Jillian Hervey

Half of my family is in Los Angeles, so my cousin was the first person to play me, like, Snoop Dogg, and I would always feel like, 'OMG, I shouldn't be listening to this,' and my other cousin was the first to introduce me to Aaliyah, so every time I'd go to the West Coast, I'd get those West Coast vibes.

It was always important to me to be confident and strong with myself. It didn't happen overnight, but I've learned that the only way you can start to control things is if you feel a certain way about yourself.

For me, it's about being comfortable... but I can feel comfortable in a thong leotard and on stage. Growing up as a dancer, that's how I'm comfortable in my body. It's about where you grew up and those things; it's a way of communicating your spirit to the world.

What I look for when I see a piece of art for the first time is some kind of emotional, intellectual experience, that's a combination of both of those things and is informed by my knowledge and something new that I see the artist doing.