Katy Perry Shares How Hillary Clinton Helped Her Find Her Voice

Two days after the woman Katy Perry calls “my hero” and her favored presidential candidate Hillary Clinton presented her with UNICEF’s Audrey Hepburn Humanitarian Award, the pop star was finally able to sum it up into words.

Perry reflected on the night in a lengthy Instagram post Thursday, noting how honored she was to receive the award from Clinton and remembering how emotional she became when seeing the former secretary of state make her surprise entrance. The 32-year-old also noted the last time she was in New York City was for election night, when Clinton lost to Republican nominee Donald Trump. That didn’t leave her any less inspired, though.

“I have never had [a voice] like I have found in the past year. I have a found a new voice, a more determined voice,” she wrote, echoing sentiments she said Tuesday night at UNICEF’s Snowflake Gala. “I grew up sheltered, suppressed and kept silent for fear of giving the wrong answer. I would reveal my poor education. Or I was just scared.

“Hillary helped me see that we’re all in this together, no matter where we come from, what color we are, or what status and education we have or don’t have,” Perry continued. “Hillary lit a fire inside of me that burns brighter and brighter every day, and that fire will NEVER be put out.”

When presenting the award to Perry, Clinton was effusive in her praise of the singer’s work and character. “I have seen Katy’s commitment to the causes she believes in firsthand,” she said, according to The Hollywood Reporter. “I’ve gotten to spend time with her, and I know how deeply she cares about making our world a better place. … We need champions like Katy now more than ever: her passion, her energy and, yes, her voice, louder than a lion.”

Perry wrapped up her note by insisting her new confidence in her platform will be hard to quell — and that it’ll bleed into her music: “It’s funny, sometimes people who disagree with me just say, ‘Shut up and sing.’ Boy, will I do so in a whole new way… next year. Hell hath no fury like a woman REBORN.”

See Perry’s full post below.

This article originally appeared on EW.com