My intentions with any of my music is to keep it futuristic and updated and be experimental and try new things.

I was really fortunate growing up to have a broad musical education. My parents listened to all kinds of music, rock, soul, Motown, jazz, Frank Sinatra, everything.

I've always made sure that I tour with bands that people aren't expecting me to tour with.

My grandma Ricky - that's where I got classic look from. She was the most stylish person ever. She had her own clothing store and even her furniture was stylish. I got my "Flashy, but classy" motto from her, too. Whenever she walked in the room, she was always the most stylish person in the room.

Hip-hop was my first real love, one that was my own and wasn't my parents' music. Initially, I was inspired by hip-hop fashion. Over the years, I kept the hip-hop sensibility, but make it my own.

I just want to make music as long as I can and reach as many people as I can.

I think that what happens is that all of my modern influences blend together with the older soul influences and you get Mayer Hawthorne.