NL: Yes, especially when I'm performing. I don't have too many preconceived ideas about attempting to be one thing or another. My goal is to entertain the audience. It's about people leaving with a sense of who I am -- and, hopefully, with smiles on their faces. If I have a dark song, I try not to make it so dark that you feel like slashing your wrists at the end of the day. With a full band, it's more rock-oriented and less depressing. I take the piss out of myself.
PB: Despite all the misery on the record, we look at a pretty girl with a debut album and wonder how bad life can be for you.
NL: It's human nature, isn't it? But no matter who you are, you have bad experiences. When I was a kid, I did some modeling and TV commercials. But when I was in London making music in the underground scene, I had to supplement my income with waitressing and working in casinos. When you're broke and depressed in a foreign country, that will give you a lot of material.
PB: Is there much of a difference between what you write at home and what comes out of the recording studio?
NL: Oh, yeah. I love sound effects and things like that, so there's just layer after layer. I'm working with so many amazing producers: Marius de Vries, David Gamson, Tim Gordine. The final product is usually very different from the demos.
PB: Is there a big difference between how you look at home and how you look in your photo shoots?
