Musician

I got a job as soon as I could - 11 or 12. I started babysitting and then I got a part-time job at a pharmacy in England. I just remember loving the feeling of going out and buying my own clothes! I'd go bargain-hunting and get secondhand vintage stuff.

I love lamb shank. It's my favorite thing. You don't have it in America. It's a younger meat - it just falls off the bone - it's kind of like a roast. I really like blackened cod too.

I'm very honest in my music and I'm often asked to explain the lyrics; as an introvert, I find that quite hard. And I always wear high heels on stage, which can be painful.

My family comes from New Zealand, but I'm a London girl. I was born and raised in London, but I've got the blood of a New Zealander, so I always kind of felt like I didn't belong - in a good way.

I took temp jobs, recorded a demo in the evenings and eventually shopped a record deal. All I knew was that I wanted to write songs; thankfully, I also got to sing them.

People don't listen to one radio station. On iTunes you can mix different worlds and bring country and pop and folk and live music together with a mass audience. I could have sung 'Easy' in a country way but I just sang it how I sing. I think it's a really nice blend.

I get very deep into the writing and recording process.

I liked English and art and did a lot of painting. And for some reason I was good at math, but I wasn't an A student. I really had to work hard to get good grades.

I would love to do something with Coldplay.

As a teenager I had friends who had little music studios in their bedrooms and garages. I'd go and play around; very soon, my hobby became a passion.

I know I should keep this a secret, but Celine Dion is something of an icon to me.

Write your own songs. It helps you to mean what you're singing, which will then make it mean something to listeners.

I did actually like school. When I was 17, I was in college, but before that, I was home-schooled. I was very social. I liked to know everyone.

I'm the diva from the future. The next gig's on the moon. Catch me while you can.

I don't want to be the next anyone. I just want to be me, now. And that means all different things.

I wanted to write about relationships. But I didn't feel I had the experience to sing about them in a deep way. Studying psychology helped me out in terms of my understanding. I still look through my old textbooks when I'm in need of inspiration.

The common denominator is a love of music.

I love arranging my music, not in alphabetical order but by mood, creating playlists for when I have energy and want to work out or go-out party mixes and music to chill out to.

A lot of my songs are about taking whatever life throws at you and making the most of it.

The music technology scene is changing so fast it's hard to keep up.