In this Women Who Rock video, Macy Gray talks to Rolling Stone about jazz legend Billie Holiday’s deep influence on her singing career. 

“I would listen to Billie Holiday and I would practice on her records,” says R&B-soul singer-songwriter Gray. “I remember thinking that that was the kind of records I wanted to make… When I heard her, I was kind of relieved – not that what she does is easy, but I felt like I didn’t have to get up there and be Whitney Houston in order to pull it off.”

Gray’s sixth studio album, Covered, was released earlier this year.