I want to stay hopeful, even though I get scared about why we're even alive at all.

I found it hard to make friends in school, because I was a cerebral person.

I like to write about the way things used to be and paint pictures of my memories with beautiful words and melodies.

I lost my reputation, I forgot my truth. But I have my beauty and I have my youth.

I think the thing I really got from Ginsberg was that you can tell a story through kind of painting pictures with words. And when I found out that you could have a profession doing that, it was thrilling to me. It just became my passion immediately, playing with words and poetry.

I entered a songwriting competition, I didn't win, and one of the judges on the panel was an A&R man at a record label that had no other acts and I signed to them. We sent my demo out to five people and David Kahne got back to me that day, and said I think you're amazing I want to start with you tomorrow. He was like my Harvard reach school, I couldn't believe it. I was really excited. It was the first time anyone of any importance said I was good and I ran with that validation for a long time.

High heels off; I'm feeling alive.