Jessica Sanchez quotes:

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

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.

Music has always been a huge part of my life.

I was 16-years-old when I appeared on 'American Idol,' and the show was my boot camp. It was a crazy, stressful at times, experience.

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 always make a wish at 11:11, even if its something cheesy.

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.

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

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

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!'

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.

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

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

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

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.

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."

I want to release music that is true to myself.

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.

Have fun. Especially while you're still young, you gotta keep the spark up. Even when things get boring, just remember to have fun.

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.

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 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.

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.

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

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!

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.

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.

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 Don't Want to Miss A Thing" is a hard song to perform (Laughs), I was worried that I was not going to reach that significant note that is at the end of the song. Thank god, Steven [Tyler] really 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.

I think that I have grown a lot as an artist. I have been writing about my experiences of love and overcoming the struggles that I have faced in the music industry. I have so much more to tell my fans, and I know so much more about myself. It is crazy how much I have grown over these past years.

I always had an idea for what I wanted to do in the future and throughout my career. This wasn't, like, me figuring out what to do after Idol. I've always known the steps in what I had to do to get where I was.