Animals were my pets, and the thought of eating my pets freaked me out.

I thought about deviating from that and singing other things, but then I thought, 'Well, if I don't win ... this is what I want to do after the show, so it doesn't really make sense for me to try to be something that I'm not.'

Nobody's going to tell me that my dog doesn't love me. That's crazy talk.

Technically I have siblings, but they are quite a bit older than me - I was the accident - so I have the only-child syndrome going on. I'm a little more selfish, a little more independent, a little closed. I do wish I were softer. I wish I were able to form relationships better.

At first, it was hard to sit down and read the things that people were saying. A lot of people would've worked their way up to this position and would've gotten a thick skin over a few years' time. For me, though, all this happened in a few months.

Pets bring vital energy to our homes and lives. Pets communicate many messages about love and connection. Care tenderly for all pets throughout their precious lives. The interspecies dance of love softens and expands the heart.