I've waited so long to get to this point, and I'm so happy to be making my first album. I want to be a performer and an entertainer.
Before, I was more concerned with getting on the radio, like many young artists.
All I ever wanted to do was write songs, and I just dreamed of putting out an album and having a single that maybe did alright.
Once I get to a certain level, I don't want to rap all my life.
I was always in bands before, but on 'American Idol,' it was about getting my voice out there. It was always my goal, though, to get a band together again.
My records have done very well in Europe and I want Americans to like my music too.
I would love to work with Leonard Cohen, Tom Waits, B.B. King. I'd love to do something with Arctic Monkeys, Miles Kane, and The Last Shadow Puppets. If I got a call from Juliette Lewis or PJ Harvey, or Chrissie Hynde, that'd be a thrill.
I've experienced everything any aspiring artist could ever want.
My fan base is really expanding into an inter-generational thing - it's what every artist probably hopes for.
I think that there will always be artists out there who think they need to sign a major label deal in order to be successful. And that machine is what is going to work for them - there's tons of examples of pop stars who need that machine.
I think, back in the day, when I was first starting to make music, all I wanted to do was to get a record deal.
I would love to sell millions of records, but that's never gonna be the case.
Producing albums is 100 per cent where I would love to be, later in my career.
I'd love to get played on the radio, but it just doesn't happen.
Marvin Gaye was a friend of mine, and he used to say, 'Man, I wish I could sing like you - if I could have that growl in my voice.' And I said, 'Man, are you kidding me? I want to sing like you. Everybody wants to sing like you.'
