Listen to the Bee Gees and you can learn to be a great writer.

I can sing in front of people. I can go on a TV show, live, and not feel like I'm going to throw up.

I'm a native New Yorker, so I'm edgier; I kind of tell it like it is.

I think Bruno Mars is a great example of a great voice and classic songwriting with a twist that makes it contemporary. I think he's done a great job of it. I think Katy Perry has undeniable songs for what she does, for that pop market. And, if we're talking in the truly pop market, I would say those two.

I don't go to record stores to look at my albums, but it's always a thrill to see them.

I have breakups that I can credit to every song. In my twenties, I picked people who would create that dysfunction and drama, so I could draw upon it.

Some of the best songs that artists perform year after year are ones they hated.