I consider myself a songwriter before anything else. The fact that I have been able to write both of my records and establishing myself as a songwriter is super-important to me. Some people have that gift, where they can take on anything and make people believe it. I like to do a song from personal experience.

I know who I am as an artist and I know what my sound is, but I wanted to know what I could do in order to take it to that next level. So the experiences I had last year of moving to California and traveling to places like Rome and Nicaragua where I met a lot of people just had a really big impact in my life.

As you get older, challenges arise that you aren't prepared for, but what got me through it was music.

Music is such a healing thing, no matter who you are.

I think the most challenging part of being a performer is just making sure that people know that when you get up there every night, it's unique and that you care.

I like to perform live like we're all just hanging out in my living room. I'm totally casual and informal on stage.

I knew that going on 'One Tree Hill' was going to be an incredible vehicle for the record. What is amazing about it is that my role on the show is, you know, basically playing a musician, and all the songs she plays are off my record.