I think I've grown a lot in the last few years, and I needed to express myself as an artist on this. It wasn't necessarily about going in and making an album chocked full of hit singles... there were a lot of things I did out of the joy and the want to do it.

I'm not ready to retire, and I think I have some of the best music of my life coming up.

The best thing to do is stare it in the face and move on. We have to face our fears and plow through. I think taking chances takes a lot more courage than staying stagnant and doing what's safe and comfortable.

It's nice to be able to engage with this fan base that I've worked to build, brick by brick.

That's a song about reaching deep inside yourself where you can completely be who you are.

I think I've grown a lot in the last few years, and I needed to express myself as an artist on this. It wasn't necessarily about going in and making an album chocked full of hit singles... there were a lot of things I did out of the joy and the want to do it.

Artists who write songs... what they're going through usually comes through in their music.