When I started to take literature and poetry classes, I just started to get inspired by these new incredible works of art that I had never seen or heard of before. I wrote a lot of bad high-school poetry, just like pretty much everyone did, I think, at some point. For me, the inspiration never really stopped.

My grandparents are from Mexico, so I grew up with great Mexican food.

It was endlessly amusing to me to try to imitate John Lennon and Paul McCartney's harmonies using the guitar.

The production process has a great way of bringing songs to light and that's a big part of it.

I get annoyed with movies or books, songs or records that deliberately try to make you feel a certain way.

The way that I'm working now is basically the way I've been working since I was a kid: Find the greatest artist in whatever you do, and rip them off with respect. I think there's a big difference between ripping off with respect and ripping off in disrespect.

When I was about 15, I picked up the guitar and learned how to play by going through Beatles chords books. I got this Christmas gift with the entire Beatles catalog.