It's good to have to put yourself in someone else's skin. It's all-consuming.

Happy songs are very difficult to write. How many truly great upbeat songs are there?

If I start feeling down I'll gorge myself on pasta. That usually does the trick. It's the Italian blood in me.

I wasn't born with a natural talent for songwriting.

I like singer-songwriters, and I find sad songs comforting rather than depressing. It makes you realise you're not alone in the world.

The success of Torn was a bit too much for me. I took a year off and was still scared to start the second album.

I started dancing when I was three, Scottish dancing.