Charli XCX quotes:

A great song can make you cry and transport you to another dimension.

I like the whole laid-back rapping. I wish I could rap! I wish I could wrap like Azealia Banks or Lil Wayne or someone like that...

I always look at my favourite photographs or favourite movies by James Bidgood or Sofia Coppola before I write my songs - they put me in the right frame of mind.

When I first began writing music I was really inspired by the French electro scene.

Vivienne Westwood really inspires me. I love her punk ethos.

I was really selfish, and I didn't want to listen to anyone. Then I started working with some really amazing people, traveling more, and figuring out who I was as a person - looking at different things, listening to different music.

I have a dark side. I think everyone does.

[My mom] worries about me going and taking drugs, whereas my dad advises me on what drugs to take and what ones not to take. So, they're very different.

To be honest I'd just love to keep writing hits for other people... That's kind of my secret dream.

A lot of my friends do creative things and are doing really well at what they do - some writers, some artists. I'm in a driven circle. I've had a lot of opportunities that other people wouldn't necessarily have and seen some cool places.

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 see music in colours. I love music that's black, pink, purple or red - but I hate music that's green, yellow or brown.

Everyone's just a freak, but some people are trying to hide it and some people embrace it.

For me, romance is only 'true' when there are two sides to it. I think to have true romance you have to have the moments where you feel alone and you're crying and you feel like your heart's about to break... as well as the moments where you're floating through this orgasmic dream state.

A good song can make you smile, or it can make you dance or laugh or remind you of a moment.

I know some people are like "I'm depressed and I'm a struggling artist" and that really works for some people, but that doesn't work for me. I have to be really happy, even when I'm writing my depressing songs; I have to come through that stage before I can write. I have to be in a good place. I'm a positive person.

When I first started, I wasn't really aware of anything in the industry or aware of who I really was. I just put my music out there and tried to get as many people to hear it as possible.

I love the rawness in fashion.

I'm very closed off when it comes to working with people, I'm very selective.

I hadn't really thought about the kind of music I wanted to make. I was just making raps and stuff. I thought that was the coolest thing in the world.

I can't stand to hear my own voice. If one of my songs comes on in a café, I'll run out right away and come back with the police.

I used to hate swimming at school so much that I would always sneak downstairs in the middle of the night and take my swimming costume out of my gym bag and hide it in the house somewhere. Then I'd never have to go swimming at school. This went on for months and I never got caught and my Mum turned into a nervous wreck because the thought she was losing her memory... and then one day she caught me and got super angry. That was kind of bad.

I was inspired by movies like 'Jawbreaker'and 'Carrie' for the 'Break the Rules' video. I never went to prom when I was at school so this was kind of me living out my weird fantasy of what prom would be like in my head. I asked Rose McGowan to be in the video and I never ever thought she would say yes, but she did... so she came to prom too... And she trashed it. ;)

I don't want to be a pop star. I want to be a nursery-rhyme star!

The music I'm making is like an explosion of love. It moves away from super dark, its more romanticized and floral, but still quite black.

I want to create an experience with my music.

I've been thinking about where I want to take my live show. I want everything in it to be pink, gold, and black. I don't want people to feel any other colors, like brown or yellow.

I just want people to feel the emotion that's in the record. For me it's very raw and beautiful, I guess it's kind of like a diary for me. I'd love for people to be able to listen to it and it make them dance and cry and the same time.

I've never been to New Zealand actually. All I know is that there's a lot of greenery there. I'd love to come and play a show there sometime soon for sure!

I think true romance is dry schizophrenic... but life would be so boring without true love, so I guess you just roll with it.

Fashion is meant to be wild and expressive. I love colour but I also love basics - grungy minimalism mixed with this kind of broken-down cheerleader, is my thing.