I want to sing like Aretha Franklin. Before her I wanted the technical ability of Ella Fitzgerald.
Other than the 'Sesame Street' soundtrack, which I was obsessed with, the first artist I really felt I'd discovered on my own was Amy Winehouse. She was the first female artist I wanted to write like and sing like and be like.
Bowie's obviously my biggest influence.
David Bowie has always been my vocal inspiration ever since I was a child.
I was an Elvis freak. That's all I listened to growing up.
I just have to accept that I won't ever be Al Green, which is a hard pill to swallow.
One of my biggest influences is Mac Miller, so to follow in his footsteps would be incredible. He's definitely a big inspiration to me.
I have a Stratocaster, which is part of my long, doomed ambition to become Jimi Hendrix.
By the time I was 14, I had seen only three Tamil films - 'Anjali,' 'Bombay,' and 'Puthiya Mugam.' And I loved the music in the films. When I found out Rahman sir was the man behind the music, I made up my mind that I wanted to sing for him.
When I'm about to train a new opera, I first listen to how Jussi Björling did it. His voice was unique and it's his path that I want to follow. I would more than anything else wish that people compared me with Jussi Björling. It's like so I'm striving to sing.
I think I always wished I could play guitar as well as Jimi Hendrix.
I can't play a solo without thinking about John Jorgenson. I always think about what he would do.
