I definitely see the voice as an instrument: It makes great drums, great synth pads, great everything.

Success, for me, is a song that can deliver shivers.

I have a lot of Japanese friends: I grew up in Vancouver, and there's this huge Japanese population over there.

I think a lot of music that's really innovative is not even considered because it was made by people who had a sexual image. And people assume that it's a commodified thing, so it can't be "indie."

Most of my music videos were made for under $200.

I feel like gender lines are changing. A couple of years ago, it wasn't nearly as OK for guys to like girly-sounding music. But all of a sudden a lot of my guys friends who would like have been really disdainful of female singers are way more accepting.

My manager lives on my block; four of the apartments in my apartment complex of seven are people I know. It's a really close-knit community, and almost everyone on these few blocks are artists or graphic designers, because we live right on the cusp of a warehouse district.