“When you research prolific songwriters, it is usually later in their career they write songs that they distance themselves from, or it’s about other people.”

We all get old, but I always say the skinny, pretty girls will be screwed.

I think initially, the record industry struggled a lot with digital media because there are a lot of aspects to it that can potentially destroy our industry.

Whatever you are, you have the right to get married.

Some men think that if you’re empowered and sure of yourself then you’re a man-hater, but it’s like, ‘No, I’m just the same as you are, but maybe just a tiny bit more confident.’

All the things that I find beautiful have a darkness about them.

You feel a sense of elation seeing yourself on a billboard.

I’m not that materialistic. I like nice clothes and that, but I don’t spend lots of money on stuff. I’m not really into TV, I don’t have an iPod, I’ve got a gramophone.

I like someone with a really good and dark sense of humour.

I think everybody should focus on inner beauty.

I am inspired by show girls and Vegas. I was a cabaret performer, so that’s where all that influence comes from.

I wasn’t really comfortable reading until I was 12.

When I do my shows, it’s really cross-generational. Sometimes there’s three generations there.

I just really want to make albums – and however I can, I will.

I’d say that, first and foremost, I’m a performer; I started performing when I was four years old, and being on stage from a young age set me up.

Curvy is something to be proud of.

It’s tragic that you can define a whole movement in music by gender alone. People are like, ‘Oh, look, another quirky girl.’

If anyone can figure out how to balance my celebrity and my dual careers in music and film, it’s me. I don’t feel frightened; I feel challenged.

I was writing since I can remember – I just didn’t know it was poetry yet, or that writing could be a career.

First I wanted to be a veterinarian. And then I realized you had to give them shots to put them to sleep, so I decided I’d just buy a bunch of animals and have them in my house instead.

Lil Wayne would probably be a big musical inspiration for me, because growing up I was just the biggest Wayne fan and being able to be signed to him and watch his whole journey to the peak of his career is great.

It was lovely to receive the affection from some of the supporters of our biggest rival, It doesn’t happen to you very often in your career.

I come from a family of doctors and engineers, and everyone expected me to take up a similar career. That was the most natural thing to do!

I never look back and think too much about my films. I’ve done some work I’ve been proud of over the years but which of them is my favourite I really don’t know. I could say the last one. I’ve had little jumps in my career like Unforgiven possibly.

An actor has to remember the primary reason why he chose the profession that he did. If every role that I do doesn’t challenge me, then what is the point of being an actor?