"Family, friends, they were not allowed to hear me sing, but the scum of New York I could perform for. When I was in a scary situation, on a deserted street or walking by a group of men alone, late at night, I'd start singing. I figured that the singing would do three things: make me seem relaxed and carefree; or make me look crazy and they'd leave me alone; or show my would-be attackers that I was not afraid to use my voice. I was clearly testing the 'music soothes the savage beast' theory. It must have worked because I never had a problem. I even got some nice compliments from my impromptu audiences."

"I knew the first time I performed, it was going to be very emotional for me. I was definitely going to cry. So rather than look the fool in a room full of strangers, I surrounded myself with family and friends. What I didn't know was it was going to be so emotional for everyone else. We were all crying."

about us : soothing the savage beasts