Everything that an artist does is a risk. Some people want you to stay the same. If you want to evolve, they want to keep you in a certain place.

I've got nine dogs, eight birds, turtles, fish and I had wallabies at one point.

When I write a song it's always from the point of view: makes the song the best it can be.

My family was musical on both sides. My father’s family had a famous flautist and a classical pianist. My mother won a contest to be Shirley Temple’s double — she was the diva of the family. At 8, I learned how to play guitar. I used to play songs from the ‘20s, ‘30s and ‘40s in the kitchen for my grandmother.

You don't have to give up who you are to be successful just because you're different.

Wherever there's a human being there's going to be somebody that tries to hold you back.

There are so many difficult things we're living through in the world today, so many horrible events, but we cannot let them stop us. No matter what happens, I feel you must move forward with optimism and not get totally sideswiped.