The biggest lie about getting older is that excitement and growth end with youth.

The worst present I got was when I was 10. I had specifically wished for a Barbie horse. My dad got me a cheap, poorly made version of it and I cried all evening.

I love having short hair - that means I can wear big earrings and even dresses sometimes without me feeling too feminine.

I tend to learn from mistakes that I've made. Even though it sucks to make bad choices, sometimes it's good to fail.

I think the most radical thing you can do is be yourself.

I think it's exciting, working with new people. There's something refreshing about not knowing what's going to happen. It's like an open sky of possibilities.

I didn't always see someone that I could relate to, that would tell me that being Black and gay is okay.

Everyone's journey as a gay man or woman is different; it's personal.

I've been so blessed to work with all my favorite artists as a gay man.

I am empowered by my friends in the music industry who are other fellow black men because I see them as my brothers; we have similar experiences and relate to each other.

For me personally, I've always tried to exude positivity and I feel that it's important for all types of experiences of black men to be seen.

I love '90s and '00s R&B, and those songs go on for ever.

I keep quiet and let the music do the talking.

When it comes to me and alcohol, I have special drinks everywhere.

I think every song I do is specifically tailored to what I would say and how I approach situations.

I've always liked discovering things.

I started making beats when I was nine in my bedroom and garage.

I was someone who knew what they wanted to do for so long. I was always fascinated by music, always a student of pop.

This constant feeling of, 'I have to have everything figured out' is not going to get anyone anywhere.

I've always been interested in fashion.

The perspective that I come from when I sing, when I perform, is of who I am as a black gay man.

I think 'Girlfriend' in particular is definitely one of the songs that is angled towards early 2000s, late '90s, R&B pop and those kinds of songs that were prevalent in that time. I don't think I was conscious of those songs in particular, but I'd say I definitely wanted a song that had that kind of vibe era wise in tone and all the writing.

I'm a massive Mariah Carey fan.

I signed my first publishing deal when I was 14, and it was from two records I put on MySpace.