'Escape from Planet Earth' Interview

Jessica Alba, Rob Corddry, William Shatner, Sofía Vergara and George Lopez are among the all-star voice cast creating laughs in the fast-paced, animated comedy-adventure Escape from Planet Earth, and they tell ET's Brooke Anderson that it's the perfect film for the whole family.

Pics: 13 Must-See Movies of 2013

In theaters now, the out-of-this-world 3D comedy is told from the alien point of view, following the misadventures of famed interplanetary astronaut Scorch Supernova from the Planet Baab and his buddies. Trapped by evil government forces on the distant "Dark Planet" (aka Earth) and tossed behind bars in Area 51, it's up to his nerdy brother Gary to navigate the third rock from the sun's strange customs and inhabitants in order to save him.

Video: Cosmic Comedy in 'Escape from Planet Earth' Premiere

The film also features the vocal talents of Brendan Fraser, Jane Lynch, Sarah Jessica Parker, Craig Robinson, Steve Zahn, Chris Parnell, Ricky Gervais and Jonathan Morgan Heit.

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‘Blade Gunner’ tear gusher as he’s hit with gal-pal slay rap

“Blade Runner” Oscar Pistorius bawled his eyes out yesterday in a South Africa courtroom, where he appeared on murder charges for allegedly gunning down his terrified gal pal through a locked bathroom door.

Pistorius, 26, “repeatedly and intentionally” shot cover-girl model Reeva Steenkamp, 29, as she cowered in fear from the Olympic star, according to Great Britain’s Independent newspaper.

“The door had bullet holes right through it,” said a neighbor, who noted that security guards found the athlete alongside the slain beauty in his bathroom at around 4 a.m. Thursday.

Photos: EPA

SUPPORTERS: Oscar Pistorius’ father, Henke (left), talks with daughter Aimee yesterday in court, where a photo of the gun that the Olympian allegedly used to kill his gal pal was shown.

OSCAR PISTORIUS


Cries in court yesterday.

The gun-loving Pistorius cried throughout his first court appearance yesterday. The tears started in his holding cell and continued as he was brought before a judge.

“Take it easy,” Chief Magistrate Desmond Nasir told Pistorius, who faces life in prison as prosecutors plan to argue premeditated murder in the death of Steenkamp, a law-school grad he’d been dating a few months.

His bail hearing was delayed until Tuesday at the request of his lawyers, who will argue the shooting was the result of mistaken identity, the double-amputee runner’s friends told the Independent.

The legless track star, who runs using carbon-fiber blades, will spend the long weekend at a handicapped-friendly lockup instead of the dangerously cramped Pretoria jail known as New Lock.

“[He] will be treated the same as all the other detainees in our holding cells,” the station commander said. “We will accommodate his disability, but he will eat the same food and be put in the same cells as the rest of the detainees.”

Pistorius’ relatives and defense team visited him in jail yesterday and brought him a pillow.

In a statement, the family said, “The alleged murder is disputed in the strongest terms. He has made it very clear that he would like to send his deepest sympathies to the family of Reeva. He would also like to express his thanks through us today for all the messages of support he has received — but, as stated, our thoughts and prayers today should be for Reeva and her family — regardless of the circumstances of this terrible, terrible tragedy.”

Pistorius’ lawyer, Barry Roux, said, “There are some facts that we need to present to court that have not been made public yet.”

An autopsy was performed on Steenkamp, but cops said results would not be released.

Pistorius was a well-known gun lover who kept an arsenal in his house — as well as a cricket club and baseball bat — and bragged on Twitter about his shooting prowess.

He comes across as paranoid in his online posts, including one last November that said he got into “combat recon mode” when he heard a noise that turned out to be a washing machine.

Pistorius was particularly on edge in recent weeks, a close friend told The Post.

“He was paranoid the last few weeks. He was threatened,” said the pal, who would not explain further.

The runner has a history of violence and was once arrested for slamming a door on a woman, though the charges were dropped. He also allegedly threatened to break the legs of a man he accused of sleeping with a former girlfriend.

There were previous incidents of “a domestic nature” at Pistorius’ house, said Police Brig. Denise Beukes.

Neighbors had reported “screaming and fighting” at the house in Pretoria just before the shooting.

Pistorius’ arrest could completely derail the rising track star’s career.

He won three Paralympic medals and reached the 400-meter semifinals in last summer’s London Games when he became the first double-leg amputee to compete in the Olympics.

He earned between $5 million and $6 million a year from endorsements and appearances, including for Nike.

His sponsors have not said if they are dropping him.

“Given the ongoing legal proceedings, it would be inappropriate for us to give any further comment at present. Our thoughts are with all those affected,” a spokesperson for British Telecom said.

Nike South Africa spokeswoman Seruscka Naidoo said, “At this moment, it’s a matter that’s being investigated. We’re not speaking about the sponsorship.”

With

dan.macleod@nypost.com

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Sign up for Feb. 21 Miami Herald Small Business Forum

Prepare your best pitch for the Miami Herald’s Small Business Forum, Feb. 21 at the south campus of our sponsor, Florida International University.

In addition to how-to panels and inspirational stories from successful entrepreneurs, our annual small business forum will include interactive opportunities with experts to learn about financing options and polish your personal and business brands.

During our finance panel, audience volunteers will be invited to explain their financing needs to the group. During our box-lunch session, they will be invited to pitch their business or personal brand to our coaches.

Those who prefer just to listen will be treated to a keynote address by Alberto Perlman, co-founder of the global fitness craze Zumba. Panels include success stories from the local entrepreneurs who founded Sedano’s, Jennifer’s Homemade and ReStockIt.com; finance tips from experts in small business loans, venture capital, angel investments and traditional bank loans; and insiders in the burgeoning South Florida tech start-up scene.

Plus, it’s a real bargain. $25 includes the half-day seminar, continental breakfast and a box lunch.

Register here.

Program

8 a.m.

Registration and continental breakfast, provided by Bill Hansen Catering

8:30 a.m. Welcome

Host: David Suarez, president and CEO, Interactive Training Solutions, LLC

•  Jerry Haar, PhD, associate dean & director, FIU Eugenio Pino and Family Global

Entrepreneurship Center

•  Alice Horn, executive director, Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE South Florida)

•  Jane Wooldridge, Business editor, The Miami Herald

Miami Herald Business Plan Challenge Overview:

•  Nancy Dahlberg, Business Plan Challenge coordinator, The Miami Herald

8:45 a.m. Session I – Success Stories

Moderator: Jerry Haar, PhD, associate dean & director, FIU Eugenio Pino and Family Global

Entrepreneurship Center

Speakers:

•  Jennifer Behar, founder, Jennifer’s Homemade

•  Matt Kuttler, co-president of ReStockIt.com

•  Javier Herrán, chief marketing officer, Sedano’s Supermarkets

10 a.m. Session II – All about Tech

Moderator: Jane Wooldridge, Business editor, The Miami Herald

Speakers

•  Susan Amat, founder, Launch Pad Tech

•  Nancy Borkowski, executive director, Health Management Programs, Chapman Graduate School of

Business, Florida International University

•  Chris Fleck, vice president of mobility solutions at Citrix and a director of the South Florida Tech Alliance

•  Charles Irizarry, co-founder and director of product architecture, Rokk3r Labs

11:15 a.m. Keynote

Speaker: Alberto Perlman, CEO and co-founder of Zumba® Fitness

Introduction: Jane Wooldridge, business editor, The Miami Herald

11:45 a.m. Session III – Show me the money: Financing your small business

An interactive session featuring audience volunteers who will be invited to make a short investment pitch before a panel, including experts in microlending, SBA loans, traditional bank loans, venture capital and angel investing. Audience volunteers should come prepared with a two-minute presentation that includes details about current backing, how much money they are seeking and a brief synosis of ow that money would be used.

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Miami-Dade packed for weekend of events

Lured by sailboats and megayachts, urban street art and Romero Britto — and, of course, the lack of snow — thousands of visitors are expected to pour into Miami-Dade this holiday weekend.

The activities started Thursday morning with the opening day of the 72nd annual Progressive Miami International Boat Show at the Miami Beach Convention Center and the Yacht & Brokerage Show on the Indian Creek Waterway. Art Wynwood kicked off with a VIP preview Thursday night. And the Coconut Grove Arts Festival, in its 50th year, opens its gates on Saturday.

Combined, the events expect nearly 250,000 attendees over Presidents’ Day weekend — many of them from out of town.

“Presidents’ Day weekend is the busiest weekend here in South Florida,” said Nick Korniloff, founder and director of Art Wynwood. “It’s when the 30 five-star resorts are at the highest occupancy, when the Europeans and South Americans and Northeast residents come here. It’s a very diverse, well-cultured audience.”

Expecting similarities in audiences interested in yachts and art, Korniloff will have shuttles running between Art Wynwood in the Midtown Miami neighborhood and the Yacht & Brokerage Show near the Fontainebleau.

In its second year, the fair features 70 dealers from around the world, many representing urban street artists or selling Latin American and Asian art. That’s a jump from last year’s 53 dealers. Korniloff said he expects about 30,000 attendees this year, up from 25,000 at the inaugural event.

At the boat show, which includes locations in Miami Beach and downtown Miami, organizers anticipate more than 100,000 visitors. About 40 percent are from outside the state and a quarter of visitors are international, said Cathy Rick-Joule, show manager and vice president of the boat shows division for the National Marine Manufacturers Association.

“We’ve definitely seen a continued influence of Brazilians; you hear Portuguese spoken everywhere,” Rick-Joule said, adding that Russian, Chinese and Korean visitors have also been increasing.

Monty Trainer, president of the Coconut Grove Arts Festival, has been busy publicizing the 50th year of the event with pop artist Romero Britto, who designed this year’s festival poster and will attend at some points during the weekend.

“This is the best year for all our exposure,” Trainer said. “Romero Britto is going to be a big draw.”

The show will feature 380 artists this year, 30 more than last year, when about 118,000 people attended. Of those, nearly 40 percent were overnight visitors who came to town for the festival.

Trainer expects this year’s activities to draw a bigger crowd — with a caveat.

“If this weather holds up, we’re in business,” he said. “But if you get bad rain, all your promotions are out the window.”

On that front, the forecast is mixed. The National Weather Service calls for a 60 percent chance of rain in Miami on Friday, dropping to 20 percent for Saturday with a high near 77. Sunday should be sunny and cool, with a high only in the mid-60s. By Monday, the weather should be just about perfect for February: sunny and topping out around 74.

“When other folks unfortunately have it bad, we have it good,” said Rolando Aedo, chief marketing officer for the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau. “I think the country as a whole, with the exception of us, has been experiencing severe weather. It bodes well for our hoteliers and frankly bodes well for our winter season. We’re hearing very, very good things.”

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Steam for Linux Is Here, Valve Celebrates by Discounting Entire Catalog

Time to do a little happy dance, Linux-heads: Valve’s Steam client for Linux is finally with us, and I don’t mean the beta. Valve’s digital gaming client for the Unix-like open-source operating system is officially official, and Valve’s celebrating by discounting the entire catalog — over 50 Linux titles — anywhere from 50% to 75%. Not too shabby, guys.

Some of the more notable titles in that list include Amnesia: The Dark Descent, Counter-Strike: Source, Half-Life, Team Fortress 2 and World of Goo. The sale runs until Feb. 21 at 10 a.m. PT.

Valve notes that in addition to cracking open the Linux game chest, it’s including its “Big Picture” mode — the company’s way of streamlining the living room experience, if you want to drag your box over to your TV, by adding game controller support. It’s in keeping with the company’s recently announced Steam Box strategy, which involves putting a Steam-branded console in the living room. That box, when we finally see it at some undisclosed future point, is expected to be Linux-driven.

I haven’t run a Linux machine in ages, mostly because as a game machine, it’s been like showing up to the party after everyone’s gone home (settle down Linux wonks, I don’t mean the operating system itself, which I’ve always been partial to — the MacBook Pro I’m typing this on, running OS X, is just Unix with a pretty overlay, after all).

But with an official Steam client serving as a central games distribution point and the fact that this is Valve we’re talking about — arguably the single most important force driving PC gaming today — Linux game development could finally make the kind of splash open-source advocates have long hoped it might.

MORE: Tesla Motors Pours Cold Data on New York Times ‘Model S’ Review

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WATCH: 400 injured after meteorite streaks across the sky in Russia

AFP/Getty Images

The trail of a falling object is seen above a residential apartment complex in Russia Friday.

MOSCOW — A meteor streaked across the sky above Russia's Ural Mountains on Friday morning, causing sharp explosions and reportedly injuring more than 400 people, including many hurt by broken glass.

Fragments of the meteor fell in a thinly populated area of the Chelyabinsk region, the Emergency Ministry said in a statement.

Interior Ministry spokesman Vadim Kolesnikov said hundreds of people called for medical assistance following the incident, and at least three had been hospitalized in serious condition. Many of the injuries were from glass broken by the explosions.

Kolsenikov also said about 6,000 square feet of a roof at a zinc factory had collapsed.

Amateur video posted on YouTube showed an object speeding across the sky, leaving a thick white contrail and an intense flash.

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Carnival Triumph passengers finally off the ship

MOBILE, Ala. --
Exhausted, grubby and almost five days late, the 3,143 passengers and 1,086 crew aboard the disabled Carnival Triumph returned to the U.S. late Thursday — to a city almost 500 miles from its home port.

Thousands of passengers aboard the Carnival Triumph cheered, screamed and waved from outside balconies as the ship was pulled in shortly after 10 p.m.

Families were excited and relieved as passengers began disembarking about an hour after the ship docked. All passengers were off the ship in Alabama by about 2 a.m. Friday and arrived at a New Orleans hotel at about 3 a.m.

“This is the best Valentine’s Day ever,” said Jon Hair, of Lake Charles, La., grabbing the hand of his son, 8-year-old Jace, whose mom, sister, aunt and cousins were aboard. “It’s great,” Jace said as he left for the terminal, where dozens of other families waited.

Jon Hair held a banner: "Thank God it's over!"

And as Julie Hair and her 12-year-old daughter Juliana came off the ship, Jon kissed his wife. “I feel blessed,” she said.

Buses arrived at the Hilton in New Orleans early Friday and were greeted by paramedics with wheelchairs to roll in passengers who were elderly or too fatigued to walk.

Many were tired and didn't want to talk. There were long lines as they waited to get checked into rooms.

For 28-year-old Maria Hernandez of Angleton, Texas, the hotel stay is only part of her journey home. Hernandez, like hundreds others, will have a brief reprieve at the hotel before flying home later in the day.

Earlier, Gerry Cahill, Carnival president and CEO, said at a brief news conference Thursday night, while the Triumph was docking, that he appreciated the patience of the 3,000 passengers on board.

He said Carnival prides itself on providing people with a great vacation “and clearly we failed in this particular case.” He also said he planned to go aboard the ship and personally apologize to passengers.

As the ship inched closer to the dock in Mobile — bringing and end to the saga — relatives of passengers aboard became more excited.

Larry Butterfras of Houston, whose wife Pat had taken the Triumph cruise from its home port in Galveston, Texas, with seven friends on a birthday celebration, said he and a few other husbands drove down so they could be there to greet their wives as soon as they stepped off the ship. “When I was able to talk to her today and tell her we were here, she cried. She told her friends and they cried. It was very emotional.”

“I just want her home,” said Matthew Minyard, of Fate, Texas, anxiously waiting to greet his wife Bethany. “It’s been hard.”

Three tugs were needed to pull the 100,000-ton cruise ship back to the U.S. from waters off Mexico, where fire broke out Sunday morning in the engine room. The cause of the blaze, extinguished by automatic systems, is still not known.

The ship lost propulsion and had to rely on emergency generator power, leaving passengers with a limited number of working bathrooms and no air conditioning. No one was hurt in the fire. Sister ships delivered additional food and supplies. The cruise line has canceled sailings through April 13 and promised to compensate passengers with a full refund, $500 in cash and a discount on a future cruise.

That may be meager comfort for frustrated passengers, who have complained to family members via email and text about foul odors, dark hallways and food shortages. Television images from CNN showed passengers with signs of “Help” and “I love you” hanging from their cabin rooms.

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Jewish liturgical music festival continues through Sunday

The Fifth International Festival of New Jewish Liturgical Music is being celebrated in Miami through Sunday. It will feature new works from composers from throughout the United States, Canada, Israel and the United Kingdom. The music reflects a diverse range of musical styles and traditions.

The six-day festival is presented by Shalshelet: The Foundation for New Jewish Liturgical Music and will include school and youth workshops and Shalshelet composers in residence at area congregations over Shabbat.

The main festival events will include workshops from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday at Beth Torah Benny Rok Campus, 20350 NE 26th Ave., and the Festival Concert at 7 p.m.

As a part of the festival, composer Raquel Pomerantz Gershon, who is known for her uplifting, original take on Jewish sacred music, will sing her own songs and traditional prayers in the Kabbalat Shabbat service at 6 p.m. Friday at Beth David Congregaton, 2625 SW Third Ave. The service will be followed by a Shabbat dinner.

Gershon started composing songs in her teens and has won awards at past Shalshelet festivals. She has performed throughout the United States, Europe and Israel. She has recorded three CDs, including "Jerusalem on My Mind," and lives in Dallas with her husband Rabbi Bill Gershon and their three children.

For more information on the Kabbalat service and the dinner following the service, call 305-854-3911 or go to www.bethdavidmiami.org.

Wenski to say Mass for members of religious orders

Archbishop Thomas Wenski will celebrate a thanksgiving Mass for all consecrated men and women, who have chosen religious life. The Mass will be at 5:30 p.m. Saturday at St. Mary Cathedral, 7525 NW Second Ave. The Archdiocese of Miami will also celebrate those who this year will celebrate their 25th, 50th and 60th anniversaries of consecrated life.

Also, on Feb. 24, the 2013 Archbishop's Motorcycle Poker Run will take place at Our Lady of the Holy Rosary-St. Richard Catholic Church at 7500 SW 152nd St. in Palmetto Bay.

The event starts at 8 a.m. with Mass; registration at 9 a.m., and Kick Stands up at 9:30 a.m., with the poker run concluding at Peterson's Harley Davidson, 19400 NW Second Ave in Miami Gardens.

Registration is $25 for rider entrance fee, and includes a commemorative T-shirt. The winning hand receives a $500 Peterson's Harley Davidson gift card. Proceeds will benefit Catholic Charities and St. Luke's Center.

Art exhibit highlights graffiti

Catalyst, a program geared toward reaching out to the hip-hop youth culture in Miami and its sponsor, Greater Miami Youth For Christ, will have its first Graffiti Art Exhibit from 7 to 10 p.m. Friday at Pyramid Art Studios, 8890 SW 129th Terr in The Falls Art District.

Vivian Stigale, Catalyst spokeswoman said the exhibit is called "26," and will feature the work of 26 different street artists.

"It takes much skill, dedication and strength to do graffiti — aerosol art and street-style murals — and is often misunderstood and is frequently criminalized," Stigale said.

The Catalyst program, founded nearly a decade ago in Miami Springs by Joel Stigale, allows emcees, break dancers, graffiti artists and DJs to practice their art in a safe, drug-free environment while being challenged to embrace a relationship with Jesus Christ.

For more information call Bonnie Rodriguez or Vivian Stigale at 305-271-2442.

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Rovio’s games are losing revenue generation power rapidly

The most famous mobile app franchise in the world has generated more than 1 billion downloads over the past three years — yet it currently has no games in the United States top 50 revenue chart for either the iPhone or iPad. On Wednesday, Angry Birds Star Wars dropped to No. 66 on the App Annie iPhone app revenue chart. This happened just three months after the game launched with massive download volumes and an avalanche of media coverage. Angry Birds Star Wars spent just two months in the top 20 iPhone revenue chart despite generating 50 million downloads in just 35 days.

[More from BGR: Every 10 years, a cataclysm kills off most phone brands – the next one is almost here]

The original Angry Birds hit the top 5 of the iPhone revenue chart in April 2010. It spent 22 months in the top 20 iPhone revenue chart, as opposed to the two months that its Star Wars sequel managed. The application market is growing strongly and the revenue generation power of top games increases every year. Yet it’s hard to believe that the No. 66 position on the iPhone revenue chart in February 2013 does not mean lower revenue than the No. 1 position Angry Birds held in February 2011.

[More from BGR: New purported Galaxy S IV details emerge]

A look at other Rovio games reflects the same pattern of steady revenue generation deterioration. Bad Piggies held onto a top 20 revenue position for five weeks on the U.S. iPhone chart last autumn. It has now slipped out of top 100.

Of course, Rovio is no longer mainly an app company. The company probably gets more than 50% of its revenue now from licensing and franchising contracts and this stream is growing rapidly. Sources in Helsinki indicate that the percentage may already be more than 60%, or even 70%. Nevertheless, it is striking to see that the download king of the application world is losing app sales generation power this quickly. It is quite possible that Rovio is simply opting to focus on lucrative licensing opportunities with strong partners like Mattel, Hot Topic and Walmart. But it’s hard to avoid the feeling that the company is missing out in a big way by allowing the explosively growing in-app revenue market to slip from its grasp.

Rovio’s fading presence in the iOS revenue charts demonstrates how rapidly the iOS ecosystem is evolving. This week, Minecraft is the only paid iPhone app that has managed to break into top 40 iPhone revenue chart. The other 39 apps are free and their designers have had to devise ingenious in-app item purchase strategies in order to squeeze dollars from their users. Paid apps like the Angry Birds franchise have relied on download fees and may have lacked the drive to develop optimal monetization formulas.

Rovio is seeking to become the next Disney. Its grand animation, theme park, fashion, education and beverage strategies are soaringly ambitious and have already paid off handsomely. Yet it could be tricky to position Rovio for a likely IPO before the company finds a way to recapture the app revenue generation power it possessed in 2010 and 2011. As Rovio’s games have faded rapidly in American revenue charts over the past two months, it has stared at an ironic, down-home reminder of the changing iOS app landscape. Another Helsinki company, Supercell, has held an iron grip on the No. 1 positions of both iPhone and iPad revenue charts all through the early 2013.

Supercell’s flaghsip free download called “Clash of Clans” is now a top 10 revenue-generating app in 91 countries across the world. Angry Birds Star Wars? It no longer places as a top 10 revenue app in any country. It just slipped to #35 in Finland this week.

This article was originally published on BGR.com

Gadgets News Headlines – Yahoo! News

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Artists You Should Know: Emeli Sande

British recording artist and songwriter Emeli Sandé is already making waves in the UK and hopes to become the latest in a growing list of British musicians that have taken over the world in recent times. Her debut album Our Version of Events is the UK's biggest selling album of 2012 and with her lyrically rich songs powered by an incredible voice, I have no doubt she is the next Global superstar. I recently chatted with Emeli before her gig at the ChapStick Sessions Concert in partnership with MySpace. Check out our full interview below and be sure to watch the concert footage above for a special performance of her latest single, Next To Me.

PICS: Candid Celeb Sightings

ETonline: You are one of music's rising stars, have a number one album (UK) for Our Version of Events, sang at the open and closing of the Olympics, and a new hit single Next To Me, how has the ride to fame been for you?

Emeli: It definitely feels surreal. It's been an incredible year and so much has happened that I didn't expect to happen so quickly. It's definitely been the type of year that you dream about as a kid so I'm very happy.

How much would you say your life has changed?

Dramatically it's definitely changed a lot. But I try to keep grounded by just focusing on the music so that part hasn't changed. But day to day it's so busy and you have less and less time to have alone and to write but it's all good that's why you do it in the first place.

A lot of wonderful talent has emerged from the UK in recent years so I've got to ask you, what's in the water over there??

(Laughs) Yeah I'm not sure! It feels like a really good time and I'm really proud to be part of this kind of new generation of musicians that are doing something quite creative. I think we all feel kind of free to experiment with different genres and it's such a small place so we all know each other and can learn from one another.

Tell me about your writing process. Are certain types of songs more easily driven by a lyric or music?

Sometimes when I play something on piano, the tone of it can inspire a feeling. But usually it's a concept that will pop in to my mind or a phrase or if I'm reading something it will spark something or a different way of thinking about the same subject. Usually it's the words but sometimes when I sit at the piano it all falls into place.

What would you say is your favorite lyric you've ever written?

I really like "when the floor is more familiar than the ceiling," just because whenever I sing that lyric I imagine somebody stuck to the floor, someone stuck to the ceiling. I've always been inspired by people that can make you see things so clearly with few words. And that's what I try to channel when I'm writing.

Is there any artist you're hoping to collaborate with in the future? Who are you currently listening to?

I think Drake is amazing lyrically; he's really doing something different I think. I love Frank Ocean as well. There's a lot of new people too, Ed Sheeran ... there's a lot of people I think are great. I love Rihanna, everyone does, and I think what she's doing is very honest and I really respect that.

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