Album turns bottled emotions into pointed dialogue

"My songs are like a hug for the inner child of a grown-up," she says. "They're always there. You can click and listen anytime."

But this time, she's not offering easy comfort.

"My earlier songs were like a blanket to curl up in," she says. "This new album is all question marks. I want you to give the answers."

It's not about telling listeners how to think, but sparking reflection.

"Maybe no one in your life talks to you about these things," she says. "I want to have that conversation through music."

At 36, she's not chasing grand career milestones. She dreams of continuing to release songs for decades, letting her work be her legacy.

"If in the future I can still hug people this way — through music — that will make me happy," she says.