Bonnie McKee

“'Teenage Dream' was the most difficult song I've ever been a part of. We wrote five different versions of it. We couldn't get the lyrics right. Max Martin and Dr. Luke wrote most of the melody, and then Katy Perry and I were responsible for getting the lyrics right.”

“I love shoes. I am a shoe fanatic. I love my Giuseppe Zanottis - he is my favorite. I have them in every color. Other than shoes, it's important to have a great black leather jacket.”

“I realized there are so many steps from getting a deal to having a hit.”

“I was writing songs as a kid about leprechauns and Catwoman and teapots - whatever it is that little girls wanna sing about. The first song I wrote was called 'Kitten.'”

“'Teenage Dream' was the hardest breakup for me.”

“I have been doing some writing on the side a little bit with artists that I'm really excited about. Kind of more up and coming people. But, I'm focusing more on my own project. It's a full time job being an artist!”

“When I think about 'Since U Been Gone,' I think the first thing that comes to mind is 'Livin' On A Prayer' - they're kind of like sisters, a little bit. And 'Call Me Maybe' was so wildly original, and so quirky, and so satisfying.”

“If I know I will be working with someone and they are not keen with writing with a girl, I like to be non-threatening and cool so they will trust me. It's a thought process of who work and how I want to present myself.”

“I think what it means to be an 'American Girl,' and what I wrote the song about, is our freedoms. The idea that we as Americans can be what we want to be and say what we want to say and that we take it for granted.”

“I was invincible. I believed all my problems were gone and I finally made it, that L.A. was my answer to everything.”

“I like big, soaring melodies and fun, splashy lyrics. Maybe like what Blondie would do in 2013.”

“'I throw my hand up in the air sometimes' is when you don't get your way - when you give up, and you're handing it over.”