I think I’m speaking for a bunch of girls when I say that the idea that feminism is completely natural and shouldn’t even be something that people find mildly surprising. It’s just a part of being a girl in 2013.

I know when I’m onstage, I don’t think about how it looks, I just concentrate on really feeling what I hear. But I totally know I look like Gollum when I perform, so it’s cool.

David Bowie told me my music sounds like tomorrow.

Don’t let some random comment that you wouldn’t have even thought about overshadow something important that you were actually trying to say.

What I do is so important to me. It’s like being a parent, in some ways, of a super-demanding, high-achieving child, with a cry that sounds really cool on the radio.

Taylor Swift is so flawless, and so unattainable, and I don’t think it’s breeding anything good in young girls.

The phrase ‘teen hottie’ literally makes me want to throw up. I’m a pop princess at heart. Pop is about distilling what you want to say and making it easy. And the way I write isn’t about making things easy. It’s a weird juxtaposition.

I’ll let you in on something big: I’m not a white-teeth teen.

With pop music and pop musicians, you know everything about everyone all the time, particularly their physical appearance. With female musicians, that’s made a big thing of, and I think people, certainly with me, have appreciated a bit of mystery.

I find this curious – two photos from today, one edited so my skin is perfect and one real. remember flaws are ok.