Quotes About Youth

I was knocked out by a skateboarder when I was 11.

The first book that really knocked me out was the 'Brothers Karamazov.' I read it when I was a senior in high school.

If you want to be with someone who is 15 or 20 years younger, that's fine, but I've found that if you haven't been knocked down a little bit, then you're probably not going to be hanging with me too much.

A lack of street footballers dulls the imagination, dulls that natural thinking outside the box. You need that on the street when you're 9 and have to beat a 14-year-old on the dribble. Or if you get knocked out and have to sit on the side and come on.

When I was younger, I did my first audition at 'Eurovision.' I was about 17. After my first audition, I blacked out; I was just like, 'I can't do this.' I'm not knocking it or anything - it's been around for years. I'm just very, very happy I made that decision myself. I think that's one of the best decisions I've ever made.

I was known as the little girl with the big voice.

I think the big thing with O.J. - I've known him since he was in high school - and he's a great kid, loves the game of basketball.

The church we grew up playing at was not one of those churches known for its music, but it was just this all-around energy that would be happening because, at the same time we'd be playing in church, we'd be playing in the city jazz band under Reggie Edwards.

No one knows how it is that with one glance a boy can break through into a girl's heart.

The children in 'Nobody Knows' had a resonance with me. The children are projections of myself.

I used to fight every week. Me and my friends used to fight each other, bare knuckle, but then we would be friends that same day. That was our entertainment, though.

Kobe made an impact on basketball in a big way. He came in the League when he was 17 years old, but he was working on his game every day... The way he played, people all around the world loved the passion that he put in for basketball.

Growing up in L.A., Kobe was my idol, really.

When I was 12, 13 years old, I fell in love with the game. I saw Kobe Bryant play. I wanted to be a part of it.

I'm not sure if they do this in the States, but in Korea, until high school, on your graduation diploma there's a line that states your future goal. Kids write 'president' or 'astronaut,' or whatever. I always wrote 'singer.'

Korean people, including me, want to go faster and faster - in music, in fashion, in art, too.

I was a pretty fit and physical kid, and my first interest was in martial arts and kung fu with all the Bruce Lee movies.

If I was 13 years old and Kurt Cobain tweeted me some advice or even just said hi, my whole world would be affected by that.

Sometimes artists die young, and we don't know exactly why. I think that, in life, you have these special individuals, whether it's Jimi Hendrix or Janis Joplin or Kurt Cobain. They're on this journey - they're on this earth to change things, to make things incredible - and then they're not with us anymore.

I started out with this 'La Boheme' fantasy, but as you get older, the 'La Boheme' fantasy becomes less sexy, believe me.

I think La Masia is the most important academy in the world. The coaches and the whole club helps you for your future.

There won't be more Messis, and we don't expect there to be more, as there won't be another generation in La Masia like the one with Xavi, Busi, Puyol, Iniesta and me.

In high school, I was head of the lab. I dumped a whole five-gallon bucket of D-76 on my head once. It ruined all my clothes.

When I was writing the Destiny's Child songs, it was a big thing to be that young and taking control. And the label at the time didn't know that we were going to be that successful, so they gave us all control. And I got used to it.