A true artist is practically married to his or her art form so I just couldn't turn my back on it.

You may be surprised to know that growing up, I wanted to be a writer of children's books.

The racial conversation in the States is so multifaceted and multilayered. Obviously it's not always a positive conversation, but it's just so much more detailed than it was when I was growing up in South Africa.

A true artist is practically married to his or her art form so I just couldn't turn my back on it.

I've been making music for as long as I can remember. I would, as a kid, just sing little ideas or be making something.

When I'm writing, those ideas are seldom inspired by music itself. I won't often listen to an artist and come up with an idea.

I was very conceptual about what I was doing; I had the first five albums planned out, and all the songs on every album, and the artwork. I always had these ambitious musical projects in mind.