Tessa Thompson Quotes

I think the first older artist I related to and loved was Bowie.

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.

There are artists, true performers that have come before me who have been a big inspiration to me. I hope I do the same for others.

David Bowie is such a big influence to me. Everything about him as a person is intriguing to me.

My dad would always play Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, and Anita Baker, so I fell in love with them. I would try to make my voice sound like theirs.

We've influenced other artists, and when younger generations become fans of those artists and hear about us, they discover our music too.

I look up to people like Michael Jackson because he set up pop culture.

I know when somebody's heard my music. I can hear it in their music.

When I think of artists that I would have loved to work with, it's Jimi Hendrix. And Steve McQueen. He's not a rock star, but he's kind of a rock star to me.

For me, Robbie Williams was a massive influence when I was growing up. But also Cheryl Cole. Being in her presence was intimidating, because she's so hot.

Liberace was a miracle. You talk about who he was and what he did, and then you look at who he inspired, from Elton John to Cher to Michael Jackson to Bette Midler. There are so many people that came to see him. Elvis was there, watching his shows.

People have told me that other artists have been influenced by my music, and it's flattering. It's a wonderful thing.

The rappers have gone in and created a lot of hit music based upon my influence. And they'll tell you if you ask.

Bob Dylan is as influential as any artist that there has been.

As a kid, even I knew everything about my favourite cricketers. I used to know everything possible. Now I see kids knowing about me. It feels good.

When you see all of these bands citing you as influences, it makes you feel relevant.

I just want to be an inspiration. I'm a rock star, I'm Future Hendrix.

Everything I listen to is influential in some way.

I'm pretty obsessed with Sara Bareilles. She is so talented, and I feel like I would learn so much from her.

Definitely I grew up listening to Joni Mitchell, and I think she is a wonderful writer, so she is probably part of me.

When I was born, that was the music my mother was listening to. Michael Jackson is a third parent to me.

I really like Lady GaGa and everything she is for her fans.

Sly Stone made such a huge contribution to the good feeling in the universe, and I love him as a singer.

I met David Bowie when I was 14, and he became a hero to me - because he was an artist, and because he was a genius who had the time to be kind. I'd never met such an extraordinary artist before, and I haven't since - the world will be a greyer place without him.

When I think about filmmakers and actresses that I have admired my whole life, I've admired their entire body of work.