Nickolas Ashford Quotes

It only took me six months to get a record deal, but it took me 20 years to have a hit.

We sent a guy called Terry Slater a couple of demos, using the last of our money. And then things turned. He landed us a deal with Warners and said just keep coming up with songs, because when success hits you, you won't even know your name.

My next baby will be my new record.

Well, I had a record deal since I was 18, and it got me where I am.

Motown's policy was to build one act at a time or their favorites.

I take pride in being one of the most successful producers in hip-hop history, having the most successful record in hip-hop history, I have the most number ones.

I never really think so much about commercial success; I usually just think about records that move me, and 'Baby Got Back' was one that moved me.

I started singing when I was 18 and landed my first record deal with RCA when I was 26 after a lot of grafting singing in pubs and clubs.

After two years in the songwriting world, I wrote 'All About That Bass.' L.A. Reid heard it and signed me as an artist.

At the end of the day, you sign a record deal and you understand where it could go if you had the right song.

Fame came quickly. I was only 19 when I secured my initial recording contract and my first two hit records - 'Are 'Friends' Electric?' and 'Cars' - were number ones.

Motown was the mecca. It was every writer's dream to work there.

They told me that they are starting a classic label, and wanted me to be the first artist. So I signed, and am producing myself, and writing my own music, but I'm their first artist on their classic label. And I have creative control.

Berry Gordy turned his house into a studio and discovered over 30 acts in the city. And we're famous all over the world.

Following in the footsteps of Berry Gordy, I always admire what he did.

I realized there are so many steps from getting a deal to having a hit.

By the age of 17, for me, we had got an recording contract, and, boom, I was gone.

Being on the Hot 100 is absolutely amazing.

I've been able to experience so many things since I've had my record deal.

I got really noticed by record labels and that's how I got signed.

How were we to know 'Highway' would be such a success? It is one of my proudest achievements.

The end game is always a hit song.

When I was a little girl, my dream was just to hear my song on the radio. It was very fascinating to me, and I was like, 'How do I do that?' Now it's like, 'Oh my God, my song is on the radio!'

A record deal is my dream.

I've always been such an album-driven artist that I never really stopped to think about how cool it would be to just have one really big song.