For each album, I let the music that I love at that point in my life be my guide.

My mom was never afraid to say, 'I'm sorry. I screwed up.' I feel like that's an important lesson.

I was always suspicious and looking over my shoulder because that's how I was raised.

You have a career, and you start as a business person. And you work your way, you reach this peak, and you know the time's going to come when you go back down.

Falling in love is awesome, but I'm never drawn to happy songs per se, so whenever you sit down to write a heartbreak song and you're happily in love, it's like, 'OK, now I have to go back to a sad place to get something good.'

I'm really fortunate because, in my career, I haven't had to deal with anybody trying to make me something I'm not.

Don't get me wrong, I love my first two albums a lot.