Billie Holiday

American jazz singer (1915–1959)

Source-basedStable

Lived 1915–1959, aged 44United States

United States MusiciansActor

Fame37.9
Momentum0.0
United States rank#91
Musicians rank#166
Wikipedia74.5K

Wikipedia
77 languages
Cross-language footprint
Rank in United States
#91
Musicians
Era
1915–1959
Aged 44

Summary

Updated 2026-05-29

Billie Holiday shaped jazz and pop singing through her improvisational vocal style and unconventional phrasing. Nicknamed "Lady Day," her influence on how singers manipulate tempo and melody still echoes across generations.

Biography

About

Billie Holiday was an American jazz and swing music singer. Nicknamed "Lady Day" by her friend and music partner, Lester Young, Holiday made significant contributions to jazz music and pop singing. Her vocal style, strongly influenced by jazz instrumentalists, inspired a new way of manipulating phrasing and tempo. Holiday was known for her vocal delivery and improvisational skills.

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