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Amy Winehouse has been a musical influence on me from a very young age, i have always loved jazz and gospel music. I took an interest in her unique vocals and interpretation on the jazz and gospel genre as a style of music i liked to listen to and preform myself, Amys voice warped and influenced how i personally liked my own singing style to be, with her vibrato and use of control in her voice. Her expressive contralto vocals were always something that drew me to her music and music alike. The strong and emotional technical ability she had was something i looked up to and wanted to integrate into the music i listened to, preformed and created.

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Hozier influenced me through his strong and creative lyrical ability and writing. His tonality was similar to blues and gospel genres which i always loved to listen to. The emotion and stories portrayed in his lyrics were always so expressive and resonated with me when i listened. An artists who has something to say and has meaning behind their songs is always worth listening to and appreciating. His music conveyed raw and authentic portrayal of emotion which is something i think is getting harder and harder to find in modern music today especially the pop genre, so Hoziers music has always influenced the want for originality in music to which i hope to either make or produce in the future. 

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Sarah Vaughan was a significant influence in the jazz genre, referred to as the "sassy" or "The Divine One" she was seen as one f the greatest jazz singers, lived for her vibrato and ability to control her voice as well as delivering tones of richness within her music was inspirational to other jazz admirers and singers (National Endowment). Sarahs journey in music started at the Baptist church in Newark where she was from and she got her first big performance from winning a contest at the Apollo which led her to be hired by Earl Hines and his band where she was their second pianist and singer. Gaining recognition through her first recoding "ill wait and Pray" and "it's Magic which sold 2 million copies, Sarah was loved by many jazz artists such as Tony Bennett who commented " The finest singer in the world"  and Frank Sinatra "A singer who sings so good" (Sarah Vaughan, Concord). Sarah was apart of ensambles and groups throughout her career such as a group which featured Eckstine and Hines, Charlie Parker, and Dizzy Gillespie, Sarah and the groups she was apart of were said to have had a significant influence in the creation and growing popularity of Bebop. (Jazzwise, 2024). Sarah was very special to Amy Winehouse, Amy notes that "Sarah Vaughan is one of my favourite singers of all time. She in an instrument" (The Guardian 2012). 

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It's no doubt that Ella Fitzgerald has a huge impact on the music industry  in her time. She earned the title "First Lady of Song" and came to be the most popular female jazz singer in the US, winning 13 Grammy awards and selling 40 million albums in her time (Ella Fitzgerald Biography). Ella Fitzgerald had a raw and authentic voice it was described as flexible and having wide range. Ella started her career through winning a draw at the Apollo which allowed her to preform in a live theatre, Benny Carter a saxophonist was impressed with her vocal talent and helped Ella with contacts that helped to launch her career (Ella Fitzgerald Biography). Her first hit in the music industry turned out to be nursery rhyme which was "A-Tisket, A-Tasket" which sold 1 million copies and hit top of the charts, leading her to go on with world wide recognition leading to her to opportunities to play with artist such as Frank Sinatra. Although Amy has not spoken much on Ella Fitzgerald it is known that Ella has some influence on her music or at least that Amy had respect for her music, Amy commented "Ella Fitzgerald knew how to carry a tune" (The Guardian 2012) and did cover one of Fitzgeralds songs "Someone to watch over me" in 2008. 

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Franks Sinatra was huge influence in the music industry, even years after hi s death he is remembered for his music and social presence. Frank has been described as one of the best vocalist of the 20th century (Grammy Museum 2020). Starting our as a front singer for bands during WWII in New jersey where he was from he quickly turned heads and became noticed for his singing ability he was admired for his strong and controlled vocal style which was smooth and romantic. Sinatra brought popularity to Jazz when melding romantic lyrics and rhythm to his songs quickly gaining traction in the music industry with hits such as "My Way", "Try a Little Tenderness". Having a rollercoaster of a career that had ups and downs Frank was a major part in the music industry as well as the acting business with him being in many films during his days in HollyWood, there were dips in his career but he always had a come back and was never forgotten along with his music. Frank had a major role in Amy Winehouse's life as well as inspiration for her music, her famous album "Frank" was in reference to the singer and when asked about this in a interview Amy tells "First singer i probably listened to" speaking on her life growing up and explains how Frank was a big part in her household with her parents being fans majorly her father and this led her to grow up with his music "he reminded me of my dad in a strange way" (Interview at Solstice Festival 2004). 

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Nina was known as the queen of soul, playing piano and singing a jazzed gospel blend that reflected civil right issues within the world that surrounded her. Formally trained in piano from a young age by 1954 Nina had progressed her talent and started singing in bars which is when she adopted her stage name ‘Nina’, in 1958 she released her debut album ‘Little Girl Blue’ this led to her top 20 hit with her interpretation of “i Loves you, Porgy” (National Women History 2020-2022). Described as a musical storyteller which perosnifeid love, freedom, and empowerment, Nina shaped and fought for womens right through her music (Nina Simone Biography). Ninas raw and natural vocals captured listeners and immersed them in her story and messages in which you could tell she so passionately feeling and trying ot portray which to an audience was a hugely impactful characteristics to hear in music, commented in a musical anayalisi by Jessie L. Freyermuth “ the perfect blend of rough growl and smooth tone” which then led to a effect of “unquestionable feeling of heartache” (Kansas State University Musical Analysis 2010). Hozier drew infklujce from Nina through her ability to talk a story through music, an interview with the Guardian shows hozier commenting “"I think it all started with Nina Simone," he says. "When I was maybe seven or eight I used to listen to one of her albums every night before I went to sleep. For me her voice was everything." ( The Guardian 2014).

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Van Morrison was a singer/ songwriter, born in Belfast in 1945, van Morrison grew up listening to the blues and jazz sound. He played multiple instruments such as the guitar, sax and harmonica. ( Songwriters hall of fame 2024). Playing in multiple groups and band over the years and eventually going into a solo career in 1967, many of his songs portrayed jazz and irish folk. (Songwriters hall fo fame). Vans vocal talents and his lyrical sense made him quite established in the music world which led him to release hits such as ‘Brown Eyed Girl’ ( Van Morrison Biography). Hozier drew influence from vans lyrical talents and interpretations on irish folk in his songs, Hozier commented in an interview with Hot Press ‘His influence on me was significant, It offered an example of how soul music could be interpreted through an irish outlook and voice’. (Hot Press 2020). 

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With a broad musical interest and talent for genres such as rock, jazz, values and intudstual music, Tom Waits has been deszcibed as someone who can ‘capture the american song in one voice’ ( Rough Trade ‘In Profile’ 2023). From Claifornia Tom fistr started preforming as a young boy who sang San Diego folk  music circuit. Toms Career was full of experience and different takes on the music world, his style seemed to involve a darker theme and theatrical type of artistic expression, filled with ‘morbid nursery rhymes, junkwayrd blues as well as rock music with a uncovental twist’. ( Grammy Awards, Songbook 2023). Although he hasnt toured and years his agent Paul Cgalres has commented that ‘Tom waits is writing again’ and there is hope that heh may tour again ( Consequence sound: 2023). Hozier drew inspriarrtion from tom in an interview Hozier said “ looked up to the most were all songwriters so I had an obsession with people like Tom Waits who was a huge influence. I think it was born from that. I just wanted to be and do what those people do.” ( Bedroom Disco, 2014).