KELLY PRICE

I grew up being teased for being overweight.

Sometimes I gotta look in the mirror and say, 'Hey, they're still saying you're too fat, but you're here! They gotta take it or leave it.' And in most cases, if they leave it, it's all good because they don't need to be in my space anyway.

My doctor told me that I drastically needed to lose weight. Fear of death and dying motivated meto make many lifestyle changes that led me to eventually shed over 100 pounds.

When I first came into the business, I had to, for the sake of being able to sell myself as an artist, always be happy and jovial and smiling. I was the happy nice girl, and I am the happy nice girl, but I have my moments, too.

My weight has been one of the most challenging things that I've had to deal with throughout my career.

I'm not nearly as big as I was, but I attribute that to eating healthy. I'm just not a skinny girl, and I just want to give more opportunities to people like me.

The nature of the music industry is changing. People are getting famous on Youtube. I felt I had the advantage of having a following. My fans know what I do and who I am. The independent world gives me more hands on with day to day handling of what needs to be done.

Sometimes it is like juggling with broken glass because both things are very sensitive and have to be handled with care. I can't let the career be neglected and I can't let my family and children be neglected either.

There are many artists who feel that in order to move forward in their careers, they have to lose a drastic amount of weight.

As you know, I'm a black girl out of the projects of New York City, raised in a single parent home because my parents divorced very very young... welfare and homeless at four and then again at 16 and just not having the things or the necessary tools that society would say I needed to have in order to be any kind of success in life.

There was no person, whether they thought I was too fat, too black, too country, too ghetto, too New York, too thug or too whatever! Nobody ultimately had the say over whether or not I was going to make it.

I was known for being talented, but I was still the fat girl. And it wasn't what people were looking for. There's a lot that you hear. There's a lot of cruelty out there. Some of it comes from the executive offices. It comes from other artists at times. It was a very difficult thing to overcome.

When I first came into the business, I had to, for the sake of being able to sell myself as an artist, always be happy and jovial and smiling. I was the happy nice girl, and I am the happy nice girl, but I have my moments, too.

A lot of times you'll have somebody who could be the most talented person in the world, but because they are plus-sized, they're not even considered for a call back.

My weight has been one of the most challenging things that I've had to deal with throughout my career.

I grew up in a very strict Pentecostal household.

There are many artists who feel that in order to move forward in their careers, they have to lose a drastic amount of weight.

As you know, I'm a black girl out of the projects of New York City, raised in a single parent home because my parents divorced very very young... welfare and homeless at four and then again at 16 and just not having the things or the necessary tools that society would say I needed to have in order to be any kind of success in life.

On paper, my history says that my future was not very promising. But through grace, I have the opportunity to prove that where you start is not where you have to end up.

I'm not nearly as big as I was, but I attribute that to eating healthy. I'm just not a skinny girl, and I just want to give more opportunities to people like me.

Sometimes I gotta look in the mirror and say, 'Hey, they're still saying you're too fat, but you're here! They gotta take it or leave it.' And in most cases, if they leave it, it's all good because they don't need to be in my space anyway.

It's hard to come across someone who can look past an artist who is larger and just see them for the talent they are and have them be willing to invest what's necessary to make them a star.

My doctor told me that I drastically needed to lose weight. Fear of death and dying motivated meto make many lifestyle changes that led me to eventually shed over 100 pounds.

The nature of the music industry is changing. People are getting famous on Youtube. I felt I had the advantage of having a following. My fans know what I do and who I am. The independent world gives me more hands on with day to day handling of what needs to be done.

A clothing line is definitely something I've always wanted to do. I've done fashion shows and clothes for women that are plus sized. It's something that's very personal to me. I battle everyday like every full figured woman. My reason for moving to Los Angeles was to brand out.

Sometimes it is like juggling with broken glass because both things are very sensitive and have to be handled with care. I can't let the career be neglected and I can't let my family and children be neglected either.

I grew up being teased for being overweight.

As an artist it's exciting to know that you've made someone's life decision after them listening to your song. To get married or un-married, when you realize that people are listening it brings a feel of responsibility that can't be ignored or denied. There's someone watching us. Whether an artist wants to admit that or not.

As I've evolved in life my writing process has taken a turn. I'm inspired by everyday life. I could be in the middle of something and hear a commercial. I enjoy songs writing themselves.

The point of life that I'm currently at is a 'me right now' type of attitude. I am 37 years-old, my son is in college and my daughter is in high school. I'm becoming okay with me. I can't live life as an artist or person being someone that someone else has tried to mold me into. I'm not going to put on a dress that's two sizes too small. I'm custom making my own clothes so that they'll never fit anyone else if you know what I mean.

Music was my coping mechanism. I could place myself outside my body. It humbles you.