Music is made by individuals. Some artists will be very politically overt in their songs, some will be more subtle. You have to be true to yourself, true to your nature.

Whenever you do anything or say anything, you're opening yourself up to criticism. But that's okay.

Actual patriotism has to do with loving a place enough to try and improve it.

What I miss [about church] is being forced to be in community with people that aren't the same as me.

The film Black Orpheus is one of my favorite films of all time, which is set in Carnival in Brazil.

Major labels just lost their way. It's like the housing bubble. They lost a sense of the fundamentals.

My favorite English teacher in high school showed me 'Brazil' when I was 15 and it blew my mind. It's one of those movies that's revealed itself in different ways as I've gone back to it over the years.