ANDY GRAMMER

I don't really think in terms of goals.

As a musician, you just want to be able to do what you love.

You have to do what you want to do, and I genuinely believe that if you start interacting in the world that way that there is a respect in that.

Whether it's a 16-year old girl, or a mom, or a guy, or anybody, as long as they come up and they're excited to meet me 'cause they've had some sort of relationship with something I've created, it's the coolest thing ever. It never gets old. It's awesome.

I am so blessed and lucky.

To be a good musician, you need to give people what they want, what they need.

I'm a humble guy, but I'm audacious.

Well, there are two kinds of happiness, grounded and ungrounded. Ungrounded happiness is cheesy and not based on reality. Grounded happiness is informed happiness based on the knowledge that the world sometimes sucks, but even then you have to believe in yourself.

Anywhere in the world is a great gig if the people are pumped to hear some music.

Any time you make the transfer of 'I've created something, and I'm giving it to you, and I hope it makes you happy,' that's good.

We all need songs that bring out our inner swagger just listening to it.

You either create something there on the street, or nothing happens. It's brutal. But if you go through that for two or three years, it really toughens you up.

I loved all sports, and New York's a pretty good sports town, and the Giants - I don't know why we chose the Giants over the Jets, but we chose the Giants.

It's like freedom of speech - they can't tell you not to do it. When no one will put you on at a club or venue, you can go to the street, just start singing, and get a lot of good feedback from people as they walk by. I got really good at lip reading and seeing if a song is working. It was a good way to start.

I feel like if you told me I would be having a son, I would be like, 'Yeah, I'm gonna be a parent - I get that.' But when the doctor was like, 'You're gonna have a girl,' I was like, 'What? Who am I?' It's the craziest piece of information that changes who you are. It's sweet.

Anytime I hear songs that are so honest, whether they make the person who's singing it look good or not, there's a level of honesty that resonates with people.

The first album was more born from busking - they were the 'me-and-my-guitar' songs. Going out on the road and opening for big acts changes you. You look out at those audiences and start to think, 'OK, I need to write some music that's a little bit bigger.'

I do radio gigs, three-minute spots, solo shows, so I still get plenty of practice at the sniper attack - me at a piano or with a guitar, having to win people over fast.

It's a weird business. You're trying to write something that's built on magic, which is pretty stressful.

The first song that I had that went platinum was 'Keep Your Head Up,' which was a long time ago. Then, you get 'one-hit wonder' with that.

'Honey, I'm Good' is a song about temptation, and we wanted to show what is possible if you can beat it.

You need to be growing and getting better, and in L.A., it's so hard to get bookings. You literally have to pay clubs to book you. It's pay to play, and then you only get 30 minutes. That's no way to get good.

The fact that 'Honey, I'm Good' made such a splash and that people were catching it on radio, on Spotify, on Pandora, it's driving everybody to go hear the album.

Life is hard, but there are moments, sometimes hours - and, if you're really lucky, full days - where everything feels just right.

I made a deal with myself that no matter where I go, if I see a street performer, I'd tip them. It's sweet to know that you can get started from the generosity of others.