Interview Qa Format

Q: How did you feel about starting 2020 by releasing your new album, Rare, so quickly into the year? [00:03:00]

Interviewer: We're in a nondescript coffee shop in Santa Monica to discuss your new album. Knowing you were hitting the ground running for 2020, did you feel a mix of emotions, or were you able to relax knowing it was coming?

Interviewee: I can relax. This album is four years of my life, and I’m completely okay with releasing it. There was always something scaring me or preventing me from doing it, but I’m glad I followed my gut. Every moment counts, and we were writing songs even until the last day that I think are going to be some of our biggest. I’m surrounded by people who create magic, and I’m very proud.

Q: It seems like you were very deliberate in choosing your collaborators this time. Did that make a difference? [00:05:25]

Interviewer: No disrespect to your past work, but it feels like you chose your collaborators differently on this album.

Interviewee: My role has changed—I don’t want to work with anyone who doesn’t want to work with me. I found my group, and they challenge and inspire me. In the past decade, I think I was hurting, which prevented me from being as creative as I wanted to be. Now, I have more say. I used to be scared to speak up with producers, but now I know them so well that I feel comfortable being vocal.

Q: Were there moments during the past four years where you wanted to walk away from the process? [00:08:44]

Interviewer: During those four years of pain, did you ever wonder if you’d get another body of work out, or did you ever want to just throw in the towel?

Interviewee: Maybe, but I was under a contract, so I had to keep going. When I had low moments, they never lasted. It was almost like I’d have a low point and then think, "No, fuck it, I have to keep going." I felt like I had to say something.

Q: Did you go to anyone to ask if your music was "good enough" or if you were on the right path? [00:10:45]

Interviewer: Aside from your collaborators, who did you go to for validation to see if you were speaking your truth?

Interviewee: I didn’t. I didn’t have anyone listen. It needed to be something that I liked.

Q: You’ve mentioned before that you took a break from social media. What was it like to step away? [00:21:40]

Interviewer: I’ve wanted to ask what it’s like to not look at social media. How did you handle that?

Interviewee: I just did it. I was driving myself crazy. I was comparing myself to others and reading accounts that were dissecting my body, my face, and my choices. It destroyed me, so I stopped. When I was off social media, I was so much happier with myself and how I looked.

Q: How did it feel when you realized "Lose You to Love Me" became your first number-one song? [00:18:25]

Interviewer: It was your first number one. When you saw the response, what did you realize?

Interviewee: I had a moment where I said, "I completely get it." The agony, the confusion, the self-doubt—all of that was wrapped up in that song. I realized I went through that pain so that I could help other people through it. That was a special moment.

Q: How did your collaboration with Kid Cudi come together? [00:46:12]

Interviewer: The Kid Cudi collaboration sounds like it was an old-school process. How did that happen?

Interviewee: I wanted to do something "weird" like Kid Cudi. We were playing around with melodies, and I had this sing-song, playground-type chorus. Without my permission—which will never happen again—my A&R sent the track to his management. He heard it that day, loved it, and we ended up in the studio for two days. It was scary, but his feedback made me feel so comfortable.

Q: How did you navigate the pressure of being a public figure while working through these health and personal challenges? [00:20:15]

Interviewer: You’ve been working since you were 17 in the public eye. Was balancing work and your personal well-being a major challenge?

Interviewee: I think I needed to work because it kept me going. I didn't want to get to a certain age and realize I hadn't figured this stuff out. I’m a huge advocate for mental health now, and I’m glad it’s being discussed. It saved my life.

Q: Are you excited about the possibility of touring? [1:05:20]

Interviewer: You toured heavily in 2016 for Revival. Are you going to tour again?

Interviewee: It’s my favorite thing in the world, besides film—connecting with everyone. If I do it, I want to do it differently. I don't want the production to be a distraction from who I am. I want to find a way where that connection is the priority.