I moved from New Zealand to Melbourne when I was 17. I'd planned to go to university to study French, but I was offered a contract to write and record an album that was too good to pass up. Looking back now I think that was pretty young but, at the time, I was ready to have an adventure.

My process is to be by myself when I record. It's quite an emotional performance to pull off when someone else is in the room. I prefer to go away and have my own time with it, bring it in later.

Music is my catharsis for that. It's an incredible blessing that I have this way of expressing myself through music and lyric, and I'm so grateful for that in moments of pain or of suffering - that I have this means of channeling it; it's really amazing. My band as well - having them around and being able to jump on stage and bond together and share that energy is really uplifting as well.

Obviously I don't really go to church any more - no time.

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.

I haven't stopped writing which is good. I'm scared to stop completely otherwise it might lead to stagnancy.