After I made 'Oh Carolina' in the 1990s, the record company wanted me to copy that sound, and I refused.
Every time I start a film I feel like I'm starting the first time, ever.
When I was at Capitol - and this was not Capitol's fault - I was aiming, you know. I would listen to country radio and go, 'What version of me does radio want?'
Artists come and go, and that's my fear... that's what keeps me focused.
It was kind of easier for me to do records that didn't take a year or two years of my life to write and to make.
I needed a break, and going to culinary school turned a lightbulb on that I didn't have to make music. The people in the music business forget that not only is there an entire world of people out there who do not care what we do, we are not creating the wheel.
I've never been one for late nights, which is why I have always preferred making films to theatre. A play takes over your life: you start to feel sick at lunchtime, and by mid-afternoon, you're wishing for a bomb scare so the whole thing will be called off. Of course, if the evening goes well and you get the applause, then it's wonderful.
I don't watch my movies. I just get too critical of myself.
I don't relax. I can't take vacations. I'm obsessive-compulsive, and I worry with every project that I'm going to fail. When it starts to go well, and I sense that something beautiful and important and meaningful is being created, it's a fantastic feeling, and I find it very hard to stop.
I think, doing a first film, at some point you get halfway through, and you wonder, 'Is this is good enough to define who I am for the coming decade?'
Fortunately or not, expectations are always high for all my films.
We aren't made to be worshipped as humans. I think that is why we see so many great artists crumble, because as humans, we are made to serve each other.
I won't lie - when you're first bringing out music and you want people to notice, you probably overdo it, especially as a girl.
I know a lot of artists and chefs don't talk about this, but sometimes you just don't get to the finish line. That honesty and tenderness is something we're kind of not supposed to express.
You have to be a strong person to be in music, especially.
It's just that as a solo artist, I have more burden and responsibilities on my shoulders.
Obviously, I'm very happy when one of my films becomes a blockbuster. However, after a point, I want to switch off. I have learnt to just move on. Too much pressure can make you wrong.
Everybody's waiting on the downfall of artists.
But I think it's hard for me to only put out one record a year. Because I get too antsy. But it's good I'm learning to do that, because each record counts. And you should make it count.
I might have painted myself into a bit of a corner doing all these big, serious David Lean-esque movies.
The box office isn't something I consider. If I do, I can't really work.
Writers, at least writers of fiction, are always full of anxiety and worry.
It's hard to live up to The Beatles. When Wings toured, they got slated. Even Dad found it hard living up to The Beatles. I started out playing under an alias because I wanted to start quietly.
I've not thought about the Stone Roses since we quit. How many LPs do I have to make to stop people talking about it?
I start a book and I want to make it perfect, want it to turn every color, want it to be the world. Ten pages in, I've already blown it, limited it, made it less, marred it. That's very discouraging. I hate the book at that point.
