Madonna is the speedboat, and the rest of us are just the Go-Gos on water skis.

I grew up with a lot of brothers and male cousins, so I had to worm my way in to get heard. But that's sort of what excites me.

I love scoring. Putting music to picture is a rewarding challenge and one that relies on interpretation of emotion - as in, what is the pivotal feeling in a scene and which character's point of view is driving it at any given moment?

I am a feminist, and I define myself: Be yourself, because if you can get away with it, that is the ultimate feminist act.

The big news already broke. The file-sharing and all that stuff, it's a done deal. And I think figuring out how to make that a fair exchange for the people that make music is still an issue

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.

I have my head screwed on right. I haven't been this way in a long time.