I think I'm making music that's pretty universal.

I started performing opera when I was 10 years old. I didn't perform as Zola Jesus until I was probably 18.

I don't know why people think I'm a Goth - that's a misconception.

You are born and then you die, but in between you can do anything you want. It's society that creates rules for us, but you can break out of that.

The most important thing for us to do as beings is to be aware of our position in the world on a micro and macro level.

I feel like humans are a disease. It's a hard thing to communicate in a pop song. I mean, who wants to hear that?

My music started as a way to break through weaknesses - like anxiety, which was completely taking over my whole life, where I could barely function.

No matter what you do, if there's something you're afraid of, you need to break through it.

I like to remind myself that everything is meaningless.

And my music is always such a release of what I feel inside, an impulse.

I know for sure that nothing matters.

In what life can I trust anything out of your mouth ever again?

Every blade has two edges

It is important to reclaim for humanity the ground that has been taken from it by various arbitrarily narrow formulations of the demands of rationality

It happens very rarely, but when it happens it's worth waiting for, that the instrument becomes part of your body.

Big boss man, can't you hear me when I call? You ain't so big, you're just tall.

We may avoid much disappointment and bitterness of soul by learning to understand how little necessary to our joy and peace are the things the multitude most desire and seek.

Allowing yourself to be vulnerable is also one of the most attractive things you can do.

I dare not ask a kiss; I dare not beg a smile; Lest having that or this, I might grow proud the while. No, no, the utmost share Of my desire shall be Only to kiss that air, That lately kissed thee.

I loved the Godfather. I thought that was the best interpretation of our life that Ive ever seen. Godfather I and Godfather II - the other one stunk.

Now we have food networks and everything. CNN was the beginning of all of that.