You know, my mum’s always encouraged me and never made my gender an issue, I guess. She brought me up to believe in equality, as opposed to feminism or sexism – so it just meant...

I dread the idea of a paparazzi snapping me while I’m out running.

Adele’s like a beacon of honesty. Doesn’t compromise, goes to America and she’s still the same sweary cockney.

My favourite authors are Milan Kundera and Jeanette Winterson.

If I see something that inspires me, I’ll dress like it.

I’m a serial monogamist.

If I get in a relationship, it’s always for the long-term; if not, I don’t see the point.

I’m not one for sightseeing or going around the shops when I’m on holiday. I do enough shopping when I’m at home, and like to have a complete break when I’m away.

I go running three times a week – outside in the park, come rain or shine, and I hate every moment of it. I hate everything about it. But I know it’s important for health...

I travel regularly and have learnt to be very methodical as far as packing is concerned. For example, I always check the weather in advance of where I’m going to ensure that I’ve packed the...

I like someone with a really good and dark sense of humour.

All the things that I find beautiful have a darkness about them.

Celebrity culture is an aspirational culture regardless of how much you don’t want it to be.

Some men think that if you’re empowered and sure of yourself then you’re a man-hater, but it’s like, ‘No, I’m just the same as you are, but maybe just a tiny bit more confident.’

My mum’s always on at me to have children and blames ‘that stupid stage thing you do’ for me not already having a family.

Curvy is something to be proud of.

I’m under no illusion that there are things about me that I’d like to change. I just accept who I am, and I’m proud of it.

It’s celebrated in British culture to be eccentric.

When you research prolific songwriters, it is usually later in their career they write songs that they distance themselves from, or it’s about other people.

I was mainly raised by a working mum who didn’t have much time or inclination for making food. So I had three or four basic meals: fish fingers and a tomato; a packet scotch egg...

I was once in a long relationship with a man who ran a vintage clothes store but had been a chef, so I’d come home each night to a different three-course meal. I was quite...

I like sparkles; I think I’m a magpie.

A lot of men do have a fear of my ultra-femininity. Sometimes people say I look like a drag queen, that I look scary, but I think that’s a fear of my confidence. Most women...

I get plenty of, ‘Is that song about me?’ from men but I just tell them to get over themselves.

Cinema affects everything, from the way I get dressed to how I build my stages.

We live in a society where everything’s packaged.

There’s nothing wrong with a thick eyebrow; Frida Kahlo had them.

My mum came from nothing and didn’t have many opportunities in her youth, and she blames a lot of her social inadequacies on that.

It’s tragic that you can define a whole movement in music by gender alone. People are like, ‘Oh, look, another quirky girl.’

I’m not that materialistic. I like nice clothes and that, but I don’t spend lots of money on stuff. I’m not really into TV, I don’t have an iPod, I’ve got a gramophone.

I don’t connect much with the present. I have more of an affinity for what came in the past.

I really like to please people, and I think it’s a symptom of being an only child.

I feel quite fearless protecting the people I love.

I have a lot of admiration for people who’ve been in relationships a long time, married for years.

I get to know my regular fans, and they inspire me.

Whatever you are, you have the right to get married.

We all get old, but I always say the skinny, pretty girls will be screwed.

The freedom that money gives you makes you… well, I wouldn’t say happy, but I’d say it gives you diversity.

My desire to experiment comes from my attention-deficit approach to cosmetics. I just get really bored, really easily.

I wish I was more stupid because I’m either completely ecstatic and joyous and absolutely high as a kite or I’m a bit morbid. There’s never anything in between.

I’d say that, first and foremost, I’m a performer; I started performing when I was four years old, and being on stage from a young age set me up.

I wasn’t really comfortable reading until I was 12.

It’s amazing living alone. I’m very lucky. It’s like a refuge.

I just really want to make albums – and however I can, I will.

I just have an inability to lie.

When I do my shows, it’s really cross-generational. Sometimes there’s three generations there.

I don’t understand why the accent you speak in has to indicate what level of intellect you have.

You feel a sense of elation seeing yourself on a billboard.

No one ever chats me up; I think they all think I’m taken. Either that or no one fancies me.

I use debit cards for everyday purchases, as I don’t believe in credit cards. But this has caused problems, especially with American touring, because I refuse to have a credit card – and in America...