Quotes from Tiffany Darwish

I toured all over the world, I have die-hard fans, and I had my dreams come true.

I actually did my first tour at the age of 10 with my dad, and it was as a country singer. We toured through Alaska, and he took me to sing at places like county fairs, hoedowns, backyard barbecues, you name it. We were usually passing around the hat for gas money to get to the next gig.

I wanted to be the country version of Stevie Nicks, but before you knew it, I was heading in a pop direction, touring the world, having No. 1 singles, and loving every minute of it.

Looking back at old-school pictures, I never had a hair or makeup person. I wasn't required to wear a lot of hair and makeup. I was never really allowed to do that because it was the image.

The first album, I'd had some input, but I was 14 years old then, and I really didn't know what I was talking about.

Being on the road is very inspiring.

The writing process really became natural when it was real and from my heart, and I was exposed.

I think, probably, being a young artist, there were a lot of things I thought I knew and I wanted to do, and I was like, 'Oh! That's what I want to do.' And then it took me in a different direction with 'I Think We're Alone Now,' and then all of a sudden, I was a pop star.

Life is short. You've got to live your dreams.

When you're a little girl, living your dreams, even tiny little stages in someone's backyard are amazing.

I'm thankful for what I've got, but I'm cramming all my money into a trust fund because I don't ever want to look around and wonder where all my money went.

I'm all about showing people what I can really do in country music. Give me a mic and let me perform, and I'll prove it to you.

I love everything by Led Zeppelin.

There was a lot of turmoil in my family.

I live on eight acres out in the country in Nashville, and it gets creepy and foggy. It's the best atmosphere to write songs.

I think the biggest thing, for me, was just to be recognized as a songwriter.

My best friend was crazy about Culture Club. She had posters everywhere. She joined the fan club. She knew everything about them. No one else sounds like Boy George, and I have great memories of singing along in her bedroom.

To just to get up on stage and sing every night at 9 or 10 years old was unbelievable to me. It wasn't that I was getting paid; it was that I was getting paid to do what I like to do.

To just be able to sing and show off the chops is kind of why I got into the music industry.

My body - it's become, as I get older... not my friend.

I'm not as naive as some people think.

New Jersey was like home for me the first time I was there.

I do love the social-media aspect of working records nowadays. You can do a video and put it up on social media, and people check you out who would never check you out before. I think it's much cooler that you can just get the product right to the fans.

The reality of a long-term career is that there are ups and downs.