The Weeknd Quotes

I love a good lyricist - always have. The thing that inspired me most was the different performers, like Tina Turner, James Brown, Michael Jackson, Madonna, even Janet Jackson.

It could be fun to sing with Prince or Michael Jackson. Justin Timberlake has an amazing new sound now.

I've always looked up to Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey for their outstanding vocal performances. I've always been inspired by them.

My earliest influence was Quincy Jones. I thought 'The Wiz' soundtrack was the most amazing thing I'd ever heard. It was my first record and you had Michael Jackson, Ted Ross, Nipsey Russell and Diana Ross on it. I even took it to show and tell in third grade!

Everything was so fresh and unique to us - it was a whole new world of music. Michael Jackson was so fresh, you know? We could approach it with such fresh ears, which wouldn't be possible if we had been listening to it when we were younger.

The artist that had the biggest impact on me was Michael Jackson. He was my Elvis and Beatles. When I was 15, I listened to a lot of Sinatra, but my jean jacket didn't have, 'I love Frank' on it, it had, 'I love AC/DC', 'Guns N Roses', 'Pearl Jam'. I thought Eddie Vedder was the second coming.

I probably wouldn't be singing if not for Michael Jackson. When I started singing, I didn't like my tone until my mom put me on to Michael Jackson and Stevie Wonder, so listening to the way they used their instrument helped me get more comfortable with my own.

As a little kid, I was obsessed with Michael Jackson.

You know how you either grow up in a Michael Jackson house or a Prince house? For me it was Michael Jackson. I could never decide whether I wanted to be Michael Jackson or marry him.

My inspiration is R. Kelly, Michael Jackson, and Prince - for the vocals, anyway.

Elton John is a huge influence and an artist I've listened to since I was a little girl.

I am a huge Michael Jackson fan.

As a kid, looking at Michael Jackson, Marvin Gaye, New Edition, the Temptations, Motown, people who I felt were huge artists, they made me wanna do something.

Even as I was trying to become a rock god, Michael Jackson was the ultimate magic rock star to me. I loved his music, his scene and style. He transcended musical categories.

Something about Mariah Carey's songs really had me wanting to sing high like her.

Michael Jackson is the greatest musical influence on me. He's my man. Musically, he is the one artist I want to be like.

When I was three years old, one of the first albums I ever heard was Michael Jackson's 'Off the Wall.'

I don't know exactly what genre to put it in, I just know that I grew up listening to a lot of soul music - Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, Prince, and Whitney Houston. I was inspired by all these great big voices, and I try to do music that's timeless.

No one can sing like June Carter so I just tried to sing my very best.

The most iconic applause I've ever seen is from a Michael Jackson show in Japan - his entrance is actually 15 minutes long, and the crowd is clapping the whole time.

Cee Lo - to me, his voice is classic; I've personally said to him before, 'For me, your voice is as special as a Michael Jackson vocal,' because of what he can do, his range. I said that to him, and I mean that.

You know, 'Paid in Full' is a classic album, man. It kind of got me to where I am now, so I can never get tired of 'Paid in Full.'

My dad used to listen to Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton, and my mom liked Michael Bolton and Roy Orbison. She was pretty big into country music, too. So there was a wealth of music being played in the house, and I kind of took it all in.

People in Russia learned English off the Beatles. People in Japan learned English off the Stone Roses. Noel Gallagher says music can't change the world, but the Roses made him want to start a group, so it changed his world.

When I was a teenager, I used to watch the 'Making Michael Jackson's 'Thriller'' video and try to follow the steps and do the 'Thriller' moves in my bedroom. That was the most incredible dance sequence.