Growing up, anyone could see you were a born performer.. From the talent shows we’d do as kids to making home videos with friends, you were always comfortable with, even excited by, being the center of attention. Do you feel most relaxed and free when you’re performing? What does it take to get to that point?

Typically I’m thinking about a lot the week before a show; I take it very seriously. The day before I go on, I’ll let anger pile up – like I’ll almost let bad things happen to me purposefully so I gather this wild momentum to use as fuel for the show. Performing is definitely a release for me – I’m not thinking at all when I’m on stage.

Right, to me, you’re a reserved, laid-back person, but on stage and as an artist, you’re this crazy, electric sensation. Talk more about your process behind-the-scenes. 

When I first moved to the city, I used to go out to Randall’s Island Park alone at night and perform. I’d exercise first to tire myself out and then do an all-out run-through of my songs. The woman I was subletting from used to tell me not to go and to be careful because it was dangerous.. I thought to myself, people are probably more scared of me than I am of them! I’d be out there screaming and crying and singing – no matter what the weather was. It was a release for me and a great way to practice maintaining super high energy levels while performing. 

Iggy Pop is a big source of inspiration for you as a performer. What about his stage presence stands out to you? 

Yea, I watch old videos of his a lot — he performs like he’s attacking a shark. He’ll grab the microphone and throw it. It seems like any item in the room could be the vessel for him communicating and I find that really inspiring, his lack of fear on stage. I think those kinds of performances are rare nowadays, so I try to channel that sort of energy as much as I can.