Estelle Quotes

#1. I'm so sick of hearing that U.K. hip hop doesn't get credit and success when I'm working to get it - for me and for others, too.

Estelle

#2. I got to the point where I was fed up with so many people telling me how and who I was supposed to be.

Estelle

#3. My mind is always going.

Estelle

#4. I always have to get my U.K. fix, and 'Downton Abbey' is definitely that. I absolutely love period dramas, but this one is particularly appealing - following the ins and outs of aristocracy as well as the interaction between the rich and the poor.

Estelle

#5. I feel like it's not a bad average for every album I've got in the United States to be nominated for something off the album.

Estelle

#6. Americans have their issues with skin colour, even within the black community, with light and dark skin; it's crazy - but no one's oblivious to it.

Estelle

#7. With my music, I don't have to stay in one lane. One day I'm in Motown, and the next day I'm in reggae.

Estelle

#8. I hate that if you do one style of music or become really well known for that one song, that everything that comes after has to fit that mold.

Estelle

#9. I think the one group I am trying to appeal to is the world. That would be big enough.

Estelle

#10. A lot of scarves are made to stand out and therefore not appropriate on your head, say, at work.

Estelle

#11. Parents, raise your kids. Young men and women, raise your kids.

Estelle

#12. We get older, and we forget that we have to carve a little time out to feel good in your body, in your head, and in your spirit.

Estelle

#13. I'm the female Jay-Z. I never compared myself to other women artists. I compared myself with the best, and the best is Jay-Z.

Estelle

#14. I'm never scared to ask a question or state the obvious, y'know.

Estelle

#15. I will test a guy to within an inch of his sanity because I've been through too much drama. He has to be 100%.

Estelle

#16. 'Something Good' is a feel-good song. A reminder that you're dope and have something wonderful to offer life and yourself and the world.

Estelle

#17. Walking round the Champs-Elysees late at night is the greatest time.

Estelle

#18. My mum is West African, from Senegal; my dad is from Grenada. There was a huge controversy about them getting together.

Estelle

#19. I love singing, so I want to see how far I can take it. I love the challenge, and I won't be happy until I have a wall full of gold discs and seven huge world tours under my belt.

Estelle

#20. I started writing an album on flights to Africa and Brazil, but it was crazy because I left the notebook on the plane. It had seven or eight songs in it. After that, I'm not writing any more songs on notebooks - and I keep my Blackberry close!

Estelle

#21. The man for me has to have his own life or be as busy as me.

Estelle

#22. Nobody's going to tell me to rap in an American accent.

Estelle

#23. People want to say something negative before they say something good.

Estelle

#24. I'm not slimming down for anyone and losing my figure.

Estelle

#25. I believe in illusion - I don't believe in magic.

Estelle

#26. If there is enough space on radio for Busted and McFly, who are basically the same band, or for 50,000 versions of Stereophonics and Coldplay, there must be enough room for all of us.

Estelle

#27. I never feel that far away from the tabloids.

Estelle

#28. Luke James has this mystique about him that's not something you can explain; you can only experience it. He's got a whole D'Angelo feel to him as well.

Estelle

#29. A lot of my girlfriends are always telling me they're really strong independent women, but they've got their boy on the side, and they only go over when he calls.

Estelle

#30. I always want to remain inspired.

Estelle

#31. You have to have courage to look back and be honest about your own drama.

Estelle

#32. The Americans love me because I'm so completely unwilling to change my whole Britishness.

Estelle

#33. When my career slowed, I knew deep down it wasn't over.

Estelle

#34. Why should you stay in one place and one country if they're not offering you a job? It doesn't make sense!

Estelle

#35. I grew up in a family of nine kids.

Estelle

#36. Law became boring, but like every job I've done, it helped prepare me for a career in music.

Estelle

#37. I come from a family of well-endowed booty women.

Estelle

#38. I love rom-coms. Any will do. Films such as 'How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days' or 'Funny Face' with Audrey Hepburn.

Estelle

#39. I can get a call at 2 A.M., and the person on the other end is like: 'Sorry, did I wake you?' and I'm like: 'No, I'm wide awake.'

Estelle

#40. My songs are always about overcoming things, whether it's breaking up with a guy or just trying to be happy. They're always about being better.

Estelle

#41. The most personal track would have to be 'Love The Way We Used To.' It's one of the songs that I listen to outside of all the records that I wrote.

Estelle

#42. I can't stand quitters. My mother is a very strong, determined woman. I was peeling onions when I was seven, but I walked off when my eyes began to sting. She said to me, 'You start something and you finish it', and that stuck with me. I'm persistent.

Estelle

#43. I think every artist strives for a record that crosses all energy, lines, boundaries or languages or barriers.

Estelle

#44. I learned that working out gives me a space to get clear. It's not just about the body. It gives me space to process things and get clear in my mind about decisions and things I want to do.

Estelle

#45. I wear what I feel and what makes me feel happy.

Estelle

#46. I'm just excited that I get to put out the music I love versus music just for the sake of it.

Estelle

#47. A lot of big whoever producers, they come with a song and they say, 'Sing this,' and I'm not that girl.

Estelle

#48. My favorite film involving scarves was little Edie in 'Grey Gardens.' I often wear scarves like that, under hats.

Estelle

#49. Kanye West is my older brother, an inspiring guy and someone who keeps pushing my level up further and further.

Estelle

#50. Lesson one, introduce yourself to everyone when you walk into a room. Don't act like you're too bougie to say, 'Hello.'

Estelle

#51. BMG has been an awesome partner throughout my career, and with New London, we plan to continue bridging the gap between soul, pop, London, and New York - uniting them through music.

Estelle

#52. American food is not what I'm used to - everything is like three portions.

Estelle

#53. When I'm full, I stop eating.

Estelle

#54. You can be sexy, but respect yourself and make sure you get that respect.

Estelle

#55. My style is Edie Sedgwick meets Grace Jones, or Audrey Hepburn meets Salt 'n' Pepa. Strong and feisty but still classic.

Estelle

#56. Some days I might be wearing a little dress, and some days I might be wearing something with wings on it and be confusing.

Estelle

#57. I always thought that if record companies didn't understand me, fine - I'd go and do it by myself.

Estelle

#58. With the first album, I wanted to do so many different things, and I was fighting with myself to try and see if I was worthy enough to do it.

Estelle

#59. If I don't agree with something, I let people know, and it occasionally leads to tension. But I usually iron things out.

Estelle

#60. Me being a black girl in London, whose mom is first-generation African and whose dad is West Indian, gives me a different view. I'm coming at soul from my own place.

Estelle

#61. I feel like I'm beautiful, and every woman should feel like that.

Estelle

#62. Garage music came up when people weren't paying attention.

Estelle

#63. This fame is a juggernaut: It slaps you in the face, and you don't know what you're doing. You don't know who has your back, who is your support system.

Estelle

#64. Success is based on music, not where you're from.

Estelle

#65. I have to live authentically at all times. And that's part of what makes me an artist. I'm not scared to do that.

Estelle

#66. I want a TV series, I'm gonna do some acting jobs, I'm gonna do some Broadway jobs, everything!

Estelle

#67. People are getting ready for music that makes them feel happy again rather than being depressed at the way the world is going right now.

Estelle

#68. People have created feuds between me and other artists.

Estelle

#69. You know, sometimes you fall in love and you get treated badly, sometimes you get treated well.

Estelle

#70. I got into hip hop from my uncle; he was always playing us Kool G Rap and Big Daddy Kane. He was a bad boy, and my mum was not really happy that I was hanging out with him.

Estelle

#71. For four years, my mum allowed only church music in the house.

Estelle

#72. I would say my greatest musical influences have been Ella Fitzgerald and Mary J. Blige.

Estelle

#73. Labrinth is a super talented singer, producer, songwriter from London.

Estelle

#74. If you think about where I'm from, I'm not supposed to be singing in the first place. I'm not supposed to be alive right now.

Estelle

#75. I've always dug Audrey Hepburn. I think she's one of the classic beauties.

Estelle

#76. I've still gotta come across as happy when inside I feel crap!

Estelle

#77. I grew up in a house full of music. Everything from reggae and afro-beat to Zook and pop.

Estelle

#78. The only thing I don't have is hips.

Estelle

#79. I will never say I am committed to somebody unless I'm serious about that person.

Estelle

#80. When I was growing up, hip-hop was still a pretty specialised thing.

Estelle

#81. I'm used to traveling. I'm used to being in different areas of the world. Home is where my suitcase lands.

Estelle

#82. I have my family; I'm never alone.

Estelle

#83. I wear and have worn scarves my entire life while traveling, working out, and now sometimes while performing, and not just on my head - I wear them around my neck and on my bag.

Estelle

#84. Most of my thinking is done at night.

Estelle

#85. My mom, for all intents and purposes, was a single parent.

Estelle

#86. I'd really started hating music. I'd started hating all the songs, hating being in the industry, hating doing the shows. So I had to learn to love music again if I wanted to continue doing this.

Estelle

#87. Reality really isn't as dull as it's cracked up to be.

Estelle

#88. People like the shows I do. I want to be real, to have fun, even when I dance on stage ... it's a buzz.

Estelle

#89. The thing that makes me feel powerful is when I make a decision about something and I make it happen.

Estelle

#90. The people who have the strongest opinion about everything have never left their city, their town, haven't left their 'hood, haven't left their area, their corner of the world. They don't read. They've never left their house.

Estelle

#91. There is not enough faith in black music at a high level.

Estelle

#92. The reality show 'America's Next Top Model' is my girlie pleasure.

Estelle

#93. I'm signed to a U.S. label, and I didn't enjoy the 3 A.M. phone calls. I'm not a great sleeper, so I didn't enjoy being woken up.

Estelle

#94. If you cannot smile when you listen to music, then do not listen to it!

Estelle

#95. John Legend is a cool guy. He likes to chill, is easy to talk to and hang out with. He's also inspiring on a musical level.

Estelle

#96. I try not to judge because I've been judged a heck of a lot, and it don't feel nice.

Estelle

#97. I always say, 'There's a difference between cooked food and McDonald's.' Your mom's homemade dinner - you enjoy this more than you enjoy the fast food that comes along and goes, and I strive to make homemade dinner every time I put out an album.

Estelle

#98. I just have a way about me where people know that they don't tell me what to do, they kind of just wait for me to do it.

Estelle

#99. I've always been a fan of Nigerian artist D'banj. He's now signed to Kanye West's Good Music label.

Estelle

#100. I've fully embraced who I am. I stopped fighting with people and just come to realize, 'This is me. This is all of me.'

Estelle