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The Weeknd (Abel Tesfaye) also grew up in Toronto, Canada which gives me a slightly stronger connection with him and his music. A lot of his lyrics mentions what it is like living in Canada and the rougher side of Toronto. I see The Weeknd as a modern era Michael Jackson because both of their sounds are very similar in terms of music and vocally. They both have amazing falsettos which is also something I am trying to perfect with my voice. Every time I need some inspiration for any of my projects or work, I'll always look back at The Weeknd's live performances or his older tracks when he was initially starting out. Without a doubt, The Weeknd is one of my biggest influences when it comes to my music. (Biography, 2021)

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I spent my childhood growing up in Toronto, Canada. I both produce music as well as sing, making music like Dark RnB, Trap, Alternative Pop, etc. Both my parents are singers and my grandfather was a songwriter which means I grew up in a musical household which also inspired me to continue down a musical path. I merge my own culture into mainstream music such as singing in both Punjabi and English with a mainstream sounding instrumental. My biggest inspiration and idol for music is The Weeknd and Michael Jackson as they have put their mark on the music industry in a unique way which I hope to see myself doing in the future but representing Punjabis. Hopefully in the coming future I'll be able to perform in arenas or big stages.

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Michael Jackson was known as The King of Pop and was the most renowned artists of the 80s and 90s. He inspired many musicians that came after him and still has a massive impact on the music industry to this day. His creative mindset was also his strongest suit making each song sound different than the other. His falsetto was immaculate and garnered a lot of attention from a wide audience. His sound is what has inspired me to create the type of music I do today. His versatility with many different genres is something I look up to as well making sure that I am not bound to only one sound, but able to create something special with any instrumental. (Biography, 2023)

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James Brown was known as the Godfather of Soul and inspired many legends including Michael Jackson. He grew up in Augusta, Georgia where his neighbours had taught him how to play certain instruments such as drums, guitar and piano. His dance moves as well as his rhythm and singing influenced Michael Jackson to sing with soul and passion. Brown would use a lot of vocal techniques that inspired Michael Jackson such as using grunts and shouts as he sings. (How did James Brown influence Michael Jackson? (n.d.). Quora.)

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Like many, David Bowie had a keen interest in music from a young age. Born and raised in South London, England, David Bowie had a rough childhood but music kept his mind together, therefore he continued to pursue his career. In the early 1970s, David Bowie rose to stardom and from then on, became an international sensation and one of the biggest influences till this current generation. The Weeknd had mentioned that David Bowie was one of his biggest inspirations as his sound was always unique and he considered Bowie as a brilliant innovator. (Biography, 2022)

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Siouxsie and The Banshees were a key element to the music industry when it came to reshaping punk and rock. The British band was known to be one of the founders of the Goth genre due to their gritty and dark sounds and appearance. The group had merged the sounds of pop with rock and grunge in order to create their own sound and they rose to stardom around the 1990s. This group was a big inspiration for The Weeknd back in 2012 when he had released his first three mixtapes. There were many songs on his mixtapes that had sampled Siouxsie and The Banshees and even one of his biggest songs today known as, "House of Balloons/Glass Table Girls," samples the song, "Happy House," by the group. (Classic Rock, 2021)

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Jackie Wilson, also known as, "Mr. Excitement," an influential musician from the 50s and 60s, born and raised in Detroit Michigan, known for his amazing vocal range and dance moves, inspired many artists ahead of his time. Jackie initially did gospel singing but after joining a band, he went solo and made a name for himself. In this case, James Brown was someone heavily inspired by Jackie Wilson. James Brown took certain elements from Wilson such a his stage presence and his charisma. A lot of dance moves James Brown had performed were heavily inspired by Wilson himself. Wilson was known to create one of the biggest shifts in the music industry, slowly transitioning from RnB to creating the Pop genre. (Britannica, 2024)

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Diana Ross was born in Detroit, Michigan and became a well renowned singer in the 60s once she had formed the group, the Supremes. She had multiple hit songs that went number one of billboards and she was even nominated for an Oscar. Eventually, in the early 70s, she went solo and still continued to wow her fans with her talent and music. Diana Ross is an inspiration to many artists of this generation as well as artists from her time as well. Diana had inspired Michael Jackson when it came to his early sound while he was apart of Jackson 5 as well as his fashion sense in the future. She also played a big role as his mentor while he was shifting from being the lead singer of Jackson 5 to then becoming a solo artist. (Biography, 2021)

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Prince was a worldwide sensation, known for his ability to play practically any instrument he had touched, his exaggerated outfits, dance moves, etc. He was in the same era as Michael Jackson which mean there was always a continuous rivalry between the two artists. Nonetheless, Prince was still praised as one of the greatest artists and still is known to be a legend many years after his passing. He was one of the first artists to sing about more controversial topics such as mentioning religion in some songs as well as adding sexual themes. This controversy is what made him gain more attention. It's quite visible how The Weeknd is inspired by Prince on a more musical and lyrical level. The Weeknd has been known to sing about controversial topics such as drugs, money and sex over the years. These were some of the same topics Prince would sing about during his time as well. (Biography, 2021)