I grew up looking up a lot to '90s supermodels like Cindy Crawford and Naomi Campbell. I just thought those women were such cool role models because they had a good body ideal, too.
We have a lot of indie artists coming from Sweden, not so much soul. The closest thing we had was Robyn when she came out, but it's a different kind of R&B.
It's been so inspiring to have complete creative control and to just have fun creating and collaborating with people I admire greatly.
We have a huge immigration population in Sweden, but when I was younger, I grew up in a small town and, at one point, I was the only foreigner in my class. I really felt different, and I thought I looked different. Sometimes it was a good thing, sometimes I felt insecure.
I just want people to feel what I feel when I hear music that I love.
One book that I just think is absolutely beautiful is 'The Kite Runner.' I'd recommend that one to any and everyone.
I'm definitely inspired by Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, James Brown, Lauryn Hill.
I listen to rap a lot. I love Nas, Damien Marley, and Lauryn Hill.
Me and John Mayer met via a mutual connect, we were by the studio and he asked If I could play him my music. When he heard 'Under The Influence,' he asked if he could be a part of the track and of course, we made that happen.
Sometimes I'm very feminine - I wear tight skirts and pumps.
I actually got signed when I was 14 with Sony Sweden. Things didn't really work out with that, but I'm glad I had the opportunity to be exposed to the industry at a young age.
I don't know exactly what genre to put it in, I just know that I grew up listening to a lot of soul music - Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, Prince, and Whitney Houston. I was inspired by all these great big voices, and I try to do music that's timeless.
I'm such a spiritual person and in Sweden it's a bit taboo to be too open with your spirituality; they always think it's a bit weird.
I have both Swedish and Iranian cultures ingrained in me, so that's always there. Plus my love of the U.S. began early on. But growing up in Sweden as one of the few people of color around was not easy by any means.
I feel like nowadays it's almost become a corny thing to say that you want to be a role model or do something good for the world, but the artists I've looked up to - like Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, and Prince - were about something.
