Which jazz singer was nicknamed the “First Lady of Song”?

Jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald was nicknamed the “First Lady of Song.”

Fitzgerald earned the title because of her extraordinary vocal technique, clear tone, precise intonation, and mastery of scat singing. She became one of the most influential singers in jazz and popular music, recording more than a dozen celebrated songbook albums devoted to composers such as Cole Porter, George Gershwin, and Duke Ellington.

Her career began with a 1934 talent-contest victory at Harlem’s Apollo Theater. She later sang with Chick Webb’s orchestra before becoming a major solo performer. Her version of “A-Tisket, A-Tasket” helped establish her as a popular recording artist in 1938.

The nickname is sometimes confused with Sarah Vaughan’s “The Divine One” or Billie Holiday’s “Lady Day.” Fitzgerald’s title specifically emphasizes her broad command of the American songbook and her stature as a leading jazz vocalist.