If you listen to most songs, most people will not sing the words of the lead singer. They will sing the hook. The hook is what makes the record sell.
Nobody put the camera on the background singers who were singing. It was on Stevie Wonder. It was on Elton John. It was on whoever was the lead singer out front. We were 20 feet from stardom.
Like all soul singers, I grew up singing in church but sometimes I would leave early and sit in the car listening to gospel band, The Blind Boys of Alabama. Hearing their lead singer Clarence made me connect the idea of church and show business and see how I could make a career singing music that stirred the soul.
I know the lead singer of System of a Down, and I record violin tracks with him.
The Four Aces asked me if I'd like to sing with them as they didn't really have a lead singer.
I've played Frankie Cosmos shows where the promoter or whoever sees that I'm the lead singer, and then they go up to David, the bassist, and are like, 'So, do we pay you?' And he's like, 'No, you pay her; she's the boss.' Those are moments where I'm just like, 'I'm clearly in charge.'
When I was a vocalist, a lead singer in a rock band, I was a law student at the time. It wasn't a professional rock band, it was for fun. I was already way out of that by the time Phantom came along. Having to learn to sing, it was such duress, having to really try and get to such a quality.
I think I like attention, but because of the way we are - because we don't have a lead singer and all the videos have so many different people in them - I think people aren't really that sure about who's in the band.
My biggest celebrity crush is either Ryan Reynolds or Caleb Followill, the lead singer of Kings of Leon.
I carry my iPod everywhere. My favorite group is the John Butler Trio, an Australian jam band. The lead singer and guitarist writes amazing lyrics.
