I usually have an idea of how I want a song to sound, but I don't always know how to get there

Any time there's a major change, whether it's going into a relationship, getting out of a relationship, moving to a new city, a death - that usually provides a catalyst for an explosion of creativity.

I grew up in a very literate, very independent household where people spoke their ideas and were very supportive of helping each other find their own way

Sade's stuff is real deceptive. She's got stuff about prostitutes, poverty and people on the streets.

As it turns out, now is the moment you've been waiting for

The old jazz singers or old blues singers, you always just saw them kind of sitting down and singing. They weren't worried as much about their voice sounding perfect. They would make the song kind of fit their voice.

Sometimes I dream song ideas. I write a song in my dream, the melody and everything. But then sometimes I can't remember them. I think later on, I probably do.