I started writing songs when I was 10. It was a natural way to express myself as a kid. It wasn't until I started listening to jazz, joined the choir and picked up a guitar that my little hobby became something far more serious.

The fun of being in the pop world is you can really play with people's perceptions of what the word pop means.

When you work on an album for three and a half years, you're kind of ready for it to get out there. To have your songs reach people.

I think the idea of being on stage and playing for people, and being able to inject a little bit of joy into their lives is a really exciting concept for me. That's definitely why I make music. It's never been for any kind of materialistic reasons, so that thought of being able to be up on stage, and being able to give something to someone in a moment of need for them - that gets me up in the morning; that really excites me.

It feels like it's just starting in America and the UK. It's great to have a loyal fanbase in Australia and New Zealand. People in America say how polished our band are, but that didn't happen overnight; that came from doing all this touring back home.

I feel far more connected to the whole band if I can somehow physically respond... with my body.

I want to be the kind of artist who keeps pushing on every album. I don't want to settle on a sound.