Pop Quiz: Vanessa Carlton

Pop Quiz: Vanessa Carlton

Aidin Vaziri | With her career on the wane since scoring a mammoth hit five years ago with "A Thousand Miles," Vanessa Carlton did the only sensible thing. For her latest release, "Heroes & Thieves," the classically trained pianist and singer-songwriter signed with hip-hop mogul Irv Gotti's label the Inc., formerly Murder Inc. In the video for the album's first single, "Nolita Fairytale," she shows her tough side by destroying the piano that made her famous. Carlton also recently ended a four-year relationship with Third Eye Blind front man Stephan Jenkins, who produced part of the album.

Vanessa Carlton
Q: This is your ex-boyfriend's hometown newspaper. Would you like to reveal any embarrassing secrets about him?
A: I'm sure Stephan can do that on his own.
Q: Are you still on speaking terms?
A: Yes. In the end, we looked at this record as our child. One of the reasons our relationship morphed into a friendship is because nothing took precedence over the music. That was the top priority. No matter what was going on in the emotional realm, all we cared about was the album. It created this kinetic environment that was kind of like Fleetwood Mac. It made for better music.
Q: Are you done with relationships for a while?
A: Yes. Now I'm raising the child. This is what I'm living for right now. Everything else is extracurricular.
Q: Do you think you'll ever date another musician?
A: I'll try not to. Continue reading.