I think the women - Lauryn Hill, Mary J. Blige, Erykah Badu - are doing new conceptual things and using their voices to create new American music.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
I love the music of Lauryn Hill and Erykah Badu and more recently the music of Laura Marling. All these women share a strength and a wisdom in their voices and music that really makes me want to make music and sing.
There are hundreds of people running around with great voices. If they would study and develop them they could become great singers.
Don't get me wrong, I've seen some very excellent women musicians.
I was just obsessed with soul singers who had these big powerful voices. I used to listen to Aretha, Whitney, Mariah and try and imitate them, note for note and riff for riff.
Women are a key part of the sound of the groups that accompany male singers like Kirk Franklin, Israel Houghton, and myself.
There's no question that many more women artists are showing worldwide now than they were when I was a young woman, and that's really great.
There are so many great singers out there.
Women's music is underrepresented.
There have never been so many women in the music industry, but they're doing ballads and pop. Where's the new Joan Jetts and the Wanda Jacksons and the Debbie Harrys, all these strong women? I wanna be the woman that rocks.
I look up to Tegan & Sara, obviously, Adele and Natalie Maines from the Dixie Chicks. All these artists are strong in their convictions, and they haven't changed who they are for the music business.