Anytime I write something that's trying to be too smart, it doesn't work.

I was inspired by people like Joni Mitchell and Carole King and Stevie and "Storytellers." People that could really change the world with their lyric, no matter who sung the song, they had still been the source of that message. So that's what I really aim for.

I tried to bang down a lot of doors but Virgin were the only label who believed in what I was doing. I ended up with the label that understood what I was trying to do.

I was so shy and so quiet, and the only time I had my own voice and I could really connect with people was when I was singing or on stage.

I think on the first album, my aim was to write a good song and have a good melody, and I wanted lyrics that would connect with as many people as possible. On the second album, I took a lot more of a personal approach. I wasn't trying to make conventional, structured songs; I was really trying to get a lot of emotion and my own personal journey throughout it. I just focused more on being honest than getting the normal song structure down.

I think people don't realize how many hours of practice goes into becoming a musician and getting better.

Songwriting is my main thing. I know that I'll do that for the rest of my life.