Cecile McLorin Salvant

It takes me a

It takes me a lot of time, and it’s almost frustrating for the guys sometimes because they’re waiting for a new song. And I – it’s just so important for me to get the perfect, exact, right song. Cecile McLorin Salvant

I just don’t like

I just don’t like to be in my own – I’m already myself, so I don’t like to be in my own – like, watch myself. Cecile McLorin Salvant

I think I’m fascinated

I think I’m fascinated with history and – just in general. And I’m always interested in how did – how did this come to be? Why is this the way it is? And even singing classical voice, I quickly became more and more interested with early music, baroque voice. And that became an obsession to … Read more

Just reading that –

Just reading that – just reading that a person can be black and still perform in blackface, making fun of black people for a living, and at the same time be a genius and be an incredible entertainer and at the same time be extremely conflicted and feel like – just feel terrible for doing … Read more

I think when black

I think when black performers performed in blackface, they were kind of taking back slave songs, but it was still a little bit iffy because they were performing, a lot of times, for white audiences who found it hilarious. Cecile McLorin Salvant

I just became obsessed

I just became obsessed with looking for new singers, unknown singers, people that maybe have been forgotten, and really checking them out and analyzing what they do – and obsessive listening. I think that’s the core of my work on music – has been just listening to things and listening to singers. Cecile McLorin Salvant

I did everything I

I did everything I could to not bring in any of the – any of the technical things I got from classical into jazz. And I did everything to really base it on my speaking voice and to just not try to make it sound pretty. Cecile McLorin Salvant

I remember in school

I remember in school – in elementary school – I used to recite poems. We’d have to recite poems. And I would always just, like, roll on the floor, like, just make it such a huge, melodramatic portrayal of whatever it was. Cecile McLorin Salvant

I had a hole

I had a hole in my voice. It’s an area in the voice where it’s air. It’s just – there’s no – it’s just very airy. And my classical teachers were just so frustrated with me because I would have these deep, low notes that were really strong, and the higher register was strong, but … Read more

I don’t like being

I don’t like being the focus of attention. It makes me very uncomfortable. And it’s part of the reason I never look at videos of myself, or I very rarely listen to my music or even read things that I might’ve said. Cecile McLorin Salvant