Madhuri Jagadeesh talks about five women in music who inspired her

Madhuri Jagadeesh, vocalist and co-founder of world fusion ensemble MoonArra, talks about five musicians who have inspired her as an artiste...
1. ML Vasanthakumari: She was extremely versatile and set the stage on fire with her performances. She was a very consistent performer. What inspired me about her is that she was very generous - she mentored and supported a lot of younger musicians and accompanists.
2. Angelique Kidjo: It was her individuality and uniqueness that captivated me, besides her wonderful rendition of Summertime. Though a lot of versions have come out after her's, I like her version the most. She brings music back to her roots, back to Africa.
3. Betty Carter: There have been so many famous musicians, but very few like Betty Carter. She set the bar high with her commanding voice. One can see how she has built her jazz repertoire and skill set over the years. She continued to promote jazz even when the popularity of jazz was waning.
4. Eva Cassidy: I find that very few vocalists have this purity of voice that she had. The way she sang was magical. One can truly call her melodious - there's a sweetness to her voice. She sounds so pure.
5. Sara K: She's a marvelous singer and songwriter. She writes beautiful songs and is a great singer.