“If you are born an artist, you have no choice but to fight to stay an artist.”

Who belonged to no one, who belonged to everyone. Who had nothing, who wanted everything.

Nobody gets to tell your story.

I’ve been really blessed to have a lot of romance in my life. It’s like my last luxury.

Einstein said ‘your imagination is more important than intelligence,’ and I have a very, very big imagination.

I was a mess. I totally wanted to kill myself every day.

God has saved me a million times, so I think He must’ve enjoyed my song.

Fashion is inspired by youth and nostalgia and draws inspiration from the best of the past.

I feel free when I see no one and nobody knows my name.

When your happiness is someone else’s happiness, that is love.

The world needs poetry now more than ever. It’s the only thing that can keep music from copying itself and sounding the same.

Distance sometimes lets you know who is worth keeping, and who is worth letting go.

Being brave means that knowing when you fail, you won’t fail forever.

That love doesn’t come easily and that relationships are supposed to be a struggle.

I want to stay hopeful, even though I get scared about why we’re even alive at all.

I’ve clearer idea of how I don’t want to be seen – as someone who does what everyone wants them to.

I just look for someone who makes me feel like life is an exciting opportunity and, you know, just like to be alive.

I am an artist. I am here to live out loud.

I grew up in an artists community in New York, in a building that was government-subsidised for artists. No one made any money, but they made art for the sake of art.

The artist is nothing without the gift, but the gift is nothing without work.

Love is not only a feeling, it is also an art. A simple word, a sensitive precaution, a mere nothing reveal to a woman the sublime artist who can touch her heart without withering it.

All of the artists did such a beautiful job I can’t thank them enough. I’m just honored that ‘God Only Knows’ was chosen. ‘God Only Knows’ is a very special song. An extremely spiritual song and one of the best I’ve ever written.

A nation devoid of art and artists cannot have a full existence.

I love doing logos. I’ve been a graphic artist all my life.

I got a lot of experience for my age. Some artists might take a line or two from a bunch of songs and snip it together and make something, but everything I say I do.