Solange Knowles
Everyone talks about how, in your 30s, all of these growing pains transition into wisdom and you feel more self-assured and confident, but I think I had a bit of a jump-start on that at 27.
Mainstream media tends to showcase a very specific kind of Mardi Gras, but my experience of Mardi Gras is very different; it's very cultural.
I have always had tremendous respect for my sister as an artist, as a woman, and now as a mother.
If a piece makes you look good and makes it easier to get dressed, it wins.
Fashion is a strange world sometimes. Amazing, but strange.
I'd rather live in the U.S. than Europe.
I'd rather be on the cast of 'Love & Hip-Hop' than 'Project Runway.'
I'd rather be the cool aunt than the authoritative aunt.
I'd rather be the protector than the protected. I'm naturally the protector - being a mother and having a famous family. You have to navigate when it's right to protect.
I love hip-hop. I have gone through many difference phases in my love affair with hip-hop.
I don't ever claim to be a hip-hop head.
My earliest love, which was sort of an obsession, actually, was Nas. I was in seventh grade, I believe, when 'Nastradamus' was out, and I took it pretty far.
Anytime fashion and music go hand-in-hand and it really is an organic fit, it's amazing.
I can't take any credit for people dressing like me, you know?
If I have on a bright red lip, you'll rarely ever catch me with eyeshadow on. It's one or the other for me - pick one feature for the day and really focus on that.
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.
It's always been my dream to look like Mariah Carey in my photos with a microphone. I don't know how she does it. When she sings, she looks perfect.
My blog is actually all self-photography unless it's a photo shoot.
I think many people, especially from other cultures, just don't understand the role hair plays in black women's lives.
I stand for people who are firm in their journey.
I'm such a Southern girl.
What's important is that my family and I are all good.
I'm not sure if it's cause I'm getting old, but my heels have to be 3.5 inch or less, or a chunky heel.
My sister and I were not allowed expensive clothes. We so badly wanted these Fila sneakers as kids, but my mother took us down to the flea market and got imitation ones. Look at the early Destiny's Child videos. You'll see.
It's really special to have a niece because I have a son, so I get to have a little girl, too.
I never borrowed clothes from Beyonce when we were growing up. But now my style is a little more tame and hers is a little more adventurous.
I'm really good at telling people 'no.'
I think it's really important for every mother to find their own way.
I really enjoy my privacy and being able to walk my son to school every morning and pick him up every afternoon.
I'm super-sensitive when it comes to my sister. I've been known to snap off a little bit behind her.
People from New Orleans are extremely prideful.
When Destiny's Child released their first record, I don't think I even noticed. I was still at school, and I had my own life in Houston.
I've always loved Dusty Springfield and Martha Reeves.
I have more to offer than music that is automatically dance.
My son spends as much time with his dad as he does with me.
My sound is Solange. It's definitely not Destiny's Child.
I really wanted people just to get to know Solange on my first album, just to establish Solange's sound, just to establish Solange's personality.
Every teenage artist out there is mostly talking about boys, and I think there's so much more to being a teenager than just boys.
It's so sad, actually, how teachers and parents tell their kids, 'You're never gonna be anything.'
I'm happy that I have a beautiful, wonderful, amazing child who's made me a better person.
I don't feel like I owe anybody other than my child and my family anything.
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.
There are a lot of times when people are diplomatic about things, and I'm not that type. I'm not afraid to say exactly what I mean.
I can tell you what I really love: when I run into people on the street that tell me they have connected with my music.
I think that some people get wrapped up in their own egos. They need to see certain album sales and certain monuments.
At 15, saying I wanted to do a reggae album after growing up in a snazzy house in Houston - it was kind of random.
My mom's best friend growing up was diagnosed with AIDS, and he basically raised me when my mom was launching her business. Although I didn't understand at the time what HIV or AIDS was, I knew that's what he passed away from.
I really fell in love with dance. By the time I was seven, I had dance class six times a week. I was obsessed.
I grew up seeing my sister in the studio. I would go to recording sessions and take notes.