patti labelle, chaka kahn, everyone, they've reached back and said we have to lift this girl up. >> how does that feel, people like patti labelle? she didn't just lift you up. she said you are her successor. for her to say that. >> i have these aha moments. you know, you have celebrity friends and they forget that i'm still, like -- i'm, like, a groupie. so they're talking to me about things and i go, oh, my god in my brain, i'm talking to patti labelle! so it's always mind blowing to know that i can have friends like that and ask for advice and help me out in my journey. and patti always says, always be ready. you'll never have to get ready. you know? so everything is always together. so she taught me a lot about that. >> so if you had to give any advice to the next generation of artists or the next generation of young girls who are trying to do something big, what would you tell them? >> i would tell them to really understand who they are. know yourself, be yourself in every, you know, situation. just, god, don't give up on your dreams, you know? write it down, envision it, see it eve