I think everybody identified at a pretty young age that I was fairly entranced with myself. And that I had to be tempered.

My cheeks explode when I smile. Thats why I have to look so nonplussed.

I personally don’t have the ability to lie about my life, for better or for worse.

The more hedonistic you were, the better...I very much subscribed to that as a young artist.

The Germany I was enthused with was more old fashioned and kind of romantic. I just got there, and the next thing you know, I had this huge gilded album. It was kind of an amazing experience because I didn't intend it to be that way.

Everything I do, I feel is genius. Whether it is or it isn't.

When I wrote the opera, I made a deal with myself that for at least an hour a day I would work on it, even if it meant just sitting on my piano bench, staring into space and thinking about it. It's about keeping it regular, like your bowel movements - let's get real: it's your bodily artistic movements! It comes from the same place.