Don’t compromise yourself. You’re all you’ve got.

Janis Joplin was a blues-loving singer from Texas who defied convention to become one of rock music’s greatest voices. The raw intensity of her vocals, combined with a personality described as “rough around the edges, vulnerable and charismatic,” wowed critics, wooed fans, and catapulted her to fame after her electrifying performance at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967. Joplin’s star was still on the rise in 1969 when she offered these words of wisdom, perhaps reflecting on how the trajectory of her success was a direct result of being true to herself. Though she died in 1970 at the age of 27, Joplin’s influence lives on in her music, which paved the way for the next generation of female rock singers.