Obel is influenced by artists such as Roy Orbison and also by the French composers Claude Debussy, Maurice Ravel, and Erik Satie.
She also likes Edgar Allan Poe and photographers Sibylle Bergemann, Robert Mapplethorpe, Tina Modotti, and Alfred Hitchcock.

Concerning Hitchcock, she says, "I adore his enigmatic style, his sophisticated esthetic but always with an extreme simplicity."
The cover of her first album, photographed by Berlin photographer Mali Lazell, is an 'homage' to The Birds.

Obel also likes the experimental filmmaker Maya Deren.
Sometimes, Obel tests some of her demos on Deren's movies.
Obel is also a huge fan of Nina Simone: "I have a fantastic live album by Nina Simone on which she sings “Who Knows Where the Time Goes”.
Her vocals seem to come out of nowhere.
Magic."
In addition to classical music, Obel listens to artists like Mort Garson (The Zodiac – Cosmic Sounds), The Smiths (How Soon Is Now?),
and Françoise Hardy (Où va la chance).

In February 2017, and after her covers of John Cale and Jeff Buckley songs, Agnes Obel performed "Hallelujah" in a tribute to the late Leonard Cohen at the 'Victoire de la Musique 2017'.
Obel is influenced by artists such as Roy Orbison and also by the French composers Claude Debussy, Maurice Ravel, and Erik Satie. She also likes Edgar Allan Poe and photographers Sibylle Bergemann, Robert Mapplethorpe, Tina Modotti, and Alfred Hitchcock.
Concerning Hitchcock, she says, "I adore his enigmatic style, his sophisticated esthetic but always with an extreme simplicity." The cover of her first album, photographed by Berlin photographer Mali Lazell, is an 'homage' to The Birds.
Obel also likes the experimental filmmaker Maya Deren. Sometimes, Obel tests some of her demos on Deren's movies. Obel is also a huge fan of Nina Simone: "I have a fantastic live album by Nina Simone on which she sings “Who Knows Where the Time Goes”. Her vocals seem to come out of nowhere. Magic." In addition to classical music, Obel listens to artists like Mort Garson (The Zodiac – Cosmic Sounds), The Smiths (How Soon Is Now?), and Françoise Hardy (Où va la chance).
In February 2017, and after her covers of John Cale and Jeff Buckley songs, Agnes Obel performed "Hallelujah" in a tribute to the late Leonard Cohen at the 'Victoire de la Musique 2017'.
Agnes Obel