It's great to have other people's help. Then the music gets heard. There's a lot more commercial support for that now.

I had my guitar and some talent so that I could make friends with intelligent people and could talk my way out of difficult situations.

I listened to Billie Holiday a lot in order to learn to sing. She remains one of the extraordinary jazz singers. But my intent is to become my own voice, to be able to interpret these songs in my own way.

My father had a varied ear, from Hank Williams to Ravel.

Once I was in the city, I really enjoyed it. Just to experience things. There was so much new stuff.

My father's record collection was full of New Orleans music of all kinds. I used to listen to the radio in New York, and all there was on it at the time was Madonna and Michael Jackson, so it sort of passed me by.

Seeing how those companies operate, it didn't amount to a massive vote of confidence in their artists. There was talk of me going to Columbia after that, but nothing happened. I got disillusioned, and I pulled back.