We had this budding baby band going and we hadn't reached that development we wanted to reach before we got signed to a major label.

I wanted to put out a solo record because I was stuck on a major label and sick of it.

I'm an independent. I've signed with no label.

I never solicited a major label and I certainly wouldn't now.

My style when I was 17 was very low-key with jeans, T-shirts, and Converse. I was signed to a major record label by then, so I had stylists helping me.

It's so amazing, standing on the corner -this happened in Washington, D.C. - and somebody comes by in a Cadillac and you hear 'Manic Monday' on the radio, and you don't even know this person, and they're listening to it and singing along with it. Wow! Blows your mind.