My mixed-race background made me a broad person, able to relate to different cultures. But any woman of colour, even a mixed colour, is seen as black in America. So that's how I regard myself.

Some of the greatest artists did their best work when they got political.

I would hate to make music and people love me for something that isn't me.

I'm in constant pursuit of growing and evolving.

I'm a very positive person, but this whole concept of having to always be nice, always smiling, always happy, that's not real. It was like I was wearing a mask. I was becoming this perfectly chiselled sculpture, and that was bad. That took a long time to understand.

Why give up before we try?

I really like to live my life in a low-key fashion.