My feeling is that maintaining financial independence is also a healthy way to keep my feet on the ground.

I am a committed observer. I like staying in the background and seeing what's going on.

Being First Lady is playing supporting act. I am not seeking notoriety and I am not seeking to grab the limelight.

I built my entire life on the idea of independence.

When I was very young, I used to share much of what I wrote with my family, but as I got older and more self-conscious, it became a much more private process.

Basically, when I hear the words 'family drama,' I run in the opposite direction.

I've got a great team around me with my family, manager and label, and we've all worked hard together to make things happen.

I'm not completely Jewish, if you know what I mean. I know people want me to be. My father is Jewish. My mother isn't.