I started rejecting the proper way to sing and I started singing.

There’s a certain level of pageantry with ‘Idol,’ and in order to work the show, you kind of have to feed into it.

I never wore full-on eyeliner in high school, but I wanted to.

I don’t think it should be a surprise for anyone to hear I’m gay.

I have nothing to hide.

I’ve been known to make out with girls from time to time. Couple drinks involved, you know. It’s fun. And who knows? Maybe it’ll go further someday. I don’t know.

I am gay, and I’m very comfortable with it.

I try to go throughout my daily life just as if nothing has changed, but you don’t have much anonymity anymore, which feels really good. People come up, and say hi and they enjoy your...

I was really beating myself up about performances and how I looked and this and that.

When you dance and move around it creates a different reaction from the audience – they love it.

You can’t plan everything – if I did a performance exactly how I rehearsed it, it would be so boring.

I started to realize I wasn’t like every other boy.

I wanted the focus to be on my ability as a singer and as an entertainer – not on my private life.

I think the difficult thing is the transition between TV competition series and going into the actual music industry. There still seems to be a slight disconnect there.

For me, one of the important things about keeping vocally healthy is warming up and making sure I’m aware where my voice is at, drinking lots of water and getting plenty of sleep, and just...

I want to upset people, I want to make people think, I want to keep people interested.

I had self-esteem issues into my early 20s.

I worked at Starbucks when I was 16… It was all right.

The biggest risk I’ve ever taken is going on American Idol and trying to be myself. I wasn’t going to try too hard to conform, and I knew that it could possibly not work out.

I love myself and I am a good person.

I think it’s up to the parents to discern what their child is watching on television.

I would love to do a live show with dancers and fashion and scenic elements – definitely bring my love of the theater to a concert-style performance.

I am who I am.

I’m trying to convey to my audience that you really can’t judge a book by its cover, and there’s more to the universe than you can see with your eyes.

I’ve been kind of toying around with the bi thing in my head. I wouldn’t ever give myself the label ‘bisexual’, but bi-curious? Yea.

I have crushes on women all the time.

I’m inspired by history, different periods.

At least I can say that I’m honest.

I try not to get trapped in any one musical or visual style at all.

I’m trying to be a singer, not a civil rights leader.

I’m not a babysitter.

I just talk a lot, that’s the problem.

I get why certain actors want to stay in the closet.

I have crushes on women all the time. I don’t have intimate relationships with them, but I find women beautiful.

I nitpick details.

It’s been a transformative period and I really wanted to make music from what I’ve experienced.

‘Come out’ is so funny to me because I’ve never been in.

I’m proud of my sexuality.

My first album was completed in three months.

I’ve sung other people’s music all my life.

I was a big fan of Middle Eastern elements of music and experimental electronic and tribal sounds.

I need to be able to explain myself in context.

Right now, I’m not really thinking about marriage.

I think Lady Gaga is great and is changing pop music and bringing back a certain rock ‘n’ roll spirit, swagger to the game.

Los Angeles can be a really sad city.

I breeze through Twitter – I look at the mentions, the pictures, the videos.

In middle school, I really didn’t have music, but in high school, I remember taking a lot of choir and drama.

My wish is for gay to become less of a label, and more of just one of many great colors in the collective box of humanity.

There’s no regrets for me.