St Vincent has shared some valuable advice about how to tackle anxiety. Speaking on this week’s episode of The Rookie Podcast, the singer answered a question from an under-confident and anxious listener.

Hosted by Tavi Gevinson, the editor of Rookie Mag, the programme opens up a platform for teenagers to talk openly about their own issues. St Vincent – real name Annie Clark – participated on the ‘Ask a Grown Man/Woman’ Q&A section, which allows young girls to pose questions to an adult guest. Delving into her own experience of anxiety as a young girl, the musician stated that she was “very, very, very shy and very anxious”. Clark explained that she “felt very uncomfortable talking to people” and “would have to make sure I knew where all the exits were if I was in any kind of public space”.

Clark explained that her uncle once told her that “no one’s looking at you and no one cares because everyone is obsessed with themselves. So that’s one thing, and know that other people are feeling the same way as you.”

She told the listener that her mantra is “fake it till you make it,” advising that “if you don’t have confidence, pretend to be a person who does, and eventually, you will have confidence because you’ll see the fruits of your reaching out to people.”

As well as recently directing a short horror film titled “The Birthday Party”, Clark has also revealed that her new album is coming on “leaps and bounds”, adding that she “is ready to get back in the ring, so to speak, because I get twitchy if I’m not doing a lot of things”.

Listen to the podcast here.