The whole business is built on ego, vanity, self-satisfaction, and it's total crap to pretend it's not.

I realised those things my ego needed - fame and success - were going to make me terribly unhappy. So I wrenched myself away from that. I had to. I had to walk away from America and say goodbye to the biggest part of my career because I knew, otherwise, my demons would get the better of me.

I knew, regardless of anything else, singing in front of an orchestra was going to be inspirational. It would feed me.

Not many people are really that meticulous with what they do, I suppose, but I'm just a control freak and terribly afraid of failure or regret. I work very hard on these things.

I had very little fear about it, but basically, my straight friends talked me out of it. I think they thought as I was bisexual, there was no need to. But it's amazing how much more complicated it became because I didn't come out in the early days. I often wonder if my career would have taken a different path if I had.

It takes so much strength to say to your ego, 'You know what? You're going to keep me lonely, so I have to ignore you.'

I still believe that music is one of the greatest gifts that God gave to man.

You'll never find peace of mind until you listen to your heart.

It's strange. At some point in your career, the situation between yourself and the camera reverses. For a certain number of years, you court it and you need it, but ultimately, it needs you more, and it's a bit like a relationship. The minute that happens, it turns you off... and it does feel like it is taking something from you.

You can't have a child just to keep a relationship together, can you?

I spent the first half of my career being accused of being gay when I hadn't had anything like a gay relationship.

The truth is my love life has been a lot more turbulent than I have let on.

I went through a long period where I was afraid of doing things I wanted to do, and you get your courage back, which is what's important.