I try when I'm writing to fill my head and my ears with all sorts of stuff and then let it settle and filter through. At a certain point it seems like fruitless activity because you're taking a lot of time and not seeming to get anything. And then, slowly, you realize you've actually digested elements and that your thinking is being freed up and the way you build up compositions is changed as a result of what you've been listening to.

I like the touch and the smell of all the pretty dresses you wear.

Concerning iTunes, the deals have mainly been done with the record companies. But the artists, with some exceptions, haven't been very well-represented. This is partly because the record companies have largely been copyright owners.

I'm a bit cynical that it ever will be addressed properly. I think it is healthy to get some sort of copyright protection. But some of it has gone on forever.

I come to you defenses down with the trust of a child.

Those of us who have the eyes and ears of the media have a responsibility to amplify the voices of the voiceless.

At the heart, it is world music that I do. It's all connections. Ultimately, we're all connected.