Everybody, everybody wants to be loved

Some of the songs I wanted to be really full, [but] there's something to be said for just a voice and a guitar

Music to me is something that I didn't choose; it was a necessity. I grew up with music, my father is a musician. It makes me happy; it makes people happy.

There's something about having an artistic outlet that is so important to the human mind and development. It's as important as any other subject in school. I think it should be mandatory. It's part of our genetic makeup.

The older I get, the more I realize I'm becoming people's role models and that's freaky to me. That's not what you intend to do when you set out to be a musician, to be a little 14-year-old's role model.

Kids can be cruel enough as it is, but cyber bullying or you're on Instagram and see your friends are all somewhere and you're not there. Then it's like, "Why am I not there?" Girls are using apps to change the way their faces look so the look quote-unquote perfect and beautiful. I feel like kids these days, it's gotta be just a big ball of anxiety.

I think kids who have music in their lives are more focused. They have better attention spans. They excel more in their studies. They have a better sense of self-esteem and self-worth.