The people of Somalia just do not have a voice. They are to me the most forgotten people in the world.

You have to let the world speak to you and then you speak, you know, so I'm in that moment now where I'm finding the world's voice.

The only way I see the world now is through coming out of and growing up and living in Somalia. In the time of war, everyone was basically trying to live and manage the best they could. But you also had another period which was not a hard time at all - it was just a beautiful time. I lived in both eras.

I have moments of darkness, of anger, and moments of rage. They do creep up at the most inopportune times. Not to recognize that in my music would give people a sense of sainthood that I don't necessarily have or even want to have.

You want to reach people, but you also want to reach them in the most authentic way. You now have a mass market and an audience that's listening, but they're in love with a song that means absolutely nothing to you.

I don't feel political most of the time. Sometimes I'm placed in positions because no one else will go there.