St Vincent was ''very very shy and anxious'' as a teenager.

The 34-year-old singer - real name Annie Clark - has opened up about her own struggle with anxiety, and admits she often used to spend time working out where ''all the exits were'' when she was in a public space as she was ''uncomfortable'' being around other people.

She said: ''My uncle gave me advice when I was probably 15 and I was also very, very shy, and very anxious, and would have to make sure I knew where all the exits were if I was in any kind of public space, and was very uncomfortable talking to people, and I think one thing that really helped me was to know that - and it sounds like not quite a good thing, but that no one's looking at you and no one cares because everyone is obsessed with themselves.''

The 'Birth In Reverse' star - who previously dated model Cara Delevingne and actress Kristen Stewart - then urged her fans who might be going through the same issues to ''fake it until you make it'' and to ''pretend'' to have confidence if they find themselves unable to talk to people.

Speaking during the 'Ask a Grown' segment of 'The Rookie Podcast', the 'Digital Witness' hitmaker said: ''So that's one thing and know that other people are feeling the same way as you, and two I think the faking it till you make it thing is very real.

''If you don't have confidence, pretend to be a person who does, and eventually you will have confidence 'cause you'll see the fruits of your reaching out to people, but mainly no one's looking at you and no one cares 'cause they're all thinking about themselves.''