You can't possibly prepare for what happens to you the day you hit No. 1 and people treat you differently.

There's just no quiet in Vegas.

The melody seems to have gone to the country. The country music seems to still have melody and interesting lyrics. But pop music, you've got to really listen hard to somebody who's doing a good melody and a good lyric.

I stay glued to my piano and my work. I don't look up. I write, I produce, I do the next project, I do my job. I don't look up, and I try to be kind. I try to be kind to people. That's what I do.

You know, when I did 'American Idol' the three times, I tried to tell these kids you have to tell the story of the lyric.

Whenever there was a choice between music and anything else, music won hands down every time.

I didn't want to be treated like a 'star.' I fought it constantly, and I think I was rude.