Icons and Influences
Syd on Erykah Badu: “She Makes What She Needs to Make”
Erykah Badu has been one of Syd’s biggest influences from childhood. When they finally met, “It was amazing”
Aespa on How BoA Changed the K-Pop Game: ‘She Never Loses Her Passion, and People See That’
Karina, Giselle, Winter, and Ningning pay tribute to one of their biggest heroes — and share what they learned from working with her
Kesha on Dolly Parton: ‘She’s a Guiding Light, and Has No Idea’
“I don’t ever want to put out any music that Dolly Parton wouldn’t enjoy or listen to, or find some humor in.”
Alessia Cara on Alanis Morissette: ‘Honesty Has the Most Longevity’
Cara first heard Morissette’s music in sixth grade, and her influence has been felt ever since
Rhiannon Giddens on Her ‘Lodestar’ Peggy Seeger
“She’s definitely getting more kudos in her silver years,” Giddens says. “Let’s build on that”
Ivy Queen on the Irreplaceable Influence of Celia Cruz
“She’s had so much of an impact — not just because of her voice, but because of how she fought back, how she struggled because of her color, because of how she looked”
