Quotes from Charli XCX

I'm a really big Rihanna fan, and I think she's such an incredible artist.

I think it's cool to be a rock star; I don't think there are many. There aren't many who speak out and take risks. And I think that's important.

I've been really inspired by Paris Hilton, small dogs, and a glitter, luxe lifestyle.

I've passed up on many a thing that could have made me a big artist or something. Like, I was offered a feature on a Christina Aguilera song and I turned it down. It just wasn't right. She's cool, but it just wasn't right.

For me, I'm very visually inspired. I'm more inspired by photographs and movies than I am by listening to other music, so for me to create an amazingly intense visual live show is a dream, so I would love to be on that level for sure.

In the same way that musicians inspire me, artists and photographers like David LaChapelle influence me with their visuals. A photographer like LaChapelle creates an entirely new and unique visual for their work, and that's what I'd like to do with the Charli XCX world as well.

I feel like, throughout 'True Romance,' I was unsure of myself in terms of songwriting. Even though it was my voice, I feel there were a lot of other voices on that record, too.

I am very spontaneous when I write; it kind of just comes out. I never think about what I'm going to write about first... it just sort of comes out like word vomit.

I'm very selfish in that I make music for myself, not for other people; I kind of only think about other people afterwards when it's out.

I think it's awesome when a woman is in control of everything she's doing, especially in an industry like this where people think that doesn't happen often, but it really does - well, from my knowledge and how I manage my own project.

I'm just not very good at being happy all the time.

I always love wearing Vivienne Westwood. Her dresses just seem to fit me perfectly, and she makes dresses for girls with curves - I love that.

I think the best artists are the ones who constantly change - Madonna, Bowie.

One thing I don't understand is how people want you to replicate your past successes. Being an artist should be about freedom and not just becoming one thing, because I think that's terrible and boring.

When I was younger, I was quite scared of a red lip. But I started listening to '60s French ye-ye pop when I was making 'Sucker.' I was looking at Brigitte Bardot and those kinds of girls. When they were dressed up, it was often a bold red lip.

I want my music, whether it's sung by other people or sung by myself, to affect the way the Top 40 radio sounds. I want to heavily influence it with things that have come directly from my brain.

I definitely went through a phase where I wanted to be a fashion designer when I was younger... But I certainly wasn't very good at it.

Just be funny. Funny always goes over well, so try to think of something funny to break the ice rather than being weird or using pickup lines.

I was only 14 when I started playing the east London rave scene. At the time, I was so captivated by everything. I didn't ever wanna progress out of that scene.

I always see colors when I listen to music. It's difficult to explain, but when I hear the music, I think about gold, blood rushing... I like to keep it really warm and glittery.

I wish I could rap! I wish I could rap like Azealia Banks or Lil Wayne or someone like that... Twista. He's super fast.

I think what women think is sexy is what is sexy. Girls eating pizza are massively sexy.

The first show I did with Coldplay was really scary.

People would always ask me how I came up with my music and what it felt like to make music, and I would always see colours, and then I found out that that was synaesthesia. It helps me understand songs and what I like.