I think Lady Gaga is great and is changing pop music and bringing back a certain rock 'n' roll spirit, swagger to the game.

I think the difficult thing is the transition between TV competition series and going into the actual music industry. There still seems to be a slight disconnect there.

After my tour I had time to stay at home, be with my boyfriend and hang out with friends and that brought me down to earth and helped me write music from a more relaxed place.

I feel like every project I've ever done has had music involved in it somehow.

I was a big fan of Middle Eastern elements of music and experimental electronic and tribal sounds.

I've loved Michael Jackson, his music, his music videos.

In middle school, I really didn't have music, but in high school, I remember taking a lot of choir and drama.

People often complain that music is too ambiguous, that what they should think when they hear it is so unclear, whereas everyone understands words. With me, it is exactly the opposite, and not only with regard to an entire speech but also with individual words.

I listen to crazy, robust rock music where they sing their faces off, and soul music, which can be similar.

Negro music and culture are intrinsically improvisational, existential. Nothing is sacred. After a decade, a musical idea, no matter how innovative, is threatened.