I only did karaoke once in my life. It was with Courtney Love and it was a total disaster. She pulled me on stage in front of 500 people at a wedding. I'd never done karaoke before.

I come from a visual background, and I grew up around a lot of hippies and artists. My mom and my brother and I moved around a lot. We basically moved every couple of years, and I went to a lot of different schools. But creativity, for us, was always a way of life. It was never a job. Being an artist was a passion and a way of life.

In 1971, Bossier City, Louisiana, there was a teenage girl who was pregnant with her second child. She was a high school dropout and a single mom, but somehow she managed to make a better life for herself and her children. She encouraged her kids to be creative, to work hard and to do something special. That girl is my mother and she's here tonight. And I just want to say, I love you, Mom. Thank you for teaching me to dream.

I tried to be someone else, but nothing seemed to change. I know now, this is who I really am inside. I've finally found myself, fighting for a chance. I know now, this is who I really am.

I remember seeing this image of these women wearing these bright clothes and patterns, and it struck me. I remember taking note and going, like, "What is that? Who is that?" and finding out it was Gucci and being surprised.

I never look at myself as a closet actor wanting to make music or a closet musician wanting to act — I’m very proud to do both and I don’t put one above the other, I’m very grateful and excited by both opportunities — it’s really a unique opportunity to do both.

Follow your dreams, quit your job