--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I want to sing like Aretha Franklin…" description: "\"I want to sing like Aretha Franklin. Before her I wanted the technical ability of Ella Fitzgerald.\" — Lena Horne" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80e/lena-horne-15555_ability_i-want-to-sing-like-aretha-franklin-befo_646126.jpg" --- # I want to sing like Aretha Franklin. Before her I wanted… ![“I want to sing like Aretha Franklin. Before her I wanted the technical ability of Ella Fitzgerald.” quote by Lena Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80e/lena-horne-15555_ability_i-want-to-sing-like-aretha-franklin-befo_646126.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80e/lena-horne-15555_ability_i-want-to-sing-like-aretha-franklin-befo_646126.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/80e/lena-horne-15555_ability_i-want-to-sing-like-aretha-franklin-befo_646126.jpg) > “I want to sing like Aretha Franklin. Before her I wanted the technical ability of Ella Fitzgerald.” [Lena Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-horne/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. She aspires to combine Aretha's soulful expression with Ella's technical mastery **In simple terms:** She wants soulful singing and technical skill together Key Takeaway Blend emotion with technique Themes ambition musical growth inspiration Mood determined hopeful Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - concert performance - recording sessions - vocal training - career development Key Concepts vocal technique emotional expression role models Questions to Reflect On - How can you practice technical skills without losing feeling? - Which aspect feels more natural to you? A Different Perspective Balancing emotion and technique can be challenging for some singers ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) ## Related quotes > [I've always been attracted to music, and women like Aretha Franklin, Beyonce, Nina Simone, Ella Fitzgerald and Tina Turner showed the path, in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pearl-mackie/i-ve-always-been-attracted-to-music-and-women-like-aretha-franklin/) [Pearl Mackie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pearl-mackie/) > [I can't sing like Aretha Franklin as much as I wish I could. And I don't sing like Etta James and the Judds as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-shires/i-can-t-sing-like-aretha-franklin-as-much-as-i-wish-i-could-and-i-don/) [Amanda Shires](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-shires/) > [I was told all my life to sing like Aretha Franklin, or Adele, cover myself with black clothing and show more soul, sing bigger.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/netta-barzilai/i-was-told-all-my-life-to-sing-like-aretha-franklin-or-adele-cover/) [Netta Barzilai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/netta-barzilai/) > [Hey, I'm like Aretha Franklin, I don't get no R -S -P -E -C -T around here!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/si-robertson/hey-i-m-like-aretha-franklin-i-don-t-get-no-r-s-p-e-c-t-around-here/) [Si Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/si-robertson/) > [I know I'm not going to sing like Aretha Franklin or Elvis Presley or any of those people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-thorogood/i-know-i-m-not-going-to-sing-like-aretha-franklin-or-elvis-presley-or/) [George Thorogood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-thorogood/) > [Being around people like Aretha Franklin and Gladys Knight, Dionne Warwick and Roberta Flack, all these greats, I was taught to listen and observe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitney-houston/being-around-people-like-aretha-franklin-and-gladys-knight-dionne/) [Whitney Houston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitney-houston/) > [Being around people like Aretha Franklin, Gladys Knight, Dionne Warwick and Roberta Flack...had a great impact on me as a singer, as a performer,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whitney-houston/being-around-people-like-aretha-franklin-gladys-knight-dionne-warwick/) [Whitney Houston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whitney-houston/) > [People like me and Aretha Franklin and Joe Tex, we had predicted that inside of five years disco would be all over, that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilson-pickett/people-like-me-and-aretha-franklin-and-joe-tex-we-had-predicted-that/) [Wilson Pickett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilson-pickett/) > [There are days when I'm completely obsessed with Kate Bush, and there are days when I'm completely obsessed with the Eurythmics. 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All I can do is sing like Fivio Foreign and pray to God that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fivio-foreign/i-can-t-say-damn-i-want-to-sing-like-beyonce-all-i-can-do-is-sing/) [Fivio Foreign](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fivio-foreign/) > [Tentatively I stood a great lump of wood on the chopping block and bought the axe down on it. It flew into two perfect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-garner/tentatively-i-stood-a-great-lump-of-wood-on-the-chopping-block-and/) [Helen Garner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-garner/) ## More by Lena Horne > [It's so nice to get flowers while you can still smell the fragrance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-horne/it-s-so-nice-to-get-flowers-while-you-can-still-smell-the-fragrance/) [Lena Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-horne/) > [It's not the load that breaks you down, it's the way you carry it. 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He's a way of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-horne/count-basie-isn-t-just-a-man-or-even-just-a-band-he-s-a-way-of-life/) [Lena Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-horne/) > [I had my schooling right there in the Cotton Club.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-horne/i-had-my-schooling-right-there-in-the-cotton-club/) [Lena Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-horne/) > [After I got over the terrible pain of having something of mine taken from me, I began to think how bad everybody else must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-horne/after-i-got-over-the-terrible-pain-of-having-something-of-mine-taken/) [Lena Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-horne/) > [I really do hate to sing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-horne/i-really-do-hate-to-sing/) [Lena Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-horne/) > [A little nepotism never hurt nobody, honey. If you got it, use it. Press on with it. Remind them of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-horne/a-little-nepotism-never-hurt-nobody-honey-if-you-got-it-use-it-press/) [Lena Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-horne/) > [“I disconnected myself to shield myself from people who would sway to my songs in the club and call me 'nigger' in the street.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-horne/i-disconnected-myself-to-shield-myself-from-people-who-would-sway-to/) [Lena Horne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-horne/) [Explore all 42 Lena Horne quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-horne/) ## More Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [“the importance of ability. 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Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) > [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/) [Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/) [Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/) [Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I want to sing like Aretha Franklin. 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