Top 65 Quotes & Sayings by Jessica Sanchez

During 'Idol,' I wasn't expecting anything. I just wanted to survive the competition, but my album and my music are a big part of who I am. Hopefully it translates well and I keep growing as an artist.

Every single year, I tell myself I am going to drive. It never happens. I don't know how to drive. I am already 20. This needs to happen.

I grew up singing ballads, but what I really wanted to get into was the mainstream music on the radio because I really love the beats and everything.

I do sing ballads, but I'm not a balladeer. I'm not the next Celine Dion.

Right after 'Idol,' I was like, 'I've got to become a totally different person. I gotta upgrade myself.' I can't just stand there and be all shy and sing.

I used to have hair so long, my nickname was Pocahontas.

I am a workaholic. I like to work, work, work.

I have always wanted to do a Christmas album and covers.

Christmas is my favorite holiday because you spend time with family. I love the decorations, the music, and buying gifts for people. Everything about Christmas is the best.

I grew up always wanting to be a part of 'Idol,' and I never thought I would make it as far as I did. I was really lucky, and it's given me the opportunities that I have now.

I'm very blessed and appreciative of everything that's happened, and I'm just working hard for more opportunities to come.

I listen to music when I'm feeling down or just a certain way. I don't know what I'd do without it!

I know when to have fun, but when it comes to my music, I'm really serious about my career.

I don't want people to just hand me music and be like, 'Here, you sound good on this. Sing it.' I want to be able to say, 'This is me.'

I love artists that just do what they do with so much passion and emotion.

But I'm really into old music - bluesy, soulful singers, like Etta James, Ray Charles, and Aretha Franklin. I wouldn't have minded being born in the 1960s!

I wanna be more like the Rihanna kind of, Beyonce kind of thing, but I don't want to compare myself to anybody, because I wanna be somebody new, too.

I remember Steven Tyler coming up to me once. He was like, 'Oh my god, you have a God given talent,' and I freaked out. He's so sweet.

In the U.S., no one minds who I am, even if they saw me in 'Idol.' If I'm not doing any shows, my friends and I can just drive around the neighborhood and go to bars at night and chill till four in the morning.

I'm all about risque - I love that stuff. I love to be creative - that's what the entertainment business is about.

I've been working hard my whole life.

'Proud Mary' was the best song for me to perform because it was so much fun.

I don't speak Filipino or Spanish, but I've sung in both.

It was crazy... working with Ne-Yo. Everything was such a blur, and I was just a fangirl the whole time.

My friends are mostly familiar with music that plays on the mainstream radio.

I have a picture with Obama in my house, and I freak out every time I see it. I'm like, 'What the heck? Did that even happen?' It's like a dream.

I personally love J.Lo because she's a fashion icon and I love her music.

I was born in America, but I consider myself a Filipino.

I've been homeschooled since ninth grade.

'Idol' was more of a competition, and that was more of a platform that I wanted to get a hold of and get on top of. And I finally got that opportunity, and now it's more like, I just gotta show and prove myself to everybody that I'm not just the 'balladeer.'

I've been training myself and listening to other artists and seeing where their emotion comes from, singing a heartbreak song when they're in a happy relationship.

On 'Idol,' you have to show off your vocal abilities, so I stuck to the ballads, so I'm glad my first single is 'Tonight' so I can show off my fun, young side, and what I want to do as an artist.

I feel like artists and their lyrics are something that people can relate to when it comes to love and break-ups. I really want people to know how I felt when I went through a break up, when I really felt alive, and everything in between.

I play volleyball on the beach. It's a great way to work out and have fun.

On 'Idol,' I understood that everyone wanted to hear my vocals, so I stuck with the ballads.

Music has always been my passion. It was not a hobby or something I can take out of my life.

Before I was on 'Idol,' I just sat at home and played video games all day long. Now I get to travel and work towards my dream. It's the best feeling ever.

I've been in the 'Idol' bubble, and now it's popped, and I don't know what's going to happen.

Music has always been a huge part of my life.

I always make a wish at 11:11, even if it's something cheesy.

This is going to seem odd, but I love Eminem because he has so much conviction and emotion in the way he raps. Every word that he raps, you feel it.

I want to do more urban R&B with a little bit of pop, but not much. I want to have that soulful kind of side of me come out.

I've been watching 'American Idol' since I was five years old.

It's important to work hard, stay humble, and not let the criticism or the compliments go to your head.

'American Idol' is such a big platform. It's been on for so many seasons. I went on the show not thinking I was going to make it that far at all because there was so many talented people that auditioned.

I'm playing a powerhouse singer who is big competition, but she's also really down to earth and sweet. But the whole sweet thing goes away when she's in competition mode. I love the show, so I'm very excited to be a part of it. I'm going to kill it on 'Glee!'

A lot of people who wanted to audition for Idol have asked me: “What should I do?” or “How to I prepare myself?” I always told them: “Just go in and believe in yourself.”

Being hurt by someone you really cared about, it makes me want to make them regret ever hurting my heart. Best way of doing that? Success. Get ready for it.

I want to let my fans know that I will not hold myself back anymore. Everybody knows me as "15-Year-Old Little Jessica who was on 'American Idol' and who is this sweet, quiet girl." I am very soft-spoken, but I have gone through numerous experiences, and I want to speak out and tell people what has been going on in my life.

When I found out that I made it to the Season 11 finale, I was so shocked that if you went on YouTube and re-watch the Top 3 Results Show, you will see my face looked like a bus hit it.

Do not let anything get in your way of chasing your dreams.

The thing that I did not like about being signed to a label was I unable to have control over what I wanted to do.

I want to release music that is true to myself.

My experience working with a major label was not all bad, I was blessed to go through that experience, and I know what to do during the next time around.

“I Don’t Want to Miss A Thing” is a hard song to perform, I was worried that I was not going to reach that significant note that is at the end of the song. Thank god, Steven loved it! He was the nicest and friendliest judge that I have met. He also invited me to chat with him whether I had free time on the Idol set.

Even though it was a stressful time in my life, I have a lot of good memories from my Idol experience.

When I found out that I was going to be singing with Jennifer Holliday, I literally freaked out! I grew up listening to her, and I was going to cry because I sang with someone who is a huge inspiration to me.

I really want to show my supporters - -the direction I wish to go into, and my fans know that is what I want to do! They even have recommended songs for me to sing, I love my fans...they are awesome!

The best part of being signed by a major label was having the support of a big company behind me and the ability to meet new artists and producers.

When you are in the American Idol bubble, a lot of contestants want to go as far as they can and wish to be on point with ready-to-go songs.