“When I heard Billie Holiday's voice, Nina Simone's and Ella Fitzgerald's - there was something about their voices to me that was such a different texture than what I was used to listening to at the time. Hearing those jazz voices were so different, and I think I just gravitated toward it.”

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.