A musician is a professional, whether he or she is successful or not. The profession itself must be regarded as a stable job.

I think music, in my opinion, is not about motivation in the way it's - it's not a running base. It's art. And my whole philosophy of music is different. It's almost like cooking and serving to people, seeing them smile and enjoying the food, really.

I divide criticism into two categories - one coming from those who understand music, who are worthy of being critical because they are knowledgeable about what they are saying; and then there is another category of people who would criticise you anyway, whether your work is good or bad.

While my mother wanted me to be a musician, I wanted to become an electronic engineer.

There's a lot of paranormal activity in my family. Whether it is more than most other families is hard to say, but we seem to have more than most.

Police in China can do whatever they want; after 81 days in arbitrary detention you clearly realise that they don't have to obey their own laws. In a society like this there is no negotiation, no discussion, except to tell you that power can crush you any time they want - not only you, your whole family and all people like you.

I feel like having a son made me go harder and work harder. And now that I got a daughter, it's the same grind, staying focused on what I have to do for them.

I wasn't that over-the-top, but I got sent to the principal in first grade for talking. And my father was for a long time the president of the Board of Education. That was always a hard note to bring home.