Biografie

Is a very good friend of: Fantasia Barrino, who also appeared on American Idol: The Search for a Superstar (2002), with her.

Has a cat named Jewel.

Had suffered a setback when she had to pull out of the VH1 Soul Tour with Jaguar Wright and Kindred, due to a "family emergency," in 2005.

She began singing at age 7, at her mother's wedding.

Before she was a singer, she did everything from waitressing to singing as a lead vocalist in a Christian rock band.

[Who's been singing almost all her life]: When you're singing to an audience you just have a different drive that comes through you. You connect more with the song because you're actually speaking to people instead of speaking to a microphone.

[In 2005]: I'm speaking for the ladies and talking to the men how much we appreciate you and what you bring to us emotionally, mentally, physically. There's a lot of songs out there talking about how beautiful we are and how much they love us. And I don't think we give that back enough. I think us women, we do a lot of complaining, 'You don't do this for me,' 'You're not doing that,' and I think [men] need to hear some positive input coming from us.

[Of Fantasia Barrino]: Yeah, that's my girl. Fantasia is my dawg. We'll always be that way, and I just want to give her props. We'll definitely see each other after this whole "Idol" thing is over. We'll definitely all be able to just sit back and laugh and just see each other's careers soar.

[If the play touches her]: Not one, with men, I don't care how hard you are, 'If you don't feel something, you're not human,' I mean, this story is so touchy. Yes, everyone can relate to this, whether you're going through with it or not, you may know someone who's gone through with it. You may not have gone through something yet, and you can reach back and remember about the story, how people triumphed over their trials that they were going through, seeing the show they missed, everyone's has a story, and they got through something. They got through this issue that they had, and it's about love, it's about redemption and forgiveness.

[on working on a play with Fantasia Barrino, who is her best friend]: It's been a wonderful experience, I mean, it's just an honor, first of all, to be a part of this production. This story is so close to my heart, from growing up, knowing the story, knowing all about it, and I had an opportunity to be a part of it live on stage is such an honor, and then to be doing it with Fantasia, who truly is my sister, truly.