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I shopped at J. Crew in high school, I studied computer science. I was a nerd-nerd, now I’m a music-nerd.
I consider myself to have a decent sense of humor. What’s life without a sense of humor?
When you’re a soul singer, I’m singing a lot of songs about love and relationships that I think a lot of girls really relate to. For whatever reason, that seems to get ’em excited. The DJ, everyone always says the DJ gets all the chicks, but that’s never been my experience.
I was really fortunate growing up to have a broad musical education. My parents listened to all kinds of music, rock, soul, Motown, jazz, Frank Sinatra, everything.
My dad taught me to play bass. He’s a bass player he still plays in a band in Michigan to this day. He taught me to play bass when I was about 6. I used to just go to band practice with him, and whoever didn’t show up for rehearsal that day, I would take their spot.
My dad calls me ‘Mac’ a lot, from ‘Mike Tyson’s Punch Out’ – Little Mac is the main character. I was obsessed. I can still beat Mike Tyson on ‘Punch Out.’
I really love rap music. I grew up in the ’80s and ’90s with Public Enemy, N.W.A., LL Cool J – I’m a hip-hop encyclopedia. But I got kind of frustrated with the chauvinistic side of rap music, the one that makes it hard to write songs about love and relationships.