Quotes from Alessia Cara

I always told myself that if I was going to be given a voice, I might as well say something worth listening to and not something that's just going to feed people stupidity.

People want to create something bigger for themselves, and making up drama that isn't there gives people the impression that they have haters. It's all for attention so it looks like they are important.

I'm a fan of real singers. I just gravitate towards that.

It's amazing: it's so cool being from Brampton, Ontario, and being able to travel the world and being embraced by so many countries.

When I was eight, I told my best friend I got a Hilary Duff autograph, but I just signed it myself.

When I was shopping around trying to get signed, I made it a point to say, 'This is who I am.' I dress the way I normally dress, and I just wanted to find a label that would accept me for that.

Every time I sing, it it's a reminder to myself that I have to be confident.

I'm not a fitness model; I'm just a singer. If people focus on that, that's what I care about.

It took me a while to really believe in myself or feel determined about it, but then once I realized that it's possible for anyone, and these people who are singers started off very normal... I realized that it was not that hard to do.

I was always singing around the house, even when I was two years old.

All I'm really good at is making music and singing and doing this. I'm not good at fashion, so I don't see a point in trying to be good at that.

Singing was something I always did. I really don't remember a time when I wasn't singing, even as a little child.

I'm not extremely outgoing, but I'm average, I think. When people meet me they'll say, 'Oh you're not that shy...' I never said I was! I see where they're coming from because my biggest single was about being shy at a party - I get it. But it's not 100% accurate.

I think the media can definitely show more diversity - different sizes of women, different colours of women, just more diversity in general.

When you're from an unknown place, I think it's hard for you to believe it's possible. You think you have to go to L.A. or New York to make it, but I don't think that's true. I'm glad to be an example that you can make it from where you are. All you need is talent and hard work.

As a young girl, I'm always going to have to work a bit harder to prove myself; that's just reality. But having to work harder makes me feel like girls are stronger, too.

I don't really dance. I don't drink or smoke. Being at parties is very awkward.

As long as each song makes somebody feel something, I think that's the point of it all. I don't want it to just be background music, you know?

I think that my music is really empowering. I just want people to know - especially young people, but really everyone - that you don't have to be so caught up in what everyone else is thinking. You don't have to be the coolest, most popular person. You can just be you and be vulnerable.

I guess people don't think that young girls or young artists have opinions, but I'm so glad that there's artists like Lorde and Raury and Kehlani because they're showing other people that young people can have an opinion and a voice and do really well with it. I'm glad I can be one of those people.

I really want to speak for young women, especially because I feel like we're constantly brainwashed in everyday life.

Once you put songs out, they're not yours anymore. They're everyone else's.

I never thought I'd have a career because of YouTube.

YouTube is my first love.