Belinda Carlisle facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Belinda Carlisle
Carlisle in 2010
Background information
Birth name	Belinda Jo Carlisle
Also known as	Belinda Jo Dottie Danger Belinda Jo Kurczeski
Born	(1958-08-17) August 17, 1958 (age 67) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Genres	New wave pop pop rock punk rock
Occupation(s)	Singer songwriter actress memoirist
Instruments	Vocals
Years active	1977–present
Labels	I.R.S. MCA Virgin Chrysalis Ark 21 Rykodisc EMI Demon

Belinda Jo Carlisle (pronounced KAR-lyle; born August 17, 1958) is an American singer and songwriter. She became famous as the lead singer of the Go-Go's. Later, she had a very successful career as a solo artist.

Belinda grew up in Southern California. She co-founded The Go-Go's in 1978 and became their lead singer. Their first album, Beauty and the Beat, was a huge hit in 1981. This group helped make new wave music popular in the United States. The Go-Go's have sold over seven million records around the world.

After The Go-Go's separated in 1985, Belinda Carlisle started her solo career. She had many popular songs like "Mad About You", "I Get Weak", "Circle in the Sand", "Leave a Light On", "Summer Rain", and "Heaven Is a Place on Earth". The Go-Go's reunited in 1999. Belinda continued her solo work and performed with the band until they officially disbanded in 2022. She also returned for two special festival performances in 2025.

Belinda's autobiography, Lips Unsealed, was published in June 2010. It became a New York Times Best Seller and was well-received. In 1999, The Go-Go's were ranked No. 76 in VH1's 100 Greatest Women of Rock & Roll. In 2011, Belinda and The Go-Go's received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. They were also inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2021. In 2024, they joined the California Hall of Fame.

Belinda Carlisle's Early Life and School Days

Carlisle in her 1976 yearbook photo

Belinda Jo Carlisle was born in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, on August 17, 1958. Her father worked at a gas station, and her mother was a homemaker. Belinda was the oldest of seven children. Her family moved often during her childhood. Sometimes, life was tough for them.

Belinda's mother was very religious. Her stepfather, Walt Kurczeski, had a difficult relationship with her. She used his last name during her high school years. The family lived in different places like Simi Valley and Reseda. They finally settled in Burbank when Belinda was seven. At age ten, Belinda became interested in music. She loved artists like the Beach Boys, Cat Stevens, the Stylistics, and the Animals.

Later, her family moved to Thousand Oaks, California. Belinda attended Colina Junior High School. She played basketball there. She then went to Newbury Park High School and was a cheerleader. After high school, Belinda worked at a fabric store and as a clerk at a hotel. She also took beauty college classes for a short time. At 19, Belinda left home to follow her dream of a music career.

Belinda Carlisle's Music Journey

Starting with The Go-Go's

Belinda's first step into music was in 1977. She was a drummer for a short time in a punk rock band called the Germs. She never recorded or performed live with them.

Soon after, she helped create The Go-Go's. She formed the band with friends Margot Olavarria, Elissa Bello, and Jane Wiedlin. The final lineup included Belinda, Jane Wiedlin, Charlotte Caffey, Kathy Valentine, and Gina Schock. These five women were mostly new to playing instruments. Belinda remembered they even used tape to mark where to put their fingers on the guitar.

The Go-Go's became one of the most successful American bands of the 1980s. They helped bring new wave music to a wider audience. They were the first and only all-female band to write their own songs and play their own instruments. Their album Beauty and the Beat (1981) reached No. 1. It included hit songs like "We Got the Beat" and "Our Lips Are Sealed". The Go-Go's released two more albums. Vacation (1982) sold very well. Their 1984 song "Head over Heels" was also a big hit. In 1984, Belinda also acted in the movie Swing Shift. She played a band singer alongside Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell.

Belinda's Solo Career Takes Off

First Solo Albums: 1985–1990

The Go-Go's broke up in 1985. Belinda then started her solo music career. Her first solo album, Belinda, came out in 1986. It was very popular in North America. It sold enough copies to be certified Gold in the United States and Platinum in Canada. Her summer hit "Mad About You" reached No. 3 in the U.S. It was also a Top 10 hit in Australia. Other songs from this album included "I Feel the Magic" and a cover of "Band of Gold". Duran Duran's Andy Taylor played guitar on some songs. He also appeared in her "Mad About You" music video. Belinda also sang songs for movie soundtracks. These included "In My Wildest Dreams" from Mannequin (1987).

In 1987, Belinda released Heaven on Earth. This album had a more modern 1980s pop sound. It became a Top 5 bestseller in the UK and Australia. It was also nominated for a Grammy Award. The first song from the album, "Heaven Is a Place on Earth", became a No. 1 hit in the United States and the UK. The music video for this song was directed by the famous actress Diane Keaton. The next hit was "I Get Weak", which reached No. 2 in the U.S. and No. 10 in the UK. "Circle in the Sand" was another Top 10 hit in several countries. After this success, Belinda went on a world tour called Good Heavens.

Belinda's next album was Runaway Horses, released in 1989. This album also reached the Top 5 in Australia and the UK. It sold many copies, earning double platinum in Australia and platinum in the UK and Canada. The first song, "Leave a Light On", was a Top 5 hit in the UK, Australia, and Canada. In 1990, "Summer Rain" reached No. 6 in Australia. Other popular songs from the album included "La Luna" and "(We Want) The Same Thing".

In late 1990, The Go-Go's reunited for a tour. This tour supported their first greatest hits album, Greatest. The band members also supported PETA during this tour. They promoted an anti-fur campaign.

Continued Success: 1991–1999

In 1991, Belinda released her fourth solo album, Live Your Life Be Free. This album brought back some of her 1960s-inspired music. The music video for "Do You Feel Like I Feel?" was inspired by an old movie called Attack of the 50 Foot Woman. The song "Live Your Life Be Free" was a Top 20 hit in many countries. The album was also very successful in Europe.

In 1992, her greatest hits album The Best of Belinda, Volume 1 reached No. 1 in the UK. It sold enough copies to be certified double platinum. Belinda's fifth solo album, Real, came out in 1993. This album had a different sound from her usual pop music. Belinda helped write and produce many of the songs. She worked closely with her friend and former Go-Go's member Charlotte Caffey. The album was another UK Top 10 hit. Its first song, "Big Scary Animal", reached No. 12 in the UK.

The Go-Go's reunited again in 1994. They released a collection called Return to the Valley of The Go-Go's. It included three new songs. One of these was the single "The Whole World Lost Its Head". However, the band separated again after a short tour. Belinda went back to recording solo music. In 1996, she released her sixth solo album, A Woman & a Man. This album helped restart her solo career in Europe. It included several hits like "In Too Deep" and "Always Breaking My Heart". Both songs reached the UK Top 10. The album also featured Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys on the song "California". In 1997, she recorded "I Won't Say (I'm in Love)" for the Disney movie Hercules.

In 1999, Belinda released a double greatest hits album in the UK. It was called A Place on Earth: The Greatest Hits. It included her past hits and three new songs. This collection was very popular in the UK.

Later Music and Go-Go's Reunions

2001–2009

In 2001, The Go-Go's reunited once more. They released a new album called God Bless the Go-Go's. Green Day's lead singer Billie Joe Armstrong helped write the song "Unforgiven". The album received mixed reviews but still appeared on the US Billboard 200 chart.

In 2007, Belinda released her seventh album, Voila. This was her first full solo album in over ten years. It featured French pop tunes and classic French songs. In early 2009, Belinda was a contestant on the TV show Dancing with the Stars. She also performed in London's West End production of Hairspray as Velma Von Tussle.

2010–2020

Carlisle performing in 2014

Between 2011 and 2012, Belinda toured the United States with The Go-Go's. In March 2013, she released her first US single in seventeen years, "Sun". This song was included on a new greatest hits album called ICON – The Best of Belinda Carlisle.

In August 2013, special remastered versions of her albums Heaven on Earth, Runaway Horses, Live Your Life Be Free, and Real were released. These included extra songs and music videos. In March 2014, a new Greatest Hits album called The Collection came out. It had 18 hits and one new song, "Goodbye Just Go". This album reached No. 24 in the UK album charts.

Also in March 2014, a five-disc collection called Anthology was released. It included many rare songs and singles. Later in 2014, Belinda's other albums were re-released. In August 2015, a box set of all her singles was released. Belinda confirmed in 2015 that she had finished a new album. She said the music was partly inspired by Kundalini yoga. In late 2016, The Go-Go's completed an international tour. Belinda's eighth studio album, Wilder Shores, was released in September 2017. It featured Gurmukhi chants. The Go-Go's announced a reunion tour for June 2020, but it was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

2021–Present: Musical Comeback

In May 2021, The Go-Go's were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The band performed some of their hits at the ceremony. Belinda's former bandmate from the Germs, Pat Smear, was also inducted that day as a member of Foo Fighters.

The band had plans for a 2022 UK tour, but it was canceled. They also postponed a short West Coast tour in January 2022 due to a COVID-19 case. In 2023, Belinda confirmed that the group had officially disbanded.

On March 16, 2023, Belinda released "Big Big Love". This was the first song from Kismet, a five-song EP. The EP was written by Diane Warren and released on May 17, 2023. It marked Belinda's return to English-language pop music after twenty-seven years. The EP appeared on music charts in several countries. Belinda also announced plans for a new English-language studio album. In February 2024, Belinda and The Go-Go's were inducted into the California Hall of Fame. This honor was presented by the Governor of California, Gavin Newsom, and his wife, First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom.

Belinda released her ninth studio album, Once Upon a Time in California, on August 29, 2025. The first song from the album, "The Air That I Breathe", was released on June 6, 2025.

Belinda Carlisle's Musical Style and Influences

Belinda Carlisle is known for her strong soprano singing voice. Her music, both with The Go-Go's and in her solo career, is mostly pop music. Some music experts have also noticed hints of punk rock and pop rock, especially in The Go-Go's early songs.

Critics have called Belinda a "punk diva" and a "pop princess." As a singer in The Go-Go's, she was part of the new wave style. The band was known for mixing punk energy with the sound of California surf music. Her solo songs, starting with her first album Belinda (1986), were described as more polished and modern pop music.

When she was a child, her early inspirations included the Beach Boys, Cat Stevens, the Stylistics, and the Animals. As a teenager, she saw Iggy Pop on an album cover. This led her to discover punk and art rock bands like the Velvet Underground, New York Dolls, Roxy Music, and the Sex Pistols. In a 2013 interview, Belinda shared that she "didn't really listen to pop music" much. She had recently found inspiration in jazz artists like Miles Davis.

Belinda is also known for performing barefoot on stage.

Belinda Carlisle's Personal Life

Family and Home Life

Carlisle signing autographs in 2012

In 1986, Belinda married Morgan Mason. He is a political worker and film producer. Morgan is the son of actor James Mason and actress Pamela Mason. He appeared in Belinda's music videos for "Mad About You" and "Heaven Is a Place on Earth". They have one son, James Duke Mason, who was born in 1992. Duke is a writer, activist, and political commentator.

After an earthquake in 1994, Belinda and her family moved to Fréjus in France. They lived between France and the U.S. In 2017, the couple moved to Bangkok, Thailand. As of 2024, they live in Mexico City, Mexico.

Finding Well-being

Belinda found a path to well-being and peace through practicing Nichiren Buddhism. She has been a member of the Soka Gakkai International since 2002. She often mentions in interviews that she chants Nam Myōhō Renge Kyō every day. She credits this practice with helping her maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Belinda Carlisle's Activism

Belinda Carlisle supports LGBT rights. She made this public after her son, Duke, came out to her at age fourteen in 2006.

In 2014, Belinda helped start Animal People Alliance. This is a non-profit group in Calcutta, India. It raises money and trains women to care for street animals. Belinda says, "We are teaching people that animals have feelings." The organization also works with a hospital in Calcutta to teach about animal adoption and emergency care.

In May 2024, Belinda received the Harvey Milk Medal. Her son and Stuart Milk presented it to her for her work supporting gay rights. In June of the same year, she was given the 2024 YGB Namaste Award for her animal advocacy by the organization Yoga Gives Back.

Awards and Nominations

Billboard Music Awards

Other Awards

Discography

Studio albums

• Belinda (1986)
• Heaven on Earth (1987)
• Runaway Horses (1989)
• Live Your Life Be Free (1991)
• Real (1993)
• A Woman & a Man (1996)
• Voila (2007)
• Wilder Shores (2017)
• Once Upon a Time in California (2025)

Extended plays

• Kismet (2023)

See also

In Spanish: Belinda Carlisle para niños

• List of artists who reached number one in the United States
• List of artists who reached number one on the UK Singles Chart
• List of artists who reached number one in Ireland
• List of number-one singles of 1986 (Canada)