When I moved to New York in my 20s, I didn't have an obnoxious ego, but it was huge! I'll thought, "I'll never die and I can do anything."

The hard part was when I went into the studio with co-producer Eric Broucek, and he started slashing my demos. I always sweat that.

I love the feeling of nostalgia vying with the present. That can be from song to song, or within the same song.

Most of the time, the creative part is like playing in a sandbox. I can sit here and work for 12 hours and not get tired of it.

The way I work is mostly unconscious and instinctive.

Negative feelings can either lead to sinking into oneself and disappearing, or they can make you angry and want to prove that you're worthy to be in the conversation.

I was pretty tough and serious in my 20s.