"You don’t heal from the loss of your child. It’s the most heartbreaking thing to go through for any parent. My world literally came crushing down. You only learn how to survive through each day by the grace of God. My experience has been a very painful and personal one. Not a day goes by that I don’t think about Keron. I thank God for strengthening me."

"In this venture, she was very successful. There was a time, in fact, when she sold more records than any other singer of her type."

"Critics also praised her beauty, her stage presence, and her natural theatrical ability."

"He evidently was an enthusiastic supporter of his wife's career."

"Often compared to Galli-Curci, the reigning prima donna of opera, she was praised for her flawless agility, purity of intonation, and dazzling style, all demonstrating a lyric charm and sensuous beauty of tone."

"Her voice has been described as a sweet, clear, high soprano, but without the consistently strong magnitude and volume of some of her contemporaries."

"Music was a universal experience."

"We are part of music and music is part of us. Not all feel and sense this to the highest, yet all are touched by it as we pass this life."

"My whole soul seems to be brought out when I sing."

"Miss Gates is the equal of the greatest prima donnas this country has produced."

"Some of these children have gone through traumatic things"

"The show is not about focusing on those things, it’s about helping them move forward."

"I hope Dream School will have a positive impact on the children on the show and that it will help parents and teenagers who watch the show to communicate better"

"Sometimes when you’ve failed, it’s hard to see past that failure"

"The aim of this show is to inspire the teenagers to get excited about their careers, despite their circumstances, and give them the tools they need to help them finish school"

"At the time, my family and I didn’t know I was suffering from depression. I was a very quiet child who was always just in the background at school. I was withdrawn and didn’t really have friends, but I was focused on getting school done"

"Theatre needs you to go to a vulnerable place to find authenticity and truth"

"I believe so strongly in following my intuition. I have learned to trust it as I have got older"

"How can we make this happen? Who can make this happen? This time more than ever, we need to stand together. Surely? I ache inside"

"We laugh a lot. The three of us have worked together for many years. We understand each other, so there is a lot of give and take. As soon as we see pressure on one of us, the other two step in and shift the focus. We balance each other out. And then laugh some more. We are highly professional, but have a huge amount of fun, because we love what we do."

"Even though my family was there for me,I wished I had to someone to talk Someone who tried to understand.I feel like parents don't talk to their children enough. Parenting isn't just about providing a roof over your child head and clothing them."

"The joy and wisdom of getting older is the knowledge that it’s not about you. Yes, you have to work hard and be the best you can, but what’s more important is the story, what value you bring to it."

"I just verbalised some thoughts, and believe where your mind goes energy flows. And its time to focus on hope and peace and a better tomorrow. We know we as a country deserve more"

"Maybe this is the time, when we the women of South Africa, who love this country so much, and know we have to protect it, need to find a time, 5 minutes or half an hour, standing side by side holding hands, the length and breadth of SA, creating a circle around the country, linking our common belief, without saying one word, and collectively show ourselves and the world, peacefully, silently and powerfully, that we and our country deserve more"

"My stage name is bigger than what I own. I was used. I was hurt since the beginning. I got very little from album sales of my music. If journalists can visit my place and see the deplorable condition I am living in, Tanzanians would open their eyes (and see the exploitation artistes are exposed to)."

"There are good promoters in the industry like Diamond Platnumz’s promoter and manager. Ali Kiba’s manager and promoter are equally good. There are people (managers and promoters) whom I fear. Back in my days I did so well musically but not financially. They made me fear artistes’ management to an extent where if I get one today, I must scrutinize him well – just to know how the artistes that he managed are faring."

"I would love to have the kind of lifestyle Diamond Platinum leads, but without being under any management, every time I think of being under my management, my blood pressure rises, I prefer being an independent artist because I believe my previous management to some level exploited me and I am to blame because I let them do that."

"If I had good guidance on investment, I would be doing better than I currently am, I made a lot of money but I was young and an orphan and lacked an advisor to guide me on how to invest and better manage my finances, that's my regret."

"I was young and naive, comma, I didn't know my worth so I let them decide my fate, including what to pay me, .I never questioned. I didn't understand the business and, were still, I lacked someone to offer me the much needed guidance on how to invest.I have paid a heavy price for my naivety."

"I have so many childhood memories of Morocco."

"The album ‘Zouzou’ continues the tradition of featuring Ivory Coast artists in my albums. It’s mostly composed and arranged in the Ivory Coast by Dr. Wang, a young producer who worked with Malian R&B star Aya Nakamura. So, it’s a more modern, urban album that I plan to release in February 2024"

"For me, every new album feels like a fresh beginning. It’s a new Dobet, a new story. I’m continuously growing and evolving in my music, infusing it with my emotions and experiences."

"I take traditional rhythms and blend them with electronic instruments on my computer. For example, when I travel, I listen to all kinds of music. Now, I like listening to urban music. But urban music from Africa originates from traditional music. Only the instruments, the choice of electronic instruments, change. But the sound, the rhythm, remains the same."

"Yes it's been a very difficult year. We haven't been able to do anything public. But it has allowed me to concentrate on this album, Couleur. And the next album too. Because I had the time to compose, I'm already working on the next one, and I have a lot of material."

"I was raised as a Muslim but my family and I celebrated both Muslim and Christian holidays."

"My parents heard me singing and they were surprised because they did not know I could sing."

"With the vaccines available now, things are starting to improve. The confinement is ending. Bars can be open outside in the open air, but not inside yet. I think in another six months we will be back to normal."

"The messages are messages of hope. That is the new energy that I want to put out. Anyone who listens to this album will sense that it is about movement. That is what I told Tam. I want people to dance. And we started with that. I wanted people to feel the African origin, but also a little bit of electro and Afro, but the most important thing was that the people dance."

"I never refuse any invitation to perform in Tunisia, and sometimes I cancel everything to answer the call of my country."

"I have only one nationality, Tunisian, and I am proud of it."

"Everyone knows that my comments are directed against those who attack residents, who enter homes, who rape girls, who prevented me from accessing my home. I was talking about those who brought them into Tunisia and those who are trying to establish them in Tunisia. There is a plan to establish these migrants, who are now victims. Tunisia will not be a transit point for illegal migrants. Those who are legal are welcome. I am talking about a situation that affects all Tunisians"

"A lot of my aunties sang. Our singing voices come from my dear grandma, who was a powerful music hall singer. I was about six when I fell in love with singing, and eight when I won a singing competition for up to 16-year-olds. I just knew that singing was for me and some of my favourite singers are Elaine Paige, Barbra Streisand, Barbara Dickson and Whitney Houston."

"One of the best memories: meeting a choir in the United States for a tour. It was moving, the Keystone State Boychoir. They sang texts from my repertoire in Arabic for the first time to accompany me in concerts."

"My daughter, Gracie, is seven and she’s a lovely singer and dancer. She loves to play the piano. She’s a whole bundle of fun. Nothing’s certain in show business, so you have to be determined and dedicated. But as long as she’s happy, that’s all I can wish for her."

"It's definitely not a burden because I love traveling. It's a discovery of others, a pleasure, and above all, communication and sharing of my music and singing with different people."

"Oh, yeah, many, many times. I often cried on the phone when I was talking to my parents. At some point, I almost lost my confidence. My hair started to fall out from all the stress. My mother told me to come back home, but I told her that I believed in my songs and that I had to stay and give it a shot."

"I’m always happy because I feel very blessed and I love my life. Between my family and work, I have lots to smile about!"

"The day was so memorable, with so many talented artists coming together for such a great cause. I just remember looking around thinking: “I can’t believe I’m recording with all these guys.” I loved singing with Lisa Stansfield, she’s a legend!"

"My relationship at the time ended and I decided to go to Nashville to record country music and try something new. When I was in Nashville I unexpectedly received a phone call from the well-known songwriter Philip Lawrence. He asked me whether I could come to Los Angeles. It’s Philip Lawrence, so I got on the plane and met him in a studio in L.A. He had just finished rehearsing with Beyonce and Bruno Mars for the Super Bowl."

"All contestants were imitating famous singers (…) I was imitating Vanessa Williams and managed to reach the finals"