• July 11, 1996
• She was born Alessia Caracciolo in Brampton, Ontario, Canada, the daughter of Italian parents. Her mom is a hairdresser from Italy who at first spoke little English when she immigrated to Canada and her father is a first-generation welder.
• When she first thought about what she wanted to do with her life, Alessia thought her interests in painting, drawing and crafting would lead her to becoming a visual artist. It was only later she decided that singing was what she wanted.
• Alessia Cara got her start in the music world by posting acoustic cover songs to YouTube, starting when she was just 13 years old. She recorded them in her closet so she wouldn't disturb her little brother.
• She kept quiet about her music endeavors in high school. "I wanted to get through high school anonymously," Alessia told Billboard. "I didn't want to be that girl in the hallways."
• Her acoustic selection of covers grabbed the attention of Def Jam, and she signed with EP Entertainment and Def Jam Recordings in 2015. Her debut single, "Here," was based on a true story of a party that Alessia hated so much, she called her mom to pick her up and take her home.
• Alessia Cara won Best New Artist at the Grammy Awards in 2018. She described how the award helped her battle with insecurities.
  
  "I've been shown that what I've created is worth something and that people actually give a s--t," she said. "All of the years feeling like I wasn't good at anything or that I was naive for dreaming about something improbable have paid off in a way that I have yet to process."
• She is a talented mimic and can impersonate accurately such celebrities as Adele and Ariana Grande. When Alessia played Wheel of Musical Impressions on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, she nailed each one.
• She has a tattoo of a sailboat on her wrist. "It's a reminder that even though I'm small and seem weak, I'm not," Alessia explained.

Comments

More Songfacts:

JetPaul McCartney & Wings

The Australian band Jet took their name from the 1973 song of the same by Paul McCartney and Wings.

Amber311

The 311 song "Amber" is likely about Nicole Scherzinger, who was dating the band's lead singer Nick Hexum.

DiamondsRihanna

Rihanna's 2012 hit "Diamonds" was written by Sia Furler, who two years later had a huge hit on her own with "Chandelier." Sia also wrote the David Guetta hit "Titanium."

Wild BoysDuran Duran

Duran Duran's "Wild Boys" is based on the book of the same name by William Burroughs.

I Won't Back DownTom Petty

"I Won't Back Down" is a very personal song for Tom Petty. "I thought it wasn't that good because it was so naked," he said.

Old ManNeil Young

Neil Young's song "Old Man" was inspired by the caretaker of the ranch he bought in 1970. Neil was the young man at the time, just 25.

Editor's Picks

Marvin GayeFact or Fiction

Did Marvin try out with the Detroit Lions? Did he fake crazy to get out of military service? And what about the cross-dressing?

Lita FordSongwriter Interviews

Lita talks about how they wrote songs in The Runaways, and how she feels about her biggest hit being written by somebody else.

In The CardsSong Writing

Songwriters have used cards and card games to make sense of heartache, togetherness, and even Gonorrhea.

Kevin GodleySongwriter Interviews

Kevin Godley talks about directing classic videos for The Police, U2 and Duran Duran, and discusses song and videos he made with 10cc and Godley & Creme.

Dexys (Kevin Rowland and Jim Paterson)Songwriter Interviews

"Come On Eileen" was a colossal '80s hit, but the band - far more appreciated in their native UK than stateside - released just three albums before their split. Now, Dexys is back.

Millie JacksonSongwriter Interviews

Outrageously gifted and just plain outrageous, Millie is an R&B and Rap innovator.