I started meeting the right people, like [producer] Dave [Okumu], who explained to me how songwriting is really simple - "just like shitting," he said. "You gotta let it all out." When he put it like that, however disgusting it is, it made a lot of sense to me.

If you're from South London you feel like you're always trying to win people over, so perhaps that underdog passion comes through.

I like how strong Sade is and how she doesn't give away too much.

Dance music has pushed its way into the mainstream. Which is good for me.

I can't eat before I go onstage because I've learnt that burping on stage isn't a good thing. It's all about acid reflux.

I tried a couple of pop writers - none of the big, big, big ones - but it didn't work for me. I do have a commercial voice; I'm not quirky. I'm very normal and that's probably why I like people like Barbra Streisand and Whitney Houston. It's no-nonsense. They sing well, and that's it.

I sung from an early age and I was always given nice parts in school musicals, but I definitely wasn't the golden girl. I didn't have the guts. You've got to have a real confidence in yourself to be like: "I'm gonna be a singer and write songs." I never thought it would go anywhere because it's so unattainable to be a singer.