At sixteen I was like: "I need to get an album out now!" - even though I was only sixteen. I was always in a little bit of a rush to be an adult.

I have a particular style of writing and my voice sounds a particular way, which lends itself to a certain style.

Singing was always quite a private thing... I don't think my own mum even heard me sing until after I signed with Sony just out of high school!

I had a pretty regular childhood, with a rad mum who taught me to love reading and thinking and laughing, and (as far as I was concerned) a regular dad who drove trucks for a living and did radio interviews on weekends and got stopped in the street a lot when we went out.

I recognise my responsibility, and it's funny when I read people who say they never asked to be a role model, and I understand that, but as soon as you have influence over people, you have a responsibility with what you do with that influence.

I'm a bit of a book worm, so a lot of the songs I write are inspired by books.

In the end, no matter how my records are panned or praised, if there are kids and communities in developing nations that have improved living conditions and are finally getting access to things we all have a basic right to (clean water, education, healthcare) because I am able to advocate, raise awareness or funds in some small way, then my life has achieved something that in the end means far more than having the track or album of the moment.