Alessia Cara Biography

Alessia Caracciolo, known professionally as Alessia Cara, was born on July 11, 1996, in Ontario, Canada. She grew up in the Brampton area, where she began writing lyrics and playing guitar at a young age, starting her musical journey while still in elementary school. By her teenage years, she had begun performing covers of popular songs and sharing her videos on YouTube, which laid the foundation for her career.

In 2014, Cara signed a recording deal with EP Entertainment and Def Jam Recordings. She released her debut single, "Here," in 2015, which became an international hit. The song peaked at number 19 on the Canadian Hot 100 chart and reached number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States. A live performance of "Here" on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon during the summer further increased her popularity and led to her successful album debut.

Cara's first studio album, Know-It-All, was released in late 2015 and achieved significant commercial success. The album peaked at number eight on the Canadian Albums Chart and number nine on the Billboard 200. Additionally, it earned Cara a Breakthrough Artist of the Year Juno Award. The album included notable singles such as "Wild Things" and "Scars to Your Beautiful," the latter of which became her most recognized song, reaching number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2016.

In 2016, Alessia Cara toured as the opening act for Coldplay during their European and North American tours. That same year, her single "How Far I'll Go," featured in the Disney film Moana, contributed to her growing recognition in the music industry. Cara's collaborations, including work with DJ Zedd on the single "Stay" and with Khalid on Logic's "1-800-273-8255," further solidified her presence in popular music, with "Stay" achieving seven-times platinum status in Canada.

Throughout her career, Alessia Cara has received four Grammy Award nominations, winning Best New Artist in 2018, which made her the first Canadian artist to win this award. She was also nominated for Song of the Year and Record of the Year at the 2019 Latin Grammys for her collaboration with Juanes on "Querer Mejor." Her second studio album, The Pains of Growing, released in 2018, featured moderate commercial successes and garnered her awards, including the Juno Award for Album of the Year.

Alessia Cara's third album, In the Meantime, was released in 2021 and received generally positive reviews from critics. Her fourth album, Love & Hyperbole, is anticipated for release on February 14, 2025, and has already garnered favorable reviews from both critics and listeners. As a prominent figure in contemporary music, Alessia Cara continues to show promise for future success.