Trying to reconnect to the past puts you in your head. Your emotions are in your body and get expressed through your voice. I don’t believe you need to relive your pain every time you sing a song.

I’ve always allowed myself to flow with the feeling of expression that I have at the moment. But I also spent years finding and allowing myself my most authentic expression when the world told me yuck, ugh not that, don’t be that!

When I jumped off a 30-foot cliff into a pool of water in a national park, I came up from the water and said I’m cutting my hair putting in a red streak! That 1930s Cotton Club men’s GQ haircut I have always loved, well I finally got it!

It’s so fun as a human, and definitely as an artist, to express so many sides of ourselves. I’m so grateful for all the paths I’ve taken, and most happy to be dedicated to my evolution of self. You do you, boo!

Knowing who you are is the key to success, yet managers tell me all the time that artists don’t really know who they are. What happens to artists when they don’t really know who they are? Somebody else starts to tell them who they are, which leads to feeling like an imposter.

Artists need to speak the language of each element. Use AUDIO to point to the sound you want, IMAGES for the look. I remember working with a major artist in Electric Lady Studios and they communicated the emotional feeling of their art through 3 huge storyboards in the green room. It was amazing!

Your style and expression is going to change throughout your life and career. You just need to be able to communicate the changes as you go!

I always listen to the in-ear mix when I work with an artist. One artist, after 3 years of touring, was not having fun anymore, not feeling inspired. No wonder he wasn’t inspired, he wasn’t hearing music anymore, he was hearing a computer click.

By putting his voice in his own spotlight, he was criticizing and checking himself all show long - not having fun or being expressive. He wasn’t inspired because he wasn’t hearing music and he wasn’t doing what he always loved.

Your focus changes everything.

I was working with an artist on tour. They're seasoned and have toured many times. They were so tired and said, "I want to quit."

I told them - I want you to start tonight's concert expressing how tired you are and how you don't want to be there!

Of course, they replied with "I can't do that." I asked her to trust me and simply start the concert expressing the genuine feeling she was having at that moment and then see where it takes you.

Have I told you about the time I sang with Patti LaBelle?

Or, should I say: the several times I sang with Patti Labelle?!… I was a teenager that first time-- the second time I went to see her, I took flowers. I was about 20 years old, she asked me if I could rap. I said:

“No, Patti, but I can sing.”

She gently waved me off and turned around. But then, she turned back to me, asking “Do you sing? Do you really sing?!” And I said

“Yes Patti, I can really sing!”…