Paulini Curuenavuli

Paulini: (asked who she thinks is the biggest talent Australian Idol has uncovered from any season) Guy Sebastian. He's taught me so much, and I think he has one of the most amazing voices in Australia.

Paulini: Mainly I love creating my own thing, so for me the most important thing is that I'm writing for myself. But I love everything that has to do with singing - whether it's for The Young Divas or for It Takes Two or for anyone else. I love it.

Paulini: (on Aretha Franklin and Beyoncé Knowles) I just love the way they're on the edge and they're not safe with the way they sing their songs. You know, whatever comes out, comes out. It doesn't necessarily make sense with the music, but it works. They nail everything with feel.

Paulini: (on her second album "Superwoman") I absolutely treasure this album. I've had more control, some of my own songs are on it, and I've sung it exactly the way I wanted to sing it. I hope that people will be happy with it. I've tried my best. But for me, the most important thing is that people know that I can sing and I'm not faking everything. It's real and it's genuine.

Paulini: (on Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston) When I was 12, 13, I absolutely loved them - and I still do... even if that duet was a bit over the top!

Paulini: (on body confidence) You've got to love yourself before you can love anyone else. It's all about being confident and showing people you don't have to be a size 8 to feel great about yourself. It's amazing when you see someone who's a little overweight walk into a room with confidence. Then everyone looks at them - not at their size.

Paulini: (on the pressure to be thin): Image is 50 per cent of what we do. It's about the whole package - looking and sounding great. When you get a lot of criticism, you think, 'How can I get myself looking better and feeling better about myself?'

Paulini: (answering the statement that The Young Divas are like the Spice Girls…) Yes, but we can all sing. Not like the Spice Girls, where Mel C was the only one who could sing.

Paulini: (on how she now feels about the criticism she received on Australian Idol) I'm bigger than other female artists, taller and bigger-boned. I'm over what 'Dicko' [former judge Ian 'Dicko' Dickson] said to me about my weight. I was embarrassed, but it provoked me to get into the gym and eat properly.