Alessia Cara facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alessia Cara
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Alessia Cara at the 2018 Capital Pride Concert, Washington, D.C.
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Alessia Caracciolo
July 11, 1996 Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
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| Years active | 2015–present |
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Alessia Caracciolo (born July 11, 1996), known professionally as Alessia Cara, is a talented Canadian singer and songwriter. She started her journey by sharing song covers on YouTube when she was just 13 years old. After gaining attention online, she signed with record labels in 2014. Her first official song, "Here", came out in 2015. It became a big hit, reaching high spots on music charts in both Canada and the United States.
Alessia's first album, Know-It-All (2015), was also very successful. It featured popular songs like "Scars to Your Beautiful". Later, in 2017, she teamed up with DJ Zedd for the hit song "Stay". She also joined Logic and Khalid on their important song "1-800-273-8255".
In 2018, Alessia Cara made history by winning the Grammy Award for Best New Artist, becoming the first Canadian artist to achieve this honor. Her second album, The Pains of Growing (2018), included singles like "Growing Pains" and "Trust My Lonely". This album earned her several Juno Awards. Her third album, In the Meantime, was released in 2021. Her fourth album, Love & Hyperbole, followed on February 14, 2025, and was well-received by fans and critics.
Contents
Early Life and Musical Beginnings
Alessia Cara was born on July 11, 1996, in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada. She grew up in Brampton. Her family comes from Calabria, Italy, and she can speak Italian fluently. As a child, Alessia loved writing poetry and performing in school plays.
She started playing the guitar at age 10 and taught herself many songs. When she was 13, she created her own YouTube channel. On her channel, she posted videos of herself singing covers of popular songs. She looked up to artists like Justin Bieber as a career inspiration.
Music Career Highlights
Starting Out and First Album: Know-It-All (2014–2017)
In July 2014, Alessia signed a management deal in New York. She soon began working on her first album. She chose the professional name Alessia Cara. In April 2015, she released her first official song, "Here". MTV described it as "a song for everyone who secretly hates parties." The song was inspired by her own experience of feeling uncomfortable at a party.
"Here" quickly became a "must-hear song" and was listed among the best songs of 2015 by Rolling Stone. Alessia made her television debut on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in July 2015. She then released an EP called Four Pink Walls. Her first full album, Know-It-All, came out on November 13, 2015.
From January to April 2016, Alessia went on her first tour, the "Know-It-All Tour," across the US and Canada. She was recognized as Breakthrough Artist of the Year at the 2016 Juno Awards. In March 2016, she released the music video for "Wild Things". She also joined the band Coldplay as a supporting act for parts of their tour.
In June 2016, Alessia was featured on a new version of Troye Sivan's song "Wild". She also performed at the famous Glastonbury Festival. Later that year, she released her version of "How Far I'll Go" for the Disney movie Moana. The music video for this song has been watched over 270 million times on YouTube.
In February 2017, Alessia performed as the musical guest on Saturday Night Live. She collaborated with Zedd on the song "Stay", and its music video was released in April 2017. She also joined Logic and Khalid on their powerful song "1-800-273-8255", which came out in April 2017.
Grammy Win and The Pains of Growing (2018–2020)
On January 28, 2018, Alessia Cara won the Grammy Award for Best New Artist. This made her the first Canadian artist to ever win this prestigious award. Winning the Grammy was a huge moment, but it also brought some challenges. Alessia faced strong negative reactions from some people, which led her to take a short break from social media.
In June 2018, Alessia released a new single called "Growing Pains". Its music video was nominated for an MTV Video Music Award. For her birthday in July 2018, she released "A Little More," a song she wrote and produced herself. In September 2018, she performed at the halftime show for the 106th Grey Cup in Canada.
Alessia's second album, The Pains of Growing, was released on November 30, 2018. It quickly reached number one on the US iTunes Pop Charts. The album featured songs like "Trust My Lonely" and "Out of Love". She also collaborated with Alec Benjamin on "Let Me Down Slowly" in January 2019.
In February 2019, Alessia joined Shawn Mendes as an opening act for his world tour. She also went on her own "The Pains of Growing Tour" in Canada. In July 2019, she announced an EP called This Summer, which was released on September 6, 2019. It included singles like "Ready" and "Rooting for You".
Alessia also worked with the band Bastille on their song "Another Place" in November 2019. In April 2020, she released "I Choose" for the Netflix animated movie The Willoughbys, where she also voiced the character Jane Willoughby. In July 2020, she released a live EP, This Summer: Live Off The Floor, with all proceeds going to Save The Children.
New Music and Albums: In the Meantime and Love & Hyperbole (2021–Present)
On July 2, 2021, Alessia announced two new singles, "Sweet Dream" and "Shapeshifter," from her third album. Their music videos were released later that month. In August 2021, she released "The Use In Trying" for PAW Patrol: The Movie and "Feel You Now" for Blade Runner: Black Lotus.
Her third album, In the Meantime, was released on September 24, 2021. Critics praised the album for its honest and personal lyrics. She also collaborated with the Mexican rock band The Warning on a cover of "Enter Sandman" for a tribute album. This cover was famously used in a trailer for the video game Marvel's Midnight Suns.
In 2023, Alessia joined other artists to record a charity single, "What I Wouldn't Do", to support youth mental health through the Kids Help Phone's Feel Out Loud campaign.
In August 2023, Alessia confirmed she was working on her fourth album. The first single, "Dead Man", and its music video were released on July 19, 2024. Her fourth album, Love & Hyperbole, was released on February 14, 2025, and received positive reviews. In August 2025, Alessia surprised fans by joining the Jonas Brothers on their tour to perform "Scars to Your Beautiful". A deluxe edition of Love & Hyperbole was released on October 24, 2025, with new songs and remixes. In December 2025, Alessia performed with Canadian singer Bryan Adams for a holiday special.
Personal Life and Interests
Alessia lives in Toronto, Canada. She has shared that she experiences synesthesia, which means she can sometimes 'see' sounds as colors. She also has a common skin condition called keratosis pilaris and a condition that causes hair loss, alopecia areata. Alessia has been open about her experiences with mental health and difficulty sleeping, known as insomnia, encouraging others to talk about these important topics. She holds dual citizenship for both Canada and Italy.
Musical Style and Influences
Alessia Cara is known for her pop, R&B, alternative R&B, indie pop, and soul music. She has mentioned many artists who inspire her, including Lauryn Hill, Adele, Amy Winehouse, Alanis Morissette, Alicia Keys, John Mayer, Pink, Fergie, Christina Aguilera, Carole King, Drake, Ed Sheeran, and Taylor Swift.
Discography
- Know-It-All (2015)
- The Pains of Growing (2018)
- In the Meantime (2021)
- Love & Hyperbole (2025)
Film and Television Appearances
Film Roles
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
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| 2020 | The Willoughbys | Jane Willoughby | Voice role |
Television Appearances
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
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| 2015 | Undateable | Herself | 1 episode | |
| 2017 | iHeartRadio MMVA's | Co-Host | With Joe Jonas | |
| 2021 | The Other Two | Herself | 1 episode | |
| Yearly Departed | Herself | 1 episode | ||
| 2022 | That's My Jam | Herself/Guest | Along With Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Chance the Rapper, and Josh Groban | |
| Blade Runner: Black Lotus | Selene (voice) | 2 episodes | ||
| 2024 | Canada's Drag Race: Canada vs. the World | Herself | Season 2, Episode 5: "Snatch Game: The Rusical" |
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| Rock Paper Scissors | Lolly (voice) | 1 episode |
Awards and Recognitions
In 2018, Alessia Cara became the first Canadian artist to win the Grammy Award for Best New Artist. She has also received nominations for the American Music Awards and Billboard Music Awards. Her awards include an iHeartRadio Music Award, five Juno Awards, two MTV Video Music Awards, and an MTV Europe Music Award.
See also
In Spanish: Alessia Cara para niños
