of the music industry. Now I see things clearer.

I have three styles. One is my Hypebeast tomboy look, which is pretty much my everyday look.

Drake is a lyrical genius, and he's great with melodies, and Pharrell is an amazing producer and songwriter.

My mom never let me dye my hair, and I would beg her every single day. When I was 16, I told her I wanted to dye it purple, and she let me - probably because she never thought I'd actually do it. Then I just stuck with it.

Sometimes people won't be able to relate to you if you look like you're straight out of a full blown 'Vogue' magazine every time they see you.

When I was working on 'Everyday Living,' I was going through a breakup.

I used to sing SWV's 'Weak' every day when people would ask me to sing.

One of the biggest things I struggle with is people's opinions. As much as I would like to say that I don't care, I see those comments. And sometimes it affects you more than others, or may completely change your mood.

Makeup and fashion are a very blatant way of expressing who you are because it's the first thing people see. With music, it's more personal, where people really are trying to get into your head and learn about who you are.

Who knows, maybe I'll be a basketball player one day? No, I'm definitely never going to be a basketball player. I have no hand-eye coordination.