Musician

I don't take myself as seriously as some people think, and I'd hate anyone to think I was preaching. That's the last thing I want.

The word feminism needs to be taken back. It needs to be reclaimed in a way that is inclusive of men.

I love to make music and stay grounded.

I haven't lived my life through my daughters. Some parents devote everything to their children, which must be so hard, and it's very beautiful. But I'm a working parent, so I've always kept my own life.

Fear paralyses you - fear of flying, fear of the future, fear of leaving a rubbish marriage, fear of public speaking, or whatever it is.

When you get to be nearly 60, you do take stock. You don't know what's around the corner.

Over the years, I was never really driven to become a solo artist, but I was curious to find out who I was as an individual creative person. It's taken some time, but now I feel I've truly paid my dues. I guess I'm at a point now where I'm more comfortable in my own skin.

You have to face things, have faith in what you do and go for it. Think, 'What's the worst that could happen?'

It's hard to tell how far women's individuality has come in the past twenty years.

I have always felt a little homeless. It's a strange thing.

The person who inspired me the most was a friend of mine, Anita Roddick. I know that Anita wasn't known to be an ardent feminist, but she truly was.

Music is an extraordinary vehicle for expressing emotion - very powerful emotions. That's what draws millions of people towards it. And, um, I found myself always going for these darker places and - people identify with that.

I don't feel there are enough women artists out there who are saying anything of tremendous relevance.

As a mother, you have that impulse to wish that no child should ever be hurt, or abused, or go hungry, or not have opportunities in life.

Having children, they're not your property. They need to figure out their own views. I think my daughters have a pretty healthy self-awareness, but I can't speak on their behalf.

Men need to understand, and women too, what feminism is really about.

We all fight over what the label 'feminism' means but for me it's about empowerment. It's not about being more powerful than men - it's about having equal rights with protection, support, justice. It's about very basic things. It's not a badge like a fashion item.

One wouldn't want to have the same dilemmas at 50 as one had at 15. And indeed I don't. I have a very different take on life.

Dying is easy, it's living that scares me to death.

Fame for fame's sake is toxic - some people want that, with no boundaries. It's unhealthy.