I love 'Ocean Avenue' by Yellowcard. That's always been one of my favorites.
I think you can only prepare yourself as much as you can, but no matter what, there will be curve balls. I had no idea I'd be taking a flight, landing, and heading straight to a radio station. I thought I might have time to curl my hair, have something to eat. No! You go right into things.
Before getting on 'The Voice,' I was very critical and judgmental of people's vocals. After getting on the show, I was so nervous, I realized my low notes were gone, so nerves do take a big toll on your voice.
I would tell my mom, 'Sit down. I'm gonna play a show for you!' I would just perform. That was always something I loved to do. There was never a question of me doing anything else.
I'm not the best at expressing my feelings other than in songs or on paper.
It doesn't bother me that people think that Blake Shelton made me go country, because I can understand it. My immediate past is pop-rock, and people don't know a ton about me as a kid - yet. They will soon.
Growing up, my parents loved Bon Jovi and Boston and Rush and all that, but it wasn't really connecting with me. I was still in my boy-band phase - Backstreet Boys for life!
I went the more pop-rock route when I was around my teenage years, actually around 13 years old. I think Avril Lavigne really jump-started that. I heard 'Complicated,' and I fell in love, and I've loved her ever since.
I grew up singing a lot of Martina McBride, Shania and LeAnn Rimes, and because of my age, those were my main influences.
I feel like Nashville has really embraced me with open arms. I was a little worried at first; you know, everybody knows about my immediate past, which is rock music. But everyone is coming to find out that I've been singing country music my whole life.
Anytime I can watch television, I usually do the reality show stuff unless it is, of course, 'Breaking Bad' or 'Homeland.' Then, I am all over it.
When I was around 13 years old, I started playing in bands and became obsessed with Blink-182 and Newfound Glory. I didn't pay attention to country music anymore; I wanted to do more pop rock stuff.
I had always dreamed of starting off in pop radio and crossing into country. I used to sing country; that was my genre when I was a kid.
I've always kept writing. There's never been a moment where I went through a spell where I just don't write.
I still struggle with my low notes. It's just always been something for me: I'm not a low singer. I have a really high voice.
I love when people cover songs that are familiar but have been kind of forgotten about.
There's something about being onstage, singing my lyrics to somebody and them either listening and receiving them, or singing them back to me, that I just can't get enough of.
I always felt different because I didn't pick one specific clique or group to be a part of, and I didn't choose one thing to be. I cheered, sang in chorus, was in student government, played in rock bands, went to dirt races in western PA... My interests have always been diverse.
The 'Hey Monday' songs were always glammed up to be this big production, and I definitely want there to be some bells and whistles like synth or drum loops, but for the most part, I want a simple yet powerful production.
I would say, maybe from five years on, I sang on stages constantly. That's what I call my natural habitat: It's a place where I feel most like myself and the most confident, the most excited.
