The main objective in any song, the songs that I write, has always been that it reflect the way I feel, that it touch me when I'm finished with it, that it moves me, that it can take me along with it and involve me in what its saying.

I came back to performing with a different attitude about performing and myself. I wasn't expecting perfection any more, just hoping for an occasional inspiration.

Songwriting is different from music, although I don't deny now that it would be nice to have a little more background in music theory.

Performing is the easiest part of what I do, and songwriting is the hardest.

It was through the private world of family that the public world of politics came alive for me: living in intimate proximity with people for whom larger questions of ideology and belief, as well as issues relating to politics and governance, were vivid daily realities.

I seem to have to make my characters family before I can access their hearts in any way that matters.

It's great to see that kind of support online. For people to be messaging myself, my nan and the rest of my family, all the support has been great.

As a child, I first wanted to be a cook because my mother was such a good cook.