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I've realized that I love all forms of music and get excited when any artist goes crazy and creates something that is an experience.

It's always nice to be able to capture your life's experiences in a song and hold the emotion in that way.

The thing I love about music is that you can take things that are painful, deep things that hurt you, and you can turn them into something beautiful.

I operate with an emotional fearlessness, and I really feel music; I really feel songs.

The creative part for me is making songs, and that's what I really love the most, and that's what I've always done for every band I've ever had.

I try to make music with emotion and integrity. And authenticity. You can feel when something's authentic, and you can feel when it's not: you know when someone's trying to make the club record, or trying to make the girl record, or trying to make the thug record. It's none of that. It's just my emotions.

Sometimes, I don't like making emotions your career; something about it is kind of gross. But, at the same time, I want to move people the same way the songs make me feel.

I really just tried to make a record full of great songs, which is the goal I always have.

I can sit in my room and write a song that I think might be a hit. I can sort of make myself do that, and then I'll play it to a friend, and they'll say, 'Oh, that's nice.' But when something happens to me, and I sit down and write a song to get rid of my emotions, they'll turn around and say, 'Wow, that's great.'

The best thing is when you hear somebody take your song and make something great of it.