Composing gives me a chance to work in multiple dimensions and helps me pare down my melodies into what is essential. Learning new skills has always energized me and scoring has opened up a world of sonic possibilities.

That's exactly what's exciting for me - the idea of infiltrating the male structure and affecting change from within.

After my first record came out, I read everything. I was so amazed that I was in the press.

Just to prove i was right that it's harder to be friends than lovers and you shouldn't try and mix the two, cause if you do and then you're still unhappy, then you know that the problem is you.

It was a source of shame for my family that I was in rock and roll, which is so blue-collar. It just isn't done. And I felt it, too.

I'm competitive, so I don't like to feel marginalized by the people who sell a lot of records.

Wearing a veneer of perfection never did me any good.