When did you discover your talent and love for singing?

I remember knowing I could sing by age 3 or 4. I didn’t discover it; I just knew, the same way I knew I could run and jump. I would watch singers like Fred Astaire and Judy Garland in old musicals and think, “I’m just like them.”

 What inspired your first song?

I suspect that my memory of my first song isn’t the first time I wrote a song, because my first recollection is of a country song with proper verses and a chorus I wrote on a school bus trip; I didn’t yet understand the use of a bridge. I wrote it so quickly and seamlessly that it now occurs to me I must have been doing it for some time. Songwriting is still a miraculous thing. I write something and wonder, “Where did that come from?” “How did I do that?”

 How would you describe your style?

Vintage pop. I grew up listening to hits ranging from the 1920s to the ‘80s. I’ve spent my whole life listening to music. Gene Kelly, Danny Kaye, Frank Sinatra and Nat Cole influenced the way I relay the sentiment of a song. What I took from them was that telling the story is the most important thing.

 What music is on your iPod?

My taste is eclectic: classical, movie scores, jazz, “world music,” folk, old country, rock’n’roll, r&b, pop, disco, funk, blues. Not much rap, hard rock or heavy metal.

 You initially struggled with funding and were turned down by American Idol but never gave up. What accounts for your unstoppable drive?

A “knowing.” I’ve always been blessed with that. I just knew. I never consulted anyone about whether this was true. I didn’t need anyone’s opinion. At a young age I was told by my mother that I could be anything I wanted to be; fantasizing about the future was encouraged.

 Why did you raise the recording budget for your album Way Down Low through Kickstarter?

I always want creative control. I love collaborating but need to have the final say because I usually have a good idea of what I’m looking for—or, at least, what I’m not looking for. I made $50,000 and was able to pay for more than half of the record and CD manufacture. I also think I accumulated a lot of new fans through the fundraising because people told their friends. Had I gotten investors, I would have had to share the creative decisions. It’s rare that investors don’t want to get involved; people can’t help inserting themselves in creative work they are contributing to financially. One day, I’d love to find a patron, who agrees to pay me every year and not be involved as long as I keep making records. That’s pretty cool.

The characters in your videos for “I Don’t Know” are shockingly multi-dimensional. Were you making a comment about yourself?

I always feel that whatever sentiment I express represents me and all people at some point in their lives. Those two videos are dichotomous; they only [depict] portions of my personality.

How did you react when presented with opportunities to perform with Willie Nelson and Lyle Lovett?

I was so nervous and excited. I always imagined meeting heroes like Lyle and Willie but I didn’t expect to meet them so soon. They are incredibly generous and awe-inspiring men.

How do you like your recent move from Texas to New York?

I dreamed about living in New York my whole life. There is much more infrastructure here for musicians to do business, so it’s no coincidence that I acquired a great team of managers, booking agents, publicists and a record label. The greatest influence is the energy I get from this city. It is so full of life.

 What are you working on?

I am currently recording with a great producer, Mitchell Froom; he and I are making my third album, which will be out via Sony Masterworks in 2014. I’m totally thrilled about it. It’s more energetic than my previous recordings. I brought Mitchell about thirty songs that we narrowed down to twelve, and all but one are mine.

 What comes first, music or lyrics?

Often, a lyric and some music come at the same time. I’ll get the music and a chorus, or some words to the chorus. From there, I fill in the rest like a crossword puzzle. I usually don’t understand what the song is about till I fill in the final word.

What are you hungry for?

My truth. I like to get to the heart of it—whatever “it” is. I’m learning to love my decisions more and more. Life is short and I don’t know what it’s all about. It’s baffling but it’s spectacular, and I like to be amazed.

 What do you crave?

I just love food. I love reading about it, cooking it, looking at it! I’ve been on a pasta kick for about two years. I also crave greens all the time.

 What role do clothes play in your work?

Curating my outfits for the stage or for my day off is part of a creative process. I feel better when I’m well-put-together and am very deliberate about paying attention to what is flattering on me. I adore getting into costumes for photo shoots and exploring new sides of myself. It’s quite liberating.

fashion credits:

dress MISSGUIDED
dress RUE 107
jumpsuit MISSGUIDED
bracelet SUGAR SCOUT
trench coat DEIVIE
bodysuit JENNA LEIGH
earrings IOSSELLIANI
jumpsuit RUBIN & CHAPELLE
trench coat STYLIST OWN
ring LARUICCI