“That's why I loved Dinah Washington. She sung jazz, but they called her the Queen of the Blues. She had the control and sophistication of jazz in her note selection and how to attack a song or certain lines, but then attacked it with a painful force of blues behind it. That's why I admired her so much, because of that versatility.”

American R&B singer, songwriter, and actress

Andra Day, born Cassandra Monique Batie, is an American R&B singer, songwriter, and actress. She has won a Grammy Award, a Children's and Family Emmy Award, and a Golden Globe Award, and has also been nominated for an Academy Award. She is best known for her work as a singer and performer, moving between music and acting. Her recognition spans both fields, reflecting a career that has brought her major honors in recording and screen performance.