You can call it an obsession. I won't kill you for it.

I know. My obsession with this woman grows deeper by the day but I can't help it. I've reached the age where I feel stable enough - emotionally that is - to listen to her music regularly. It's so rich in emotions of pain and suffering and melancholy. I do still struggle with 'Strange Fruit' but I have 'No Regrets' and 'Lover Man' which are much lighter offerings. I prefer the post-1930s Billie Holiday. Although she was not as strong vocally, her ability to convey the true sentiments behind lyrics is unfathomable and pretty much unmatched. I also happen to adore this portrait of her. She looks very ladylike and delicate yet there's strength and toughness in her eyes and the gaze she's holding. A modern-day woman trapped in the confines of an old-fashioned society.

I love you Ms Holiday :)