Barbra Streisand

USA, 1960–now

American singer and actress (b. 1942), among the best-selling recording artists of all time. She moved from Broadway (Funny Girl) to a long run of chart-topping albums, working in a dramatic traditional-pop style.

MusicRoots documents 3 artists who influenced Barbra Streisand and 1 artist Barbra Streisand influenced in turn. Every connection cites a published source.

Who influenced Barbra Streisand?

• Édith Piaf — Streisand admired Édith Piaf's stormy, all-in emotional delivery — the intensity of Piaf's tours de force is a model for her own dramatic singing.
• Frank Sinatra — Frank Sinatra's phrasing and interpretive command of the Great American Songbook are among the touchstones behind Streisand's traditional-pop artistry.
• Laura Nyro — Named by Streisand among the writers she admired, alongside Fanny Brice, Sinatra and Sondheim.

Which artists did Barbra Streisand influence?

• Céline Dion — Barbra Streisand is Céline Dion's great vocal idol — Dion has often cited Streisand's voice as her model, and the two recorded the duet 'Tell Him' in 1997.