大象传媒

Petula Clark tells the story of Ella Fitzgerald who was born on April 25, 1917.

Universally acclaimed as "The First Lady of Song," Ella Fitzgerald was the most popular female jazz singer in the world for more than half a century.

In her lifetime, Ella won 13 Grammy awards and sold over 40 million albums.

As a disadvantaged teenager, Ella won a talent competition at the Apollo Theatre in Harlem, which eventually led to her being hired by drummer / bandleader Chick Webb and, after Chick's death, Ella fronted the orchestra.

Off stage, Ella was shy and reserved but on stage, she felt right at home in the spotlight: "Once up there, I felt the acceptance and love from my audience," Ella said. "I knew I wanted to sing before people the rest of my life."

Lyricist Ira Gershwin once remarked: "I never knew how good our songs were until I heard Ella Fitzgerald sing them".

New interviews include Biographer Professor Stuart Nicholson, Ray Brown Jr, Claire Martin, Clare Teal, and from the archive, Ella Fitzgerald herself.