As soon as 'Hide Away' came out, it was like everyone knew who I was, and I started getting all this attention. It was hard to get used to at first. I just remember that I suddenly couldn't walk down the hallways without hearing a classmate or teacher playing it - it was unreal!

People should be allowed to roll out of bed and go to an interview; people shouldn't be telling you, 'You can't curse because it's not ladylike.' I don't believe in those standards.

Music has been a huge passion of mine ever since I started playing the piano at age 3. Going to concerts, performing on my own, and listening to my favorite artists growing up confirmed that love for music and made me want to pursue it as a career.

When I'm playing live, I'll rip out a ballad from my album, and I'll play that solo on the piano, which feels really good because it kind of takes me back to when I was younger.

First Lady Michelle Obama - I admire her confidence, integrity, intelligence, compassion, and her overall vibe - she is such an inspiration.

We're all humans; we all go through phases.

I listened to a lot of Amy Winehouse: her albums 'Frank' and 'Back to Black'. She was such an incredible artist. She was just so raw and had her unique sound; she paired jazz with pop and was so soulful at the same time. So I pulled from her a lot in the beginning.

I'm a classically trained jazz pianist - I've been playing since I was 3 years old.

You should never be put into a mold based on your gender.

I should be, right now, a normal 17-year-old sitting in class in high school. Instead, I'm recording, and it's so exciting for me. I can't imagine anything I'd rather be doing right now.

I flew home to Pittsburgh, and my management called me to ask if I wanted to perform on 'Dancing With the Stars' with Charlie Puth. I'm like, 'What? I grew up watching the show!'

I used to daydream in class about what it'd be like to be a singer. It's what I wanted to be ever since I was little, but I never knew if it'd happen or not. I was just a normal girl who was doing all the things teenagers do, but on the side, I was attending music camps and going to songwriting sessions.

Write down everything you can think of, no matter how stupid it seems. I always write down my thoughts throughout the day. Sometimes good things come out of it, and I'll find an idea to develop into a song, so my best advice is to try and draw inspiration from everyday things.

It was like I was Hannah Montana! I was a normal girl from Pittsburgh one minute and then a pop star the next!

I think in order to accomplish anything in life, you have to visualize yourself there - accepting the award, hearing your song on the radio, whatever it is - or you lose the willpower and the drive.

My dad was the one who took me to concerts and introduced me to new artists. One time, he drove me from Pittsburgh to Washington, D.C., on a school night to see 'U2' - he was a pretty dedicated Bono fan.

A stadium tour would be amazing - that's definitely one of my goals. Just to keep putting out real, honest music that people can really relate to and connect with.

When 'Hide Away' first started gaining a bit of momentum, I was visiting at least two radio stations per day - sometimes in different cities - to spread the word about the song. It was a hustle, but so worth it.

In terms of role modelling for younger kids, I never really censor myself.

I'm always working on new projects.

I try to write catchy hooks but, at the same time, things that mean something that will provoke thought.

I was invited to L.A. when I was 16 for a weekend-long songwriting session by a writer I had met through my voice teacher in Pittsburgh. My first hit, 'Hide Away,' was one of the songs written during those sessions. It was played for a radio rep who then started a new label; the song got a pretty organic start at radio and then took off.

I started traveling, performing, doing photo shoots and working on new music. At the same time, I was juggling homework and trying not to miss out on too many experiences during my junior and senior years - like prom and graduation.

I am still very independent in my real life, and that's why I'm always trying to get out of relationships prematurely.