What I was going for in the first two albums I didn't necessarily achieve. Because I was young and because it was my first time out. And the second album was such a 'quickie' sort of 'Let's just get it over with!' But the kind of music I make, there's a lot of subtlety in it. And I think it takes a couple of listens to actually really get it.

I don't go about playing music differently. It changes my sleeping schedule and my drinking habits, that's what I like to say.

I'd done recordings, little demos, since I was in college, which I used to get gigs. But I never thought I'd have a record label.

God bless Ray Charles. It was such an honor to meet him and sing with him and actually just to watch him sing from just two feet away.

The coolest thing I've gotten to do in the past few years is guest star on Sesame Street.

It's not like once you achieve success, you're done, you know. It's like, still enjoy doing what you're doing, that's the key for me.

The pop world is cool, but I never really thought of myself as part of it or wanting to be a part of it because I'm on a label that's not really like that. They're not trying to dress me up, they're not trying to do things like that. I feel like I'm sort of separate from that, actually.