In retrospect, I'm really shocked at how far I put my heart out there on the line with 'Prima Donna'. I seem to have this knack for being able to accomplish that.

I'm hyper light-sensitive and must sleep in the equivalent of a sealed tomb.

The pop world is popular, and it's about what the people want and connecting to the masses, whereas opera, although it was once popular - and I still believe it can be - it has become very elitist and intellectual, but that certainly doesn't sell tickets. It's a struggle, but I've always embraced struggle and thrived off of it, so it's the way my life needs to go.

Yes, I'm a homosexual and I like to shock people with glamour.

When I was signed, at the age of 23...the fact that I presented myself as an out gay man was very, very unusual.

I find so many songwriters today are missing an element ... either the production is amazing but the songs aren't, or it's the other way around.

Writing an opera and premiering in England, you could say I was going right into the eye of the storm and I came out successfully. A little tattered and bruised, but so what, I made it.