TASH SULTANA

I construct myself and do things how I want to do them, because your artistry is a very precious thing - it's ultimately your whole life if you want it to be.

I have learnt my boundaries and what I need to do to preserve my energy and not give out too much of myself every night.

I don't really have music goals. It's just a huge field I want to dedicate my life to.

It's like being in a trance, like I get this electric current through my fingertips. Sometimes I shake. People say I look like Hendrix when I'm about to rip a solo because I move my shoulders like he does and do the chewing.

I love Erykah Badu. Every time I listen to her music, I'm, like, laying out all the instruments in the song, like, how I would loop it.

I chose busking because I didn't want to be working for someone else. I wanted to work as I am. I feel like you ultimately do have a choice if you have your vision. So, I had a vision forever that I was going to play music. And there was no stopping that.

I don't busk any more because it's gotten too dangerous.

You can impact on people with music, and I love that because music impacts on me.

I'm just all for equal rights and stuff like that, but I'm not like one of those 'Yay empowerment' type of people.

Music is multi-dimensional: it's all in the feeling. Sometimes I feel like looping; sometimes I don't. Sometimes I want to strip it back, play instruments I've never played before.

It would be arrogant to come to music only thinking about success.

I love San Francisco for the music culture. There's this vibe there that I can't find anywhere else in the world. Easily one of the best places on the sea coast.

I love the fact that there are so many people who have come to appreciate what I'm doing. That is just the best feeling in the world.

I always play barefoot. I can't play with shoes on.

Music is the embodiment of my soul. When I play, I'm not performing a song: I'm becoming it.

I've got to deal with some stuff in my mind that's pretty scary.

Music saved me from a really dark road.

I'm not that cool or anything.

I'm not a really super-political type of person, and that might change as I get older.

I find it hard to settle into a normal, routine environment.

If I'm in a good headspace, then it doesn't matter which direction things go.

That's pretty much all I do - skate, surf, and jam.

My mum pushed me to get a normal job when I finished school, and I just wasn't into that at all. So I hit the street and started busking and making my own way.

I wrote 'Jungle' in my bedroom when I was having a manic time with a particular girl. Everyone thinks it's this really upbeat song, but it's not; it was just a really manic time, so I wrote a song about it.

I've been living a healthier life and, therefore, writing healthier music.